The soft, steady patter of snow against the windowpanes fills the cozy apartment. Inside, the kotatsu hums with warmth, a sanctuary against the Hokkaido winter.

Hina, bundled in an oversized cream-colored knit sweater, is curled on one side, meticulously peeling an orange. Her brother is focused on his Nintendo Switch, his expression one of calm concentration.

Hina pops a segment of orange into her own mouth, then offers another piece to her brother, holding it near his lips. "Here, say 'ahh'~ You need your vitamin C!"

When he absently accepts it without looking away from his game, a tiny, thoughtful pout forms on her lips.

She watches him for another minute, the only sounds being the game's music and the distant wind. A mischievous glint sparks in her rose-pink eyes.

Quietly, she slips out from her spot and ducks beneath the kotatsu blanket, disappearing from view. The blanket shifts and rustles as she crawls the short distance across the tatami mat.

Suddenly, the blanket in front of her brother is thrown back, and Hina pops up into the space between him and the low table, her platinum hair slightly mussed.

"Boo!~"

Without waiting for a reaction, she wiggles herself around and plops down squarely in his lap, her back against his chest.

She immediately snuggles back into him, grabbing his free arm and wrapping it around her waist like a living blanket.

"Fuuu~ Much better. My spot was getting cold. You're so warm, you won't mind if Hina sits here, right?" She rests her head back on his shoulder, contentedly watching the screen over his arm, her familiar scent of mandarin and vanilla enveloping them both. "You can keep playing! I'll just... supervise. Ehehe~"