"Say, is the winter in Gensokyo this long?" Kars couldn't help but feel strange looking at the perpetually snowy landscape outside the window. It was already spring, yet it still looked like winter.
"It looks like someone is causing another Incident." Patchouli quickly guessed what was happening with this abnormal seasonal situation, similar to the one they had caused before; it was an artificially induced Incident.
"An Incident? I see, if that's the case, then it explains the situation." Kars's expression became slightly serious. This current Incident was quite terrible for him. If it wasn't resolved, he wouldn't be able to enjoy a proper sunbath, especially after not having been exposed to much sunlight all winter. This made him feel even more miserable.
"I've decided! I'm going to resolve the Incident!" Kars's declaration made Patchouli look at him. She was not supportive of Kars suddenly going to resolve this Incident.
"Don't get involved in something like this. The Hakurei Shrine Maiden will take care of it. You just need to wait for her to resolve the Incident. Right now, all you can do is provide heat." Since she knew that many of the Youkai in Gensokyo were very powerful, sending Kars to resolve the Incident, with an unknown mastermind, seemed too risky to her. Besides, since there was a Shrine Maiden specifically dedicated to solving these problems, Kars didn't need to do anything dangerous.
"…Don't say things like that. It's not entirely my fault. The main reason is that I can't sunbathe in the winter. If I could sunbathe, I wouldn't be like this now." Kars replied gloomily, but after listening to Patchouli, he gave up the idea of resolving the Incident. After all, with Reimu Hakurei around, the matter would surely be easily resolved. He might as well just wait at home for spring to arrive.
With this thought, Kars shifted his attention away from the Incident. He walked over to Patchouli, lay in her arms, and let out a satisfied sound.
And so, a few more days passed…
"Hey, Patchouli, didn't you say that Shrine Maiden would resolve the Incident? But why hasn't winter ended yet?" Kars had assumed Reimu Hakurei would quickly resolve the Incident, but the weather remained the same, making him confused.
"How should I know what that Shrine Maiden is thinking?" Patchouli was momentarily at a loss for words. When they started their Incident, Reimu Hakurei appeared so fast and defeated them in a flash. But this current Incident has been going on for days with no sign of resolution. The difference was too huge, wasn't it? Did she have any professional ethics at all!
"I really can't take it anymore! I'm going to find that Hakurei Shrine Maiden and see what on earth she's doing!" Kars couldn't bear this winter anymore and decided to go see what Reimu Hakurei was doing, ignoring the Incident.
After leaving the Scarlet Devil Mansion, Kars sprouted bat wings from his back and flew up into the sky. After a while, he finally arrived at the Hakurei Shrine.
"Is she in this room?" After confirming the room where Reimu Hakurei was, Kars directly slid the door open and saw Reimu Hakurei sitting under a kotatsu (heated table) eating tangerines.
"Huh? You are… who was it again? I remember you are from the Scarlet Devil Mansion." Reimu Hakurei looked at Kars in front of her, finding him familiar but unable to immediately recall who he was.
"Kars! Kars Scarlet!" Kars looked at Reimu Hakurei, who seemed to be living a retired life, and his mouth twitched slightly as he asked, "What on earth are you doing? There's an Incident happening right now! Why are you, the Shrine Maiden, sitting under a kotatsu instead of resolving it!"
"Warming up. It's so cold outside, I don't want to go out." Hearing Reimu Hakurei's answer, Kars subconsciously nodded in agreement.
"Indeed, it's so cold that I don't want to go out either. I've been staying in the Scarlet Devil Mansion every day, playing games with the others in the room."
"See? If you want, you can join me."
"Ah! Then, excuse me." Kars nodded and was about to climb into the kotatsu when he suddenly realized that he hadn't come here for this!
"No! I came here to tell you to resolve the Incident! Stop slacking off! Otherwise, this winter will last forever, and I won't be able to sunbathe!!" Kars walked over, intending to pull Reimu Hakurei out of the kotatsu, but his strength was completely insufficient to do so. Moreover, as he grabbed Reimu Hakurei's shoulders, her gaze suddenly became serious.
Being stared at with that look, Kars suddenly felt a sense of tension. He felt as if he had triggered something, causing her to awaken.
"You, you fellow…"
Kars: Σ(°△°)┌
"W-what are you going to do? I… I didn't do anything strange just now, did I? Why are you looking at me like that?" The nervous Kars backed away slightly, but his hand was suddenly grabbed by Reimu Hakurei, and an irresistible pulling force dragged him toward her.
Kars, who thought he was about to be dealt with, found that he was fine; instead, he was hugged by Reimu Hakurei.
"Your body is so warm! This feels much more comfortable than the kotatsu!" Reimu Hakurei exclaimed, hugging Kars in her arms. She hadn't expected Kars to have this function. With this natural heater, she wouldn't have to worry about temperature issues whether she was hugging him day or night. She could finally get a good night's sleep.