They were still walking down the street, carrying the small bag with Ayane's new uniform neatly packed inside. The air had grown a little cooler, the clouds above hinting that the rain might start any moment.
Arashi glanced at Ayane and asked casually, trying to break the silence.
"Hey… do you want to eat something? Hungry?"
Ayane shook her head.
"Not yet," she said softly.
But just as the words left her mouth, a loud, unmistakable rumble came from her stomach.
The sound seemed impossibly loud to Ayashi, and her face immediately turned crimson. Her eyes widened, and she looked like she wanted to disappear on the spot.
Arashi couldn't help it. He felt a laugh bubbling up and tried to cover his mouth with his hand, but the sound escaped in a quiet chuckle.
Ayane's blush deepened, nearly covering her entire face. She looked at him, half-frustrated, half-mortified.
"Why are you laughing?" she demanded, though her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Sorry! Sorry…" Arashi managed between chuckles.
"Okay… okay, let's just eat something, alright?"
Ayane hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly.
"Where…?" she asked softly.
"Anywhere you want," Arashi said casually, trying to sound normal while keeping a subtle smile on his face.
She shrugged lightly, and he led the way to a nearby fast-food restaurant.
Inside, the smell of fried food and warm bread filled the air. The place was modest, not crowded, but there were a few other customers scattered around. They walked up to the counter and ordered quickly: one large pizza and two burgers.
Arashi paid and carried the drinks to a nearby table. They waited for their order in silence at first, the quiet only interrupted by the occasional clatter of trays and the hum of the grill in the background.
Arashi looked around, taking in the small, everyday scene.
What am I doing here? he thought.
People are probably looking at us and thinking we're a couple… ugh, what an awkward day this has been.
His mind was still spinning with the strange mix of yesterday's confession, the dream, and the errand earlier that morning.
Just then, a group of boys from school approached their table.
"Arashi! How's it going?" one of them asked cheerfully.
Arashi turned, slightly startled, and replied politely,
"I'm fine. But… I don't think I recognize you."
One of the boys frowned.
"What do you mean? We were classmates."
Arashi furrowed his brows, thinking hard.
"I… I don't remember anything," he said honestly.
One boy leaned over to whisper something into his friend's ear. After a moment, the friend shrugged and said,
"Oh… never mind. Forget it."
With that, they turned and walked away, leaving Arashi alone with his thoughts again.
He shook his head slightly, exhaling.
Uff… seriously. What a day. Every little thing today is just… so awkward.
He glanced over at Ayane, who was quietly watching the people around her, still flushed from the earlier moment. Arashi gave her a small, reassuring smile, silently hoping the rest of the outing would go a little smoother.
They dug into their food, the aroma of the pizza and burgers filling the small table. At first, the atmosphere was still slightly stiff, each of them cautious with their words.
But gradually, as the first bites warmed their stomachs, the tension began to ease.
Arashi cracked a small joke about the cheesiness of the pizza, and Ayane laughed softly. That tiny sound seemed to loosen the final threads of awkwardness that had been tangled between them since leaving the house.
Soon, they were talking normally—comfortably.
Ayane asked about school.
"So… how's your class this year? Are the teachers strict?" she asked, curious.
Arashi shrugged lightly.
"Some are okay, some are… well, you know. Nothing too unusual."
They talked about their schedules, the teachers, and a few small events coming up at school. Their conversation flowed easily now, no silences weighing down the air.
Before long, the food was gone, the plates empty. They paid quickly and stepped out of the fast-food restaurant, ready to continue their errands.
The streets were still relatively quiet, with only a few people strolling along. But just as they were walking, soft drops of rain began to fall.
"Ah—great," Arashi muttered, glancing up at the sky.
"I really should have brought an umbrella. But no… of course, I didn't. Uff… what do we do now?"
It wasn't heavy yet, but it was enough to make them uncomfortable. The weather forecast had predicted rain at four o'clock, and it was only around 2:30 now.
Ayane and Arashi quickly spotted a small shop with a metal shed extending over the entrance. They dashed toward it and stood side by side, just under the shelter, letting the rain fall around them while they stayed dry.
