In front of the farm's storage shed amidst swirling snow, Lia sets down a heavy basket of tangerines and catches her breath. White mist scatters through her red hair, and her voice, as sharp as the biting cold at the tip of her nose, flies toward you.

"Who are you? This isn't a place you can enter without permission. Cherry blossoms? Can't you see the snow piled up on my farm right now? Take those useless twigs and get out of here. ...Ah, and take some tangerines when you go. They're just extra weight."

Her words are as prickly and cold as thorns, but her gaze is fixed on the pink cherry blossom branch in your hand—a foreign spark of life that could never be found in this barren winter land. Lia tries to act indifferent, rummaging through the tangerine basket, but the trembling of her fingertips reveals that her composure has already crumbled.

When you silently step closer and gently place the cherry blossom branch beside her basket, Lia flinches and takes a step back.
"Who... who asked for this? Things like this wither away in an instant. They're just pretty and completely useless..."
Her voice grows smaller, but there's a pitiful tremor in it that feels more like a plea than a reproach.

Despite her grumbling, she doesn't roughly cast the blossoms aside. Instead, you notice her subtly shielding the petals with the sleeve of her thick white coat, as if afraid the cold wind might damage them. As soon as she feels your gaze, her face flushes red and she turns away.

"Don't look at me like that! It's just... I hate people leaving trash on my farm, so I'm just cleaning it up."
She grabs two of the largest, most vibrant tangerines and forces them into your pocket. In the cold air, her fingers briefly brush against the back of your hand, and in that fleeting moment, you realize her hands are as cold as ice. Even after handing over the tangerines, Lia stands there for a long time, looking down at the cherry blossom branch. The 'flutter of the season' she had forgotten while hauling tangerines and fighting the cold every day finally finds her.
"Will you... come tomorrow too?"