Morning came slowly.
Soft sunlight over snow.
Cold air.
Peaceful silence.
Then—
"STOP TOUCHING MY FACE!"
So much for peace.
Utahime was finally free from the snowman after a miserable amount of digging, but that did not mean her suffering had ended.
Because the moment she was rescued—
the three of them surrounded her.
Gojo.
Geto.
Takeru.
Like coordinated menaces.
Utahime backed up one step.
"…No."
Gojo smiled innocently.
"…No what?"
Geto looked calm as ever.
Which somehow made it worse.
"…You seem tense."
Takeru tilted his head.
"…Your cheeks look soft."
Utahime pointed furiously.
"…DO NOT."
Too late.
Pinch.
Gojo got one side.
Pinch.
Takeru got the other.
Utahime's words came out mangled.
"…MMPH!"
Geto, somehow the most respectful of the three, only lightly tapped one cheek.
"…Remarkable elasticity."
Utahime swung wildly.
Missed everyone.
Haibara came running out of the cabin.
"…What's happening!?"
Nanami stepped out behind him, saw the scene once, and sighed deeply.
"…Of course."
Shoko leaned in the doorway with a drink.
"…I'm not intervening."
Gojo let go and stepped back dramatically.
"…Look at that anger. Healthy circulation."
Takeru nodded seriously.
"…Red cheeks now."
Utahime's eye twitched.
"…THAT IS FROM YOU PINCHING THEM!"
Geto folded his arms.
"…Strong theory."
She lunged at him.
He sidestepped smoothly.
Haibara laughed so hard he almost fell into the snow.
"…This is the best morning ever!"
Nanami muttered:
"…This is a terrible morning."
Gojo darted in again and pinched once more.
Pinch.
Utahime roared.
"…SATORU!"
Takeru copied him instantly.
Pinch.
"…TAKERU!"
Geto, after a moment of thought, joined in with a brief two-finger pinch.
Pinch.
Utahime stared at him in betrayal.
"…Suguru… you too?"
Geto gave a small smile.
"…Peer pressure."
Shoko nearly spit out her drink laughing.
Utahime gathered snow in both hands.
The others recognized danger too late.
She launched twin snowballs with murderous precision.
WHAM.
One hit Gojo in the face.
WHAM.
One hit Takeru square in the chest.
Geto barely dodged.
Utahime pointed like a wrathful commander.
"…War."
Haibara gasped dramatically.
"…Snow battle!"
Nanami turned around immediately.
"…I'm going back inside."
Too late.
A snowball hit the back of his head.
Silence.
Nanami slowly turned.
Gojo grinned.
"…Oops."
And just like that—
the battlefield was born.