The sound of water hitting the shed above filled the air, mixing with the faint hum of passing cars and distant city noise.
They stood there silently, waiting for the rain to ease, the quiet between them comfortable now, rather than tense.
Arashi glanced over at Ayane and smiled faintly.
At least we're not slipping on the street, he thought.
And somehow, standing here… it doesn't feel as awkward anymore.
They stood under the narrow shed, the rain falling steadily just beyond its edge. The sound of raindrops hitting metal and concrete filled the space between them. Cars passed by occasionally, splashing water onto the road, but neither Arashi nor Ayane paid attention to any of it.
For a few quiet seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then Ayane slowly turned her head and looked at Arashi.
"Arashi…" she said softly.
He blinked and looked back at her, surprised by how serious her voice sounded.
"Yeah?" he replied. "What is it?"
Ayane hesitated. Her fingers curled slightly at her sides as if she were gathering courage.
"Have you… thought about something?" she asked.
Arashi frowned a little.
"Thought about what?" he asked, genuinely confused.
She swallowed.
"…About my confession."
The moment those words reached him, Arashi stiffened.
The rain suddenly felt louder.
"Oh—" he let out an awkward breath. "T-that…"
He looked away instinctively, his chest tightening.
"Uh… listen—"
But Ayane shook her head quickly.
"You don't need to rush," she said, her voice calm but trembling just a little.
"You don't have to give me an answer right now. I can wait. I really can."
Arashi turned toward her again, surprised.
"But—listen to me," he said, stepping slightly closer.
"There's something I need to—"
Before he could finish—
Ayane suddenly turned away.
And ran.
"Ayane—!" Arashi called out instinctively.
She didn't stop.
Rain splashed beneath her feet as she dashed down the street, her figure quickly putting distance between them. Arashi stared for a split second, stunned.
"…Hey, wait!"
He moved without thinking.
Arashi broke into a run, the rain soaking his clothes almost instantly as he chased after her. Water splashed up around his shoes, his breath growing uneven.
"Ayane!" he shouted again. "Stop!"
But she didn't turn back.
She kept running.
Arashi pushed himself harder, closing the distance little by little, rain blurring his vision as his heart pounded wildly—not just from running, but from everything crashing together at once.
Why now?
Why like this?
He reached out as he ran, his fingers just barely missing her sleeve—
"Ayane, please—just listen!"
The rain showed no sign of stopping.
And neither did either of them.
Arashi was right behind her, rain pounding against his back as he ran. His shoes splashed through puddles, his breath growing heavier with every step.
"Ayane—!"
And then—
She slipped.
Her foot slid on the wet pavement, and before she could regain her balance, she fell hard onto the ground.
"Ayane!"
Arashi's heart jumped into his throat. He sprinted the last few steps and dropped to his knees beside her without hesitation.
The rain poured mercilessly, soaking them both.
He reached out immediately, extending his hand toward her.
"Take my hand," he said urgently.
"Come on—get up. The rain's really heavy."
Ayane slowly looked up at him.
Her face was drenched—not just with rain.
Tears filled her eyes, mixing with the water running down her cheeks. Her lips trembled slightly, and for a moment, she looked so fragile that Arashi felt something tighten painfully in his chest.
He froze.
Before he could say anything—before he could explain, apologize, or even call her name again—
Ayane spoke.
Her voice was shaking, but firm.
"Didn't I tell you…?" she said quietly.
"I told you I don't need an answer right now."
She pushed his hand away.
"Just… leave me alone."
The words hit harder than the rain.
Arashi's hand hung in the air, empty.
Before he could react, Ayane forced herself up, ignoring the pain, ignoring the rain, ignoring him. She turned away—
And ran again.
"Ayane—!"
But she didn't stop.
She disappeared down the street, her figure swallowed by the curtain of rain.
Arashi remained there, kneeling on the wet ground, rain dripping from his hair, his clothes completely soaked. His chest felt heavy, his thoughts tangled and useless.
"…Damn it," he whispered.
The rain continued to fall.