Chapter 175: A Walk To Hotel
The late November night was crisp and chilly, the kind of cold that nipped at your fingers and made your breath puff in little clouds. The streets outside Wonderland Amusement Park were quiet, the grand gate’s golden lights fading behind us as Aeri and I walked away from the park’s fading buzz. The city was hushed, with only the occasional hum of a passing car and the rustle of dry leaves skittering across the sidewalk.
Aeri walked two steps ahead of me, her black mini skirt swaying with her light steps, her tight white t-shirt and open black shirt doing little to keep her warm. Her hands were clasped behind her back, and she was humming a soft, cheerful tune.
The wind picked up, tossing my hair and tugging at her cat ear headband, which she’d stubbornly kept on. I watched her, wondering why she’d wanted to walk in this freezing night instead of taking a cab straight to the hotel.
I sighed, my breath visible in the cold air, and called out, "Aeri..."
She stopped mid-hum, turning back to face me. "Hmm? What happened?" she asked, tilting her head, her voice light but curious. Her hair danced in the breeze, a few strands sticking to her lips, and she brushed them away with a quick flick of her hand.
"Here, wear this," I said, unbuttoning my black shirt and slipping it off my shoulders.
I stepped closer, wrapping it around her, the fabric still warm from my body. My white t-shirt was all I had left, and the cold bit at my arms, but I didn’t care. She looked too chilly, and I’d rather freeze than see her shiver.
Aeri’s face turned pink, a slow blush creeping up her cheeks as she clutched the shirt, pulling it tighter around her.
"But I already have a shirt on me," she said, her voice soft, almost shy. "And you’ll be cold now, Ezra. This is too much." Her eyes flicked to my bare arms, concern.