“So sorry but the weather is terribly wet today, do you mind if I let myself inside?” the woman asks.

Kousuke looks behind him.

I guess my place is pretty clean…

Kousuke convinces himself.

Kousuke switches to host mode,

“Of course! Where are my manners, please come in, miss!” 

He gestures for her to come in and sit down. 

The woman bows her head as she enters the room. 

Kousuke gestures again for her to take a seat. 

She smiles at his chivalry. 

“What a gentleman! Thank you Kousuke.”

As she sits down she drops the basket of goods in front of her. She then settles into the chair, her movements unhurried yet exaggerated in a strangely proper etiquette. Kousuke notices her curves shift and settle as she sits down. 

Crossing one leg over the other, her thigh presses lightly on her other, creating a plush pillow effect that Kousuke had only dreamt of seeing in person. 

The edge of her shorts crept up revealing extra hints of soft skin. 

She stretched and then placed her arms in her lap. 

Kousuke has become nervous. 

“What can I get you miss? Coffee? Tea? Water? Pocari Sweat?”

Kousuke frantically asks.

“Oh my, coffee would be great, thank you Kousuke.” The woman says, not seeming to notice his erratic behavior.

Kousuke nods and begins to prepare a cup of his favorite instant coffee. 

As he works, she speaks again.

“Oh, but where are my manners? My name is Shimabukuro Sayuri, but you can call me Sayuri if you want. We are already such good friends, after all.” 

Her words felt like smooth honey on the taste buds of Kousuke’s ears, her voice one that lingers in the air after she finishes speaking.

Kousuke has become very, very nervous.

Kousuke gives her the cup of coffee and sits down across from her at the table, slightly leaning forward. 

She perks up, as if remembering something.

“I have this gift basket for you!” 

Kousuke receives the basket with a gleaming face

“Miss Sayuri… you shouldn’t have,” he says coyly.

She only smiles in response. “Please open it!” 

Kousuke digs into the basket to reveal an assortment of freshly baked melon pans. The smell of fresh pastries fill the room. 

Kousuke’s eyes grow wide with excitement.

“How did you know melon pan was my favorite pastry?” 

Sayuri only winks, raising her index finger to her plush lips.

“Let’s just say I had a hunch.” 

She is quite aware of the effect her voice has, her demeanor growing playful at Kousuke’s shyness.

The two laugh and begin sharing the melon pan and coffee. 

Kousuke, growing a little more comfortable, begins to make small talk.

“So what brings you to town?” 

Sayuri’s countenance grows a little more reserved.

“Well, I’d be lying if I said work…”

She hesitates slightly but then continues to speak.

“But I suppose I could tell you the truth.”

Kousuke raises an eyebrow questioningly.

“You see… I’m recently divorced as of two months ago.” 

Kousuke is incredibly surprised by this, and reacts accordingly,

 “You had a husband?!” 

Sayuri: “Oh yes, I was married for about 5 years.” 

Kousuke stands from his chair to bow, though his mouth is still full of bread. 

“I’m sorry for your loss!” 

Sayuri waves her hands in embarrassment.

“Please don’t be, it's behind me now!”

Kousuke finally sits, and Sayuri relaxes into her chair.

She still has an embarrassed air about her, though.

“Oh dear, I feel as If I already overshared.” she says, smiling a little awkwardly.

Kousuke, not wanting to make the gorgeous woman feel any more uncomfortable, quickly dismisses this.

“Miss Sayuri, please don’t feel that way. I was the one who asked you about it in the first place.” 

Sayuri, her confidence seeming to have been restored, returns to her previous teasing tone.

“Why thank you, Kou-chan.”

He smiles sheepishly in return, but then sees a devious look come over her face.

“Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself? Since we are going to be neighbors after all.” She says, winking.

Kousuke feels his face grow warm.

I WILL marry this woman. 

His confidence is much weaker externally, as he begins to trip over his words pathetically.

“Oh, well you see, umm- “ 

Sayuri interrupts his stuttering to ask him a simpler question.

“Are you a student?”

Kousuke straightens, determined to respond properly now.

“Yes! I am a university student! 3rd year!” 

Sayuri laughs at his stiff response.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Before Kousuke has a chance to respond, a loud thunderbolt cracks through the sound barrier, startling the two.

Kousuke groans. 

“I cannot stand this weather.” 

Sayuri smiles softly in response. 

