The rain descended upon the city with an unyielding fervour, even more relentless than the previous day, as if the heavens themselves wept in sorrow. The sun, unable to pierce through the gloom, had vanished behind a sombre shroud of clouds. Within a quaint coffee shop, Sakamoto paused in his task of wiping down a dining table and gazed out of the slightly fogged windows, chilled by the wintry air. Through the haze, he caught sight of Yuuji standing resolute beneath an umbrella by the bicycle park.
A momentary connection ensued, the gaze of the two young men locking in a dance of emotions. Upon his lips, Yuuji fashioned a tender smile, one that seemed to harbour both joy and unspoken pain.
"Yuuji…?"
Moved by the encounter, Sakamoto hastened to finish his duties before retreating to the staff room. There, he shed his work attire for a school uniform, gathering his belongings as he bid his colleagues good night.
As he emerged from the coffee shop, he found Yuuji waiting outside.
"What happened?" Sakamoto asked, with genuine concern etched upon his face.
Yuuji's smile, however, masked the turmoil within. Yet, Sakamoto could sense the attempt to paint over the melancholy like a rainbow against darkened clouds.
Alas, the facade was futile.
Aware that something had transpired, Sakamoto sighed, though he maintained a comforting smile.
"You can't hide anything from me with that look, you know," he remarked.
Instantly, the smile on Yuuji's face faltered, but he valiantly held back tears, clutching the umbrella tightly. A feeble grin replaced the genuine one.
"Oh, my… I really can't keep anything from you."
Despite the biting wind, Sakamoto persisted with his reassuring smile as he followed Yuuji away from the coffee shop, a place where he believed he had discovered true love.
The duo trod the same pedestrian path leading to their respective homes, their route made more crowded than usual by the throngs of people seeking shelter under umbrellas from the ceaseless downpour.
Nonetheless, Sakamoto refused to let the footsteps fall into silence.
"Yuuji," he spoke, his gaze fixed on the path ahead, "I find myself unable to emulate your fearlessness. You aren't afraid of pursuing love and facing heartbreak."
"What I did was stupid, Naoki-kun."
"But…"
"And I did cry in front of Ueda-san…," added Yuuji.
"Still, if I were to act like you, people would think me crazy, and I might not have the courage to face the world. How exaggerated can I be, right?"
Yuuji halted mid-step, prompting Sakamoto to stop as well, a myriad of questions swirling in his mind as he looked upon his companion's back. Under the cover of their vinyl umbrellas, their eyes locked, and they stood in silence as if waiting for the other to initiate conversation.
The steady rhythm of rainfall and the echoing sound of footsteps splashing in puddles filled the void.
Emboldened by the ambience and the chilling atmosphere, Yuuji took a tentative step closer to Sakamoto and finally spoke.
"Is that person… Morikita-san…? Is he the one you love?"