Rain Between Us

The weather in Tokyo seemed indecisive that morning, with clouds drifting lazily across a pale blue sky. Aoi sat by the classroom window, her chin resting on her palm. The teacher's voice was a distant hum in the background as her gaze wandered outside. She was distracted, her thoughts looping back to Haruki and the weight he carried in silence.

Across the room, Haruki sat at his desk, his pen moving methodically over his notebook. His brows furrowed slightly, as though he were lost in a world of his own. Aoi noticed the small movements of his hand, the way he paused now and then to stare at what he'd written.

The bell rang, jolting her from her thoughts. As the class emptied out, Aoi stayed back, watching as Haruki packed his things and slipped out of the room quietly.

---

The afternoon was heavy with humidity, a telltale sign that rain was on its way. Aoi spotted Haruki in the courtyard, leaning against a tree. The faintest breeze ruffled his hair, but his expression remained still, unreadable.

She walked over, feeling a strange determination. "Haruki," she called.

He looked up, startled, but didn't move. "Aoi," he greeted softly.

She stood a few steps away, crossing her arms. "Why are you always so quiet? Why don't you ever share what's on your mind?"

Haruki's lips curved into a faint smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Not everyone needs to know what's in my head, Aoi. Sometimes, it's easier that way."

"But is it easier for you?" she pressed. "Keeping everything bottled up... doesn't that hurt?"

Haruki glanced away, his eyes focused on a distant point beyond the school gates. "Maybe," he admitted. "But pain is easier when it's mine alone."

Aoi felt her chest tighten. His words were so calm, yet they carried an unbearable weight. She wanted to argue, to tell him that it didn't have to be that way, but something in his demeanor stopped her.

---

As the school day ended, rain began to fall—a soft drizzle that quickly turned into a steady downpour. Students rushed for cover, laughter and squeals filling the air as they ran for umbrellas and shelter.

Aoi walked down the school steps and saw Haruki standing at the edge of the courtyard, his head tilted slightly as rain fell around him. His uniform was already damp, but he made no effort to move.

Without thinking, she ran to him, clutching her bag over her head as a makeshift umbrella. "Haruki, you'll get soaked!"

He turned to her, his expression unreadable. "It's just rain," he said quietly.

"Still," she said, stepping closer, "you'll catch a cold."

Haruki chuckled softly, a sound that was more bitter than amused. "Aoi, why do you care so much?"

The question caught her off guard, but she met his gaze steadily. "Because I do. And if you think I'm going to just stand by and watch you drown in your own sadness, you're wrong."

Haruki looked at her for a long moment, the rain falling between them like a curtain. Finally, he said, "You're stubborn, you know that?"

"And you're infuriating," she shot back.

For the first time, a genuine smile broke across his face, fleeting but real. Aoi felt her heart skip at the sight of it.

---

That evening, as Aoi sat by her window, listening to the rain patter against the glass, she scribbled in her notebook:

"Sometimes, we find ourselves standing in the rain, waiting for someone to pull us back to shelter. But maybe, just maybe, we're meant to stand in the storm together."

Meanwhile, Haruki sat by his own window, the notebook on his lap untouched. His fingers brushed over the cover as he whispered to himself, "I hope she never sees the storm I carry inside."

---