43. Do you think I still have a chance?

The weather was getting more and more muggy, and when Dubian Che went to the public swimming pool for his evening swim, he found that it was much more crowded. It was no longer realistic to swim back and forth for fifty meters without stopping.

He had no choice but to give up freeloading and got himself a swim card at the gym.

On the afternoon of May 26, Monday, a sudden downpour struck Tokyo.

The sky, clear just a few seconds ago, was quickly shrouded in dark clouds, and raindrops covered the entire windowpane, making a pattering sound.

Dubian Che, who was attending his Modern Society class and had not brought an umbrella, was surprisingly in a good mood. It had been a long time since it had rained, and he had missed it dearly.

Mr. Inoue, who taught Modern Society, stopped the lecture. He looked out the window, pushed his black-framed glasses up on the bridge of his nose, and turned on the fluorescent lights.

The dim classroom was filled with a warm and cozy atmosphere.