“The storm is a shame, but I rather enjoy the rainy weather.” 

Kousuke hums.

“I see. I suppose I just normally associate it with being trapped inside.” 

“I can understand that, I guess I enjoy how it makes the city mellow, and being inside on such a cold and rainy day is so cozy to me.” Sayuri says, a fond tone to her voice.

Kousuke stares at her in wonder as she sips her coffee, giggling at his expression. The steam from the coffee fogs up her glasses. 

Sayuri’s phone buzzes and she pulls it out of her pocket. Her facial expression changes to a look of concern as her eyes fall upon her phone.

“Well, Kou-chan… I hate to have to leave, but there is something I have to deal with. But please stop by at my place downstairs whenever you can!” 

She gets up and bows, giving him one last wink before she closes the door behind her. 

Kousuke sits for a moment to take in this unreal experience. 

“Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa… what just happened here, did I strike gold or what?” he says aloud suddenly.

He continues to ramble to himself,

“Well, she did say she got a divorce, which means she’s single, however, it is a fresh wound, so she may not be up to dating yet, also how old is she, a couple years older than me maybe, no she said she was married for five years.” 

Kousuke smacks himself in the face with both hands.

“AHH my head hurts now, I shouldn’t microanalyze this.”

He pauses.

…Maybe I’ll just stop by tomorrow to thank her for this basket and then take things from there.

He hops on his bed and begins texting Hiroshi again. 

Kousuke: “Dude, I think I’m in love.” 

Hiroshi: “Did you meet the new tenants yet?” 

Kousuke: “I met one, yes, she’s kinda into me.” 

Hiroshi: “You into her?” 

Kousuke: “You should have seen her.”

Hiroshi: “I can already tell, anyway dude my mom needs me to help her out with some stuff down in Nagoya, I’ll be gone for about a week.” 

Kousuke: “Everything okay?”

Hiroshi: “Yeah, but she needs some help figuring out rental payments for her apartment, so I have to be there to make sure she doesn’t get scammed outta any money.” 

Kousuke beeps back: “Okay then.” 

Kousuke suddenly remembers,

“Shoot! I forgot to pick up groceries!”

He jumps out of bed, grabs his coat, and pulls his shoes on at the doorway before swinging the door open.

In the hallway, he fumbles to pull the key to his apartment out of his bag and locks the door.

Kousuke tries to take in the beauty of his city in the rain like his new crush just said but finds he has a tough time believing it.

What would Miss Sayuri think?

Her words echo in his head. 

"-I guess I enjoy how it makes the city mellow, and being inside on such a cold and rainy day is so cozy to me..."

Kousuke looks up at the dark clouds and sighs. 

Jogging to the store, still dreading the weather, he begins to doubt himself. 

She was probably just being nice anyway, I’ve always known I'd never get lucky with women.

Upon entering the store, he is greeted by the local market jingle. He picks up a basket, and begins to think about what to buy. 

I need tuna, curry, veggies, fruit... an assortment of beverages...

Thinking over each thing in his head only makes it harder to remember everything, so he simply decides to figure it out as he goes.

Going through each aisle, Kousuke picks up items he doesn't need, but continuously self-justifies.

I'll get some treats in case Sayuri comes over again soon.

He chuckles to himself. 

Finally, Kousuke reaches the fridge section and throws a variety of drinks into his basket. 

Bottles of sake, milk, juices, coffee, water, and tea all fall into the basket until he reaches a more section with only a few bottles scattered around a near empty shelf. 

The familiar bottle catches his eye, and he approaches the shelf.

Ramune, huh..?

He picks up a bottle and observes its unique yet nostalgic design. 

I haven’t had this since I was a kid… and it’d probably be silly to buy as a college student.

He holds it in his hand for a few moments longer and eventually gives in, dropping the last few bottles on the shelf into his basket.

Oh well.

Kousuke joins the line near the exit of the store, waiting until a checkout operator becomes available. 

After smoothly checking out, he leaves the store only to be greeted by the pouring rain. 

He sighs.

"Still won't let up huh?"

Unexpectedly, a voice responds to him. 

“Weird guy?”

Kousuke turns to his side to see the cute, edgy girl from Nakau, who looks at him with a little more interest than usual.

Kousuke dramatically jumps back in surprise. 

"What the hell?? What are you doing here?" 

Ed Chapter 2