Day 3: A Rainy Confession

The day started with an unexpected drizzle, and by lunchtime, the skies had turned a deeper shade of grey. It wasn't quite a downpour, but it was enough to make the air thick with the scent of rain. Kaito and Hana had been planning to check off "Visit the local art gallery" from the bucket list, but the weather had other ideas.

"Perfect timing," Kaito grumbled as he shoved his hands into his pockets, looking up at the darkening clouds. "Just great. We're going to get drenched."

Hana, who had been a little quieter than usual, didn't say anything. Instead, she pulled her umbrella out of her bag and opened it, offering it silently to Kaito.

Kaito gave her an exaggerated frown. "What, no grand speech about 'sharing the umbrella?'"

Hana didn't answer, but her lips quirked up into the faintest of smiles. Kaito shrugged and accepted the umbrella, though he wasn't thrilled about the rain interrupting their plans.

They walked in silence for a while, the rain tapping gently against the umbrella. Every now and then, Hana would glance at Kaito out of the corner of her eye, but she kept her thoughts to herself. It was strange—after the tension of the previous day, it felt like things were finally settling back into their usual rhythm. But something was still off, unspoken between them.

As they neared a small café at the corner of the street, the rain began to pick up, now falling in sheets.

"Looks like we won't be going anywhere," Kaito said, pulling Hana toward the café with a grin. "But hey, at least we're out of the rain."

Hana didn't argue, and they ducked inside the warm, cozy café, the doorbell ringing softly as they entered. The inside smelled of fresh coffee and baked goods, and a few other patrons sat at the tables, lost in their own conversations.

They grabbed a small corner table by the window, watching as the rain poured outside, a steady stream of droplets hitting the glass.

"Guess the art gallery will have to wait," Kaito said, looking at the swirling patterns of rain. He picked up the menu and started flipping through it, but his eyes kept drifting back to Hana.

She wasn't looking at the menu. Instead, she was staring out the window, her face unusually pensive.

Kaito tilted his head, sensing a change in the air. "Hey, you okay?"

Hana hesitated for a moment before nodding, but there was a tension in her posture. "Yeah… just thinking."

Kaito put down the menu and leaned back in his chair, studying her. "About what?"

Hana's gaze shifted to her lap, her fingers idly tracing the rim of her coffee cup. There was a quiet heaviness in her silence, as if she was holding something back.

"I've been thinking about my future," Hana said softly. "About what I really want to do…"

Kaito furrowed his brow, sensing this was leading somewhere important. He leaned forward slightly. "What do you want to do, Hana?"

She took a deep breath, then looked up at him, her eyes clear and open in a way he hadn't seen before. "I want to be a painter," she said, her voice steady.

Kaito blinked, surprised by her honesty. "A painter?" he repeated, almost as if testing the words. "Like, as a career?"

Hana nodded slowly. "Yeah. It's always been my dream. But… I'm not sure if I can. My parents always wanted me to go into something more 'practical,' and after the move, I just never felt like I could really pursue it."

There was a vulnerability in her voice that Kaito wasn't used to hearing. The cool, calm, and somewhat distant Hana he had come to know was peeling away, revealing someone who was unsure, maybe even a little scared.

"But I want to," she continued, her voice a little quieter now. "I want to paint—just paint. Not because it's expected, but because it's what makes me happy."

Kaito sat back, processing what she had just shared. For the first time, he saw the depth of Hana's dreams, not just as the quiet, mysterious girl he'd been spending time with, but as someone with real hopes and fears.

"Then why not do it?" Kaito asked, his voice a little more serious than before. "You don't need anyone's permission, Hana. If you love it, you should go for it. Who cares what anyone else thinks?"

Hana let out a soft laugh, though it was tinged with uncertainty. "It's not that simple. There are… a lot of things to consider." She paused, looking down at her hands, her fingers twisting the napkin in her lap. "And besides, I'm leaving soon. What's the point of getting my hopes up?"

Kaito's heart tightened. He could feel the weight of her words, and he knew there was something more underneath—something she wasn't saying.

"Maybe you don't have to have it all figured out right now," Kaito said gently, his voice full of quiet understanding. "But you shouldn't just give up on it. Even if you leave, you can still follow your dreams, right?"

Hana smiled faintly, the smallest trace of warmth in her eyes. "Maybe." She glanced out the window, watching the rain fall in sheets outside. "Maybe I'll keep painting. I'll figure it out… somehow."

For a moment, the two of them sat in silence, the quiet sound of rain against the window filling the space between them.

Kaito didn't push her any further. He just let her speak, letting her share a piece of herself that she'd kept hidden for so long.

"I think you'll make a great painter," Kaito said after a long pause.

Hana's lips twitched upward, a genuine smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Thanks, Kaito. I'm not sure, but... I'll try."

Kaito smiled back, his chest feeling unexpectedly lighter. The rain outside continued to pour, but in that moment, it felt like the world had quieted, just for them.

A Quiet Moment

As the rain eased up later that afternoon, Hana and Kaito stepped back out into the street, the clouds starting to break apart.

"So, what's next on the list?" Hana asked, her voice more relaxed now, the earlier tension between them finally starting to fade.

Kaito grinned, his usual mischievous spark returning. "How about we cross off 'buy matching hats' and look ridiculous in public?"

Hana rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face was genuine. "You're ridiculous."

"You love it." Kaito shrugged. "It's on the bucket list, after all."

As they continued walking down the street, Hana felt something shift inside her. She hadn't expected to open up like that—to share her dreams, her fears, and all the things she'd kept hidden for so long.

But with Kaito by her side, maybe it wasn't so scary after all.