The storm arrived without warning.
It had been an unusually hot and humid day, the air thick with anticipation, as if nature itself were holding its breath. Kaito and Hana were on their way to the library after school when the clouds above darkened rapidly, turning the sky a deep, ominous gray.
"Looks like we're in for a downpour," Kaito said, glancing up at the gathering clouds.
Hana nodded absently, but Kaito noticed the frown tugging at the corners of her lips. He had grown accustomed to her quiet demeanor lately, but there was something different about today. She seemed even more distant than usual, her eyes flicking nervously to the sky as the first drops of rain began to fall.
The storm hit just as they reached the school gates. Within minutes, the light drizzle transformed into a torrential downpour. Students scrambled to find cover, but it was too late—the rain was coming down in sheets, flooding the streets and sidewalks in an instant.
Kaito grabbed Hana's arm, pulling her toward the nearest building. "We're stuck here," he muttered, pulling his jacket over her head as they ran for shelter. They made it to the school's entrance just as the wind picked up, lashing rain against the windows.
"Great," Hana said, her voice tinged with exasperation. "We're trapped."
"Not for long," Kaito said optimistically. "I'll just call a cab, and we can get out of here. No big deal."
But as the minutes passed, the storm only grew fiercer. The power flickered a few times, and the rain didn't show any signs of letting up. After a while, it became clear that they weren't going anywhere. The roads were flooded, and any form of transportation was useless.
Hana let out a long sigh, sitting down on one of the benches near the entrance, looking out at the storm. The atmosphere in the school was quiet, almost eerie, as everyone retreated to their classrooms or the cafeteria to wait out the storm. Kaito, sitting next to Hana, couldn't help but feel the weight of the silence between them.
"You okay?" Kaito asked, his voice low.
Hana glanced at him, and for a brief moment, their eyes locked. There was a subtle shift in her expression, a vulnerability he rarely saw. "I'll be fine," she said, her voice far quieter than usual.
But Kaito could sense something was off. He nudged her gently, his eyes softening. "Come on, you can talk to me."
Hana looked out the window again, staring at the swirling, grey storm. The wind howled, rattling the windows as though it were trying to break in. She inhaled deeply, then spoke, her voice almost a whisper.
"I'm scared, Kaito."
The words hung in the air between them, heavy with unspoken emotion. Kaito blinked, surprised by her admission. He had never heard her speak with such rawness before. "Scared of what?"
Hana shifted uncomfortably, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her jacket. "Of everything... of leaving, of losing everyone I care about." Her voice faltered for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. "I don't know how to say goodbye."
Kaito's heart tightened. He had always known Hana kept things to herself, but hearing her speak so openly about her fears made him realize just how much she had been carrying alone.
"I never had much stability growing up," Hana continued, her voice still barely audible over the storm. "I've moved around so much, I've gotten used to saying goodbye to people, to leaving them behind. But this time... it's different."
She looked at Kaito, her eyes filled with an emotion he couldn't quite name. "I've never had someone like you in my life. I've never had a friend who I could rely on, someone who... made me feel like I belong. And now I have to leave all of that behind."
Kaito felt his breath catch in his throat. "Hana..."
Hana shook her head, a tear slipping down her cheek despite her best efforts to hide it. "I've always been the new girl. I've always been alone. But now... it hurts to know that I'll have to leave everything behind. You, my friends, this place..." Her voice trembled, and Kaito could feel the weight of her pain.
He didn't know what to say at first. He could feel the storm raging not just outside but inside her as well, and it hurt him to see her like this. All he could do was sit next to her, offering his silent support as the rain hammered against the windows.
After a few long moments, Kaito finally spoke, his voice soft but steady. "You don't have to go through this alone. Even if you leave, I'll still be here. We'll still be friends, Hana. No matter where you are, I'll always have your back."
Hana's eyes met his again, and for the first time in days, there was a small spark of hope in her gaze. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
"I don't know what to do with all these feelings," she admitted, wiping away the tear that had escaped.
"That's okay," Kaito said gently. "You don't have to figure it all out right now. We've got time. And I'll be with you until the end."
The storm outside seemed to soften in that moment, as if nature itself was giving them a brief reprieve. Kaito sat beside Hana, his shoulder brushing against hers, offering her a steady presence.
"Thank you," Hana whispered after a long pause, her voice filled with gratitude. "I didn't think I could say it out loud, but I'm really scared of leaving. I'm scared of forgetting the people who made me feel like I mattered."
"You won't forget," Kaito reassured her. "Not while I'm around."
They sat there for a while longer, the storm outside still raging, but the world inside that small school entrance seemed to stand still. In that quiet, shared space, they didn't need words to understand each other. Hana wasn't alone anymore—not as long as Kaito was by her side.
By the time the rain began to ease up and the storm clouds parted, the night had fallen, and they were still there, the two of them. It felt like an eternity, but somehow, it was the most peaceful night they'd shared together.
And in the midst of that storm, they both understood something. Though the future remained uncertain, the bond they had forged was unbreakable, no matter how far apart they would one day be.