In the Rain of the Heart

Saori came running in, drenched by the rain that still fell heavily on the dark streets. Her footsteps echoed on the porch of Naomi's house, where she paused for a moment to catch her breath before knocking on the door. Eiko, Naomi's aunt, greeted her without a word, with an expression that spoke for itself: sadness. Saori, distraught, asked quickly:

-How is Nao, is she well?

Eiko, without a word, only sighed, and with a look of regret, pointed up the stairs to the first floor. Her voice came out barely above a whisper, laden with concern.

-He hasn't left his room... and he hasn't wanted to talk since he came back either.

Saori felt a surge of anxiety that made her move quickly towards the stairs. Her footsteps echoed in the hallway, and her heart pounded as she reached the closed door to Naomi's room. She knocked gently at first, but there was no response.

-Nao... it's me, Saori. Open up, please.

There was no answer. Saori knocked again, louder this time, calling out to her friend, but the silence that seeped under the door was painful. After several attempts, Saori began to feel the chill of the night seeping into her skin, as the rain continued to pelt the windows of the house.

Finally, with hope almost exhausted, Saori put her ear to the door, trying to hear something, anything. And then she heard it: the muffled sound of a small cry. Naomi's faint sob, broken and pained, echoed like an echo in her heart. Saori felt a lump in her throat and gently pressed her forehead against the cold wood of the door.

-Naomi... -I know you can hear me... please, listen to me carefully.

Saori took a deep breath, trying to hold back her own tears, but she could not. The pain she felt for her friend overcame her.

-I'm... I'm so proud of you, Nao.... -She continued, her voice cracking. You did an amazing thing today. I...I never had the courage to do what you did. I... I could never confess to the person I love.

Tears streamed down Saori's cheeks as she spoke, but she still leaned against the door, waiting, willing her friend to answer.

-I promise I won't leave here. Not until I hear you, Nao. I've always... I've always been by your side, and I'm going to stay here, no matter what. No matter what you're feeling right now, I'm here... for you.

The night wore on, the raindrops began to cease, but Naomi's pain did not evaporate in the storm. Time passed, and Saori remained sitting on the floor, with a towel on her head that Eiko had given her to dry herself. Darkness enveloped the house, and the only sound that could be heard was the faint whisper of the wind behind the storm. The hands of the clock slowly ticked down to 1:00 a.m.

It was then, in the midst of the stillness, that Saori heard a faint click. The door to Naomi's room slowly opened. Her heart pounding with hope, Saori jumped up, and there, in the dim light of the hallway, she saw her friend.

Naomi was standing there, her eyes swollen from crying, her messy hair falling over her face and her hands clutching the doorframe. She said nothing, but her eyes reflected a deep pain, a mixture of sadness and shame. Saori remained silent, not daring to move.

Without warning, Naomi stepped forward and tightly embraced Saori. An embrace so intense that it almost made her lose her balance. Tears fell again, but this time they were not just tears of pain, but of relief. Between sobs, Naomi whispered in a broken voice:

-Forgive me... I'm a fool.... I shouldn't have done that... I shouldn't have confessed....

Saori, feeling the weight of her friend's suffering, hugged her with all her might. There were no words to ease what Naomi was feeling right now, but at least she wasn't alone. Saori gently stroked Naomi's hair and murmured, trying to comfort her:

-"You're not stupid, Nao. You're strong... and I'm here with you... always.

As Eiko slept soundly on the couch, her soft breathing barely audible, Saori stood firm, comforting Naomi. Her hands gently caressed the shoulders of her friend, who was slowly beginning to regain her composure. Saori, always full of energy and encouraging phrases, broke the sadness-laden atmosphere with her words:

-Nao, you are much stronger than you think. Don't let this get you down, OK? -she whispered as she wiped away the tears that still rolled down her friend's cheeks.

That warmth, Saori's unwavering support, began to soothe the pain in Naomi's chest, like a balm on an open wound. Just then, Eiko, who until then had been sleeping on the couch, suddenly woke up. She ran up the stairs with a worried face and, upon arrival, hugged her niece tightly.

-Daughter... What happened? -she asked in anguish, fearing the worst.

But Naomi did not have the strength to relive what had happened. She didn't want to feel Kotaro's rejection again, let alone talk about it. Before the awkwardness could take over, Saori, in her usual tension-relieving manner, intervened with a bold smile.

-Ah, you know, Mrs. Eiko, it was just a fool who failed to see how amazing your niece is," she said playfully. Then, with clenched fists and a comical expression of indignation, she added, "If you'll give me permission, the first thing I'm going to do when we get back to school is to give that fool a good whack. It's not even worth saying his name!

Saori's exaggerated threat brought a small smile to Naomi's lips, something that hadn't happened since the incident. With a light chuckle, Naomi replied:

-That's not necessary, Saori. I don't want you to get into trouble.

Eiko, seeing the situation, also smiled a relieved smile, and with Saori's lighthearted act, the atmosphere in the room began to soften. What was once a space of sadness and anguish was now filled with a warm serenity, where the bonds of friendship and family enveloped Naomi with affection.

That night, Saori decided to sleep next to Naomi. The two lay down next to each other, as they used to do when they were children, and Saori made sure that her friend felt tucked in not only by the blankets, but by their unwavering friendship.

----------------------------

The rest of the holiday was spent in a routine of support and companionship between the two friends. Saori, determined to keep Naomi from her sad thoughts, came up with all sorts of plans to distract her. They became inseparable, as in recent years, and shared moments that seemed to restore some of Naomi's joy.

They went to the cinema together, where Saori excitedly insisted on seeing the film they had been looking forward to: "Remember Summer Days". Saori, with boundless energy, couldn't stop talking about how it was the most important premiere of the year for them, starring Hinata Makishi, her favourite singer.

-I can't believe we're finally going to see it! I've been waiting for this for so long! -Saori said as they laughed and walked towards the movie theatre, tickets in hand.

Naomi was smiling more often now, although a shadow of sadness still lingered in the bottom of her heart. However, Saori's constant support and fun times helped to ease the pain.

Not only did they go to the movies, they also spent afternoons at the mall, strolling among shops and laughing at everything and anything. One day, they even ventured to the beach, where the sound of the waves and the sea breeze made Naomi feel, if only for a moment, that all might be well again.

During all that time, however, Naomi heard nothing from Kotaro. Not a message, not a call. It was as if he had vanished from her life, leaving her with a wound she was still trying to heal. But with Saori by her side, little by little, Naomi was beginning to believe that maybe, just maybe, she could get over him.

Thank you for reading the first volume of this novel, I hope you enjoyed it.

Coming soon: Yuki no Furu Machi, Volume 2

leave me a comment if you want it to come soon.