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The next day, Sunday.
It was a cloudy day with light snow falling from the gray sky. After a night of snowfall, the ground and rooftops of the capital were blanketed with a layer of white.
After winter's arrival, the capital was adorned with silver-coated trees, creating a vast expanse of pristine white that brought a sense of peace to everyone's hearts.
Jacob changed into a long down jacket, put on a mask, a black hat, a scarf, and shouldered a hiking backpack before heading out fully prepared for the weather.
Nina also dressed for the occasion in a beige short down jacket, furry snow boots, and a pair of fleece trousers. Her face bore light makeup, and after more than a month of recovery, she looked quite well with a rosy complexion.
Together, they made a striking pair that caught the attention of passersby. Jacob hadn't released his Sceptile yet—if the more than three-meter-tall Pokémon were walking alongside them on the road, it would likely cause quite a commotion.
"We're here," Jacob said to Nina as they reached the entrance of the Park. "Wait for me, I'll go buy the tickets."
"Okay," she responded softly.
...
After purchasing the tickets, Jacob and Nina entered the Park. Being the weekend, there were quite a few tourists around. However, as they ventured higher up the mountain, the crowds thinned out until eventually, they were surrounded by complete silence. The only sounds were the falling snowflakes and their own breathing.
Looking at the misty mountain path ahead, Jacob released his Pokémon.
Out came his massive Sceptile, the golden Charmeleon, the cute Noibat, the excited and simple-minded Axew, and finally, the somewhat dopey Dreepy.
Most Dragon-type Pokémon disliked cold weather, and Noibat particularly despised it. As soon as it emerged and felt the cold wind, it couldn't bear it and flew straight into Jacob's arms, burrowing into his down jacket for warmth.
Jacob couldn't help but laugh at Noibat's pitiful appearance. He had no choice but to let it nestle inside his jacket, with only its large ears and head poking out.
After finding shelter in Jacob's arms, Noibat made cheerful sounds, clearly happy with its warm hideaway.
Dreepy didn't seem to mind the cold weather much. It hovered foolishly near Jacob, curiously observing the white snowy landscape.
Axew was the most excited of all. As soon as it was released, it used the long tusks on either side of its mouth to repeatedly strike the trees lining the path. Each collision sent large flakes of snow cascading down, burying the small Dragon-type and piling it into a snowdrift.
Then Axew would poke its head out from the snow pile as if nothing had happened, making happy "Ax! Ax!" sounds, clearly having the time of its life.
The Sceptile walked behind Jacob and Nina, calmly and steadily using its massive body to shield them from the falling snow. Snowflakes continuously fell on its back and long tail, soon accumulating into a white layer.
Among all the Pokémon, only Charmeleon maintained a sense of calm, though even it couldn't help but show excitement in its eyes when taking in the beautiful snowy scene.
Jacob gently patted its head and said softly, "Charmeleon, everyone's out here to enjoy themselves today. Relax and don't overthink things—we'll be with you no matter what."
"Char!" The Fire-type Pokémon enjoyed Jacob's touch, its eyes meeting his before glancing toward Axew. It temporarily forgot the unpleasantness of the past few days and followed Jacob toward the mountain summit.
The snow grew colder, and white mist encompassed everything around them.
All the Pokémon walked step by step along the wooden path toward the mountaintop. Axew and Charmeleon led the way, while Jacob, Nina, and Sceptile brought up the rear.
Walking beside Jacob, Nina couldn't help but feel a strange sensation in her heart. Amid the picturesque scenery of the distant mountain path, with wind blowing snow and trees swaying by the river, the two of them resembled lovers climbing the mountain together, walking through the snow.
As the snowfall intensified, they drew closer together, shoulder to shoulder, clearly feeling the contact even through their thick clothing.
Jacob and Nina maintained a tacit silence as they continued their ascent, step by step.
Nina's face flushed slightly, and she couldn't help letting her thoughts wander. Initially, she had always regarded Jacob as a student, her father's disciple, her junior, a young research genius, and a hardworking trainer. She hadn't harbored any other intentions.
But she also knew that Jacob might not see things the same way. She often felt something different in his gaze when he looked at her—something so intense it was almost suffocating.
Nina had been reasoning with herself about this. Jacob hadn't fully entered society yet and had relatively little life experience. It was normal for a boy his age to be full of longing for a mature woman like her, normal to admire someone older.
Jacob was young and perhaps naive, but she couldn't afford to be. She was already 27 years old after the New Year, eight or nine years older than Jacob. This age gap made her always treat him as her student, and she dared not entertain any distracting thoughts.
But when Nina watched Jacob cooking for her every day, helping her clean the house, and sternly warning her not to drink, this feeling of being cared for gradually changed her mindset.
Especially during the last two weeks when Jacob was away, she would often stare absently at the kitchen and yard, watching the wind blow leaves down, imagining she could see Jacob busy in the kitchen or training on the grounds.
Now, walking side by side with him, she felt an inexplicable sense of peace.
...
"How's the scenery?" Jacob asked Nina, interrupting her thoughts. "I read online that the views here are spectacular in all seasons—spring, summer, autumn, or winter."
"It is beautiful," Nina nodded, her face slightly flushed. She couldn't help but scold herself internally—what was she thinking? What was wrong with her? She was Jacob's teacher... his senior.
Nina pushed her complicated thoughts aside, took a deep breath, and gazed into the distance. The pristine white snow scene brought her a particular sense of peace. She had only been here once before, as a child with her father.
She remembered her father explaining the origin of the Thousand mountains Forest Park's name and turned to Jacob to share: "The name of this park comes from an ancient phrase meaning 'A thousand mountains without human presence, a thousand paths without travelers.'"
"Don't be so poetic," Jacob's words abruptly broke the atmosphere. "If you ask me, it's just beautiful. This snow is really freaking beautiful!"
"..."
Nina was speechless after being teased by Jacob. She couldn't help but complain in a slightly girlish tone, "Can't you be more elegant?"
"Of course," Jacob responded. "This is called 'the coldness of the jade dragon in the mountains overnight, and the old pear blossoms in the phoenix forest.'"
"Where did you copy that poem from? I've never heard it before," Nina looked at Jacob questioningly.
"According to international custom, anything you haven't heard before is considered to be written by me," Jacob said with a smile. Looking at Nina's bright, beautiful face, he couldn't help but think of a poem about snow: "The north wind blows away the snow at midnight, and the beautiful soul still lingers on the peach blossom moon."
...