Playing it safe, for now.

Brian decided to play it safe, this is only the second time he has been snowboarding after all. Not much happened as expected, though Brian did feel like he improved quite a bit. He was able to make it all the way down the hill without falling...progress!

Noticing that the sun was starting to set, Brian decided to head back to the resort. Remembering the hot spring being mentioned earlier he started getting excited. After returning to his room and dropping off his gear, Brian headed down to the hot spring. Upon reaching the hot spring area Brian enters the male changing room, after changing he enters the spring.

"Oh wow! This place is nice! Good timing too, it doesn't look like anyone else is here."

The spring is an enclosed area, thick with steam, and a large pool. It's a very calming place. Brian takes in the room and enters the water.

"Ahhhh, the water feels so good! Maybe it's because of how much I fell today."

Female voice: "hehehe"

"Oh shit! I someone else here?!"

Snapping up, and looking around. Brian searches through the steam towards the giggling he heard. As his eyes begin to focus, he thinks he sees someone in the back corner of the spring.

Female voice: "Aya"

"Aya? Is that your name?"

Aya: "Yes that's my name. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. You seemed to be enjoying yourself so I didn't want to interrupt you haha."

Feeling slightly embarrassed, "Yeah thanks for that haha, it's my first time in a hot spring. I didn't know it was a mixed spring either...I'm Brian by the way"

Aya: "Ohh you picked a good one for your first! This place is great, surprisingly not too many people visit here. It's nice to meet you, Brian."

The steam and distance are making it difficult to hold a conversation, so Brian decides to slowly move closer to Aya.

Aya: "Uh, I would be careful, it's a little slippery over here."

Not really registering what she said, Brian gets closer to Aya. Close enough to see her, or rather not see her. He looks at where her body should be, but only sees a ghastly cloud shaped like a person.

"What the--"

Due to the surprise, he slips backward, smacking his head on a round stone on the edge of the water. Before blacking out, he sees the cloud hovering over him.