The Usual Route

The late afternoon sun stretched over the city, casting a golden glow over the quiet streets. Rai walked with her hands stuffed in her jacket pockets, scowl in place, like usual. She wasn't in a hurry, but she walked like she had somewhere important to be. She didn't.

Beside her, Asahi carried a paper bag from his grandmother's bakery, his expression calm and content. Unlike Rai, he wasn't in a rush at all.

"I don't get you," Rai muttered, kicking a stray pebble down the street.

Asahi turned to her with his usual smile. "What do you mean?"

"You're always so… relaxed. It's weird."

"Relaxing is good for the soul," he said, looking up at the sky. "You should try it."

She scoffed. "No thanks."

She told herself it was just coincidence. But the quiet walks home started feeling... less empty.

———

Rai started noticing little things about him.

Like how Asahi always carried sweets in his pocket, casually handing her one when she looked annoyed. How he liked to stop and look at stray cats, crouching down to pet them when they let him.

One afternoon, they ended up at a small bookstore. Rai didn't even remember how it happened—one second they were walking, the next, Asahi was flipping through a book, humming.

"You actually read?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Surprised?" he grinned. "I like stories. Especially ones with happy endings."

Rai rolled her eyes. "That's corny."

"You say that, but you're staring at the poetry section," he pointed out.

Her ears burned. "Mind your own business."

Another time, they stopped at a vending machine. Asahi pressed a button, and a can of hot coffee clunked down. He turned to her.

"You want one?"

Rai blinked. "Hah?"

"Coffee. You like black, right?"

She stared. "How do you know that?"

Asahi tilted his head. "You always steal sips from mine."

Her face felt warm. She looked away. "Shut up."

He bought one anyway and handed it to her.

Rai took it, grumbling, but the warmth in her hands felt… nice.

———

One evening, as they walked home, a group of older delinquents blocked their path.

"Well, well. If it isn't the Thunder Queen herself," one sneered.

Rai immediately recognized them. She had fought them before—and won.

She rolled her shoulders, ready to take them on. "Still holding a grudge, huh?"

But then one of them shifted their focus.

"Who's the kid?" The thug's eyes landed on Asahi, grinning. "Didn't know you had a boyfriend, Rai."

Rai's jaw tightened. "He's got nothing to do with this."

"Really? He looks kinda weak."

Her fingers twitched, ready to throw the first punch.

Then—

"You guys should stop," Asahi said, his voice calm but firm.

The group laughed. "What, you gonna fight us, sunshine boy?"

Rai grabbed his sleeve. "Asahi, don't—"

But he wasn't fighting. He wasn't running.

He simply smiled. "No matter what you say, Rai's still stronger than all of you."

For a second, Rai thought they wouldn't back down.

Then Asahi's words settled, and the mood shifted.

The delinquents, confused by his complete lack of fear, muttered under their breath and walked away. No punches. No chaos.

Asahi turned to Rai, smiling. "That went well."

She just stared at him. "The hell was that?"

He blinked. "Huh? I just told the truth."

That stupid, innocent grin. That damn grin.

Her face burned.

She stuffed her hands in her pockets. "Just… don't do dumb stuff like that again."

Asahi just laughed.

They walked home together, the air between them lighter than before.

———

After that, something changed.

Rai started noticing him more.

The way his hair caught the sunlight. The way he smiled at dumb things. The way his voice sounded when he laughed.

It was distracting. And annoying.

And yet…

One evening, as they sat on the rooftop, watching the sunset, Asahi spoke up.

"Do you ever think about the future?"

Rai frowned. "What's with that dumb question?"

He chuckled. "I dunno. Just curious."

She sighed. "Not really."

He hummed. "I think… I wanna open a small bakery. Maybe in a quiet town. Nothing fancy, just a cozy place."

Rai glanced at him. "You serious?"

"Yeah," he smiled. "I think it'd be nice."

She looked away. "Guess that suits you."

She didn't say it, but she could picture it—him, standing in a warm little shop, covered in flour, smiling at customers.

For some reason, that thought made her chest feel tight.

———

The next evening, they found themselves walking together again. It was becoming a habit—one Rai refused to acknowledge.

"You always glare at the sky like it owes you money," Asahi commented.

Rai rolled her eyes. "Dumb observation."

He grinned. "I think it's cute."

Rai nearly tripped. "What?"

"Nothing."

Her face heated. She opened her mouth to argue when—

"I love you."

Rai froze.

Asahi kept walking, as if he hadn't just dropped a bomb on her entire existence.

Her heart pounded so loudly she was sure he could hear it.

"What…?" she muttered.

"I love you," he repeated. "Probably for a while now."

He turned to face her, his usual softness there—but something deeper, something real.

For the first time, Rai felt… unprepared.

Her face was burning.

She clenched her fists. "You… you're way too casual about this, dumbass."

Asahi tilted his head. "Should I have written it in a letter instead?"

Rai groaned, punching his shoulder—lightly, for once.

Then, after a long pause, she muttered, so quietly—

"I… I love you too."

Asahi blinked, then smiled, eyes warm like morning sunlight.

"Even Rai can be this innocent, huh?" he teased.

Her face turned scarlet.

"SHUT UP."

But when he laughed, she found herself smiling too.

And for once, Rai didn't mind how warm her hands felt.

The walk home felt different this time—lighter, like maybe she didn't have to glare at the sky anymore.

———

THE END