Chapter 15: A Faint Hope

Haruto sat beside the window, staring blankly into the sky. The quiet hum of the classroom in the background melted away as his mind wandered.

He never thought he would feel this way again.

It was silly—he reminded himself that after what transpired beforehand, he would never let himself get attached to someone. He could still remember the taste of rejection, the hushed, embarrassing silence that followed when he confessed. The moment echoed in his mind, a reminder of how foolish he used to be.

But then. Nasaki happened.

She was not another classmate. She was not another person he could disregard.

Somehow, she had managed to penetrate his defenses, getting past his walls without him even knowing it.

Haruto's fists curled. Was he really going to do it again?

He looked at Nasaki, talking with her friends on the other side of the room. She laughed, her eyes flashing with that spark that made his chest ache.

No. This was different.

With her, there was no pressure. No expectations.

But was that a reason to hope?

Nasaki saw it.

Haruto had been behaving strangely lately.

One moment, he was aloof—quiet, withdrawn, not looking at her. The next, he was uncharacteristically generous, doing little things that she wasn't prepared for.

Like today, when she was trying to get a book from the top shelf and without saying a word, Haruto had gotten it down for her before stalking off like nothing had happened.

Similar to yesterday, when he lingered for an additional moment at school gates, turning to look if she was going.

And similar to last week, when she almost fell over on the steps, and his arm went automatically around her, the grip holding tightly but politely.

She had not paid any heed to that. But today. today she couldn't seem to get out of her mind.

Hey, Nasaki," one of her friends playfully teased during lunch, giving her a little shove. "Got a crush on someone?"

Nasaki shook her head. "No way."

But afterward, when she was by herself, the question came back to mind.

Did she?

The clouds had turned dark by the end of school, the gray mass threatening to deluge at any second.

Nasaki frowned and rummaged through her backpack. No umbrella.

Just as the initial rain droplets started to fall, she sighed. Great.

She heard the sound of footsteps. Haruto was standing next to her, taking out his umbrella. He paused for a moment before offering it to her.

"Take it," he said matter-of-factly.

Nasaki blinked. "Huh?"

"You don't have an umbrella."

"What about you?"

Haruto shrugged. "It's fine."

Before she could object, he turned and stepped into the rain.

"Haruto—!"

She tried to reach out, but he was already moving away.

Rain poured through his uniform, dripping from his dark hair as he continued walking in the distance without a glance behind him.

Nasaki clutched the umbrella handle, following him with her eyes.

Her chest constricted.

Why is this different?

She had always understood that Haruto was gentle in his own way. But this… this was something else.

A feeling of warmth flowed through her, making her forget to turn her eyes away.

Haruto continued walking, the cold rain soaking into his skin.

He could still hear her voice shouting his name, but he didn't halt.

He was scared.

Scared of what this sensation was. Scared of where it would take him.

But for the first time in a long while, he also felt something more.

Hope.

His fingers wrapped around the wet fabric of his uniform.

Perhaps it wouldn't work. Perhaps he would be hurt again.

But. perhaps, just this once, he wished to attempt.

He glanced up at the clouds darkening and breathed softly.

"Perhaps… just this once."