Chapter 2 - Summer Rain
[-Miya Suzuki-]
The rain poured relentlessly, drenching me to the bone as I sat motionless on the cold pavement. My arms wrapped around myself, seeking warmth that would never come. The chill of the night seeped into my skin, yet it was nothing compared to the numbing ache inside my chest.
I didn't know how long I had been sitting there. Minutes? Hours? It didn't matter.
Tears mingled with the rain, cascading down my face unnoticed. The world around me blurred into a hazy mixture of gray and the dull glow of streetlights. The rhythmic sound of raindrops hitting the ground filled the silence, drowning out the thoughts that swirled endlessly in my mind.
Why did it still hurt this much?
I thought I had gotten used to the pain. That I had learned how to endure it. But nights like these—cold, lonely nights—made it impossible to ignore.
A shadow loomed over me, breaking through the downpour. I barely registered it until I felt the absence of rain against my head.
An umbrella.
I blinked, slowly lifting my gaze.
A man stood before me, his expression unreadable beneath the dim light. He wasn't saying anything, just silently holding the umbrella over me as if shielding me from more than just the rain.
I should've been wary of a stranger's kindness, but at that moment, all I could feel was exhaustion.
"...You'll catch a cold if you stay here," his voice was calm, almost indifferent, but there was a trace of something else beneath it—concern, perhaps?
I swallowed, my throat tight. "I know…" My voice was barely above a whisper.
Yet, I didn't move.
The man sighed lightly, shifting the umbrella slightly to cover me better. "Then why are you still sitting here?"
I lowered my head, unable to answer. What could I say? That I was drowning in grief? That I didn't know how to move forward? That I was afraid of forgetting?
The silence stretched between us. The rain continued to fall around us, yet under his umbrella, it felt… strangely safe.
After a moment, I finally spoke. "Thank you."
It was all I could manage.
The man didn't say anything else. Instead, he gently placed the umbrella in my hands before turning away, disappearing into the rain.
I watched his retreating figure, my fingers tightening around the handle of the umbrella.
A stranger.
Yet, for some reason, he felt oddly familiar.
[-Keizuke Kizaki-]
The rain was relentless, soaking through my clothes as I walked back to the resort. The cool wind bit at my skin, but I barely noticed. My thoughts lingered on the girl I had just left behind.
She was a stranger. I didn't know her name, nor did I know her story.
But the look in her eyes…
It was a look I knew all too well.
Emptiness. Pain. A silent struggle that no one else could see.
I wasn't the type to meddle in other people's lives. I preferred to stay distant, detached. And yet, when I saw her sitting there in the rain, holding herself as if trying to keep from falling apart, I couldn't just walk away.
It wasn't pity.
It was… understanding.
I had been there once—standing in the rain, lost in my own sorrow, drowning in thoughts I couldn't escape from.
Maybe that was why I left her my umbrella.
I wasn't expecting gratitude, nor did I expect to see her again. But for some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that our paths would cross once more.
And for the first time in a long while, I found myself wondering about someone else.
Who was she?
And why did I care?
[Earlier]
The rain had been falling for a while now, steady and unrelenting.
I leaned against the terrace railing, one hand casually slipping into the pocket of my sweatpants, the other holding my phone as soft music played through my earphones.
The sky was dark, the streetlights flickering to life one by one.
Then, something caught my eye.
A girl.
Sitting alone on the wet pavement near the shore, her figure barely moving against the rhythm of the falling rain.
I frowned slightly.
It wasn't just a drizzle—the rain was strong enough to soak through anything within minutes. Yet, she didn't seem to care.
I watched her for a moment longer, expecting her to move. To take shelter.
But she didn't.
I clicked my tongue, leaning back.
"This Girl is a serious trouble?" I muttered to myself, shaking my head.
It wasn't my problem.
I wasn't the type to pry into other people's business, and I wasn't about to start now.
Turning away, I walked back inside, pushing the thought of the girl to the back of my mind.
I headed to the kitchen, opening the fridge with the intent of cooking something—but the moment I checked the shelves, I sighed.
Some ingredients were missing.
Great.
Grabbing my wallet and an umbrella, I decided to make a quick trip to the store.
The walk was short, the rain pattering against my umbrella as I made my way through the dimly lit streets. By the time I had paid for what I needed and started heading back, my shoes were slightly damp, and I was already regretting not bringing a thicker jacket.
But then—
She was still there.
Sitting in the exact same spot.
Unmoving.
I slowed my steps.
My fingers curled around the plastic bag in my hand, my brows knitting together.
Was she waiting for someone?
Or just… sitting there?
I could ignore her. I should ignore her.
But for some reason, my feet changed direction before my mind could stop them.
And just like that, I found myself walking toward her, umbrella in hand.
I handed her the umbrella without a word.
She didn't look up immediately, but when she did, I caught a glimpse of her face—soft features illuminated by the dim streetlight, her wet hair clinging to her cheeks.
But what struck me the most weren't the raindrops trailing down her skin.
It was the unmistakable glimmer of tears.
For a second, I hesitated.
Then, without waiting for her to say anything, I turned on my heel and walked away.
I didn't need to get involved.
Back in my apartment, I tossed the plastic bag onto the counter and went straight to the bathroom.
The cool water ran down my skin as I rinsed off the damp chill from the rain. The heat from the shower should have been enough to relax me, but instead, my mind drifted back—to her.
To the way she had just sat there.
To the tears I had pretended not to notice.
Tch.
I ran a towel through my hair, trying to shake off the thought.
Why was I even thinking about it?
It had nothing to do with me.
I stepped out of the bathroom, pulling on a fresh shirt. My dinner was simple, just enough to satisfy my hunger, but even as I ate, I found myself staring absently at the window.
The rain was still falling.
I exhaled through my nose, shaking my head.
Enough.
Grabbing a book from my shelf, I sank into the couch, flipping it open.
If my mind insisted on wandering, I'd force it somewhere else.
But my mind still elsewhere