The golden hues of dawn spilled across the sky as the sun slowly rose over the city.

Hikari stirred beneath her blankets, blinking sleepily at the soft light filtering through her window. Then, with a small grin, she sat up, stretching her arms over her head.

A new day had begun.

Slipping out of bed, she made her way to the bathroom, letting the cool water wash away the last traces of sleep. The steam curled around her as she stepped out, towel-drying her hair before heading to the kitchen.

She grabbed a simple breakfast—toast and a cup of tea—before plopping down on the couch and turning on the TV.

"—And now for today’s weather report!" the anchor’s cheerful voice rang out. "Despite the bright morning, heavy rain is expected later in the evening, so don’t forget your umbrellas!"

Hikari raised an eyebrow, glancing out the window.

The sky was perfectly clear. The sunlight bathed the buildings in a golden glow, not a single cloud in sight.

“…Rain? Seriously?" she muttered, taking another bite of her toast.

Still, she sighed and grabbed her umbrella before heading out the door.

Later That Evening…

The workday passed in its usual rhythm—prepping, baking, serving customers. The scent of fresh bread filled the shop, blending with the chatter of people stopping by for their evening treats.

Finally, as the clock struck closing time, Hikari sighed, removing her apron.

She stepped outside—

And was immediately greeted by a downpour.

Raindrops hammered against the pavement, forming puddles that reflected the neon city lights. Water cascaded off rooftops, and the distant rumble of thunder rolled through the air.

Hikari stared for a moment, then let out a small chuckle, pulling out her umbrella.

"So… the news wasn’t wrong after all”. Hikari shook her head with a small, amused smile before stepping forward into the rainy night.

The downpour was relentless, drumming against her umbrella as she walked slowly along the glistening streets. Puddles rippled under the glow of streetlights, and the occasional car whooshed past, splashing water onto the pavement.

After some time, she arrived at the metro station’s bus stop. She knew there wouldn’t be another bus coming anytime soon, but something—or rather, someone—caught her attention. A lone figure stood under the shelter, waiting.

As she got closer, she recognized the messy white hair immediately.

Saito.

Hikari hesitated for a split second before stepping into the bus stop, closing her umbrella with a soft shake.

Saito, who had been staring blankly at the rain, snapped his head toward her in surprise.

"You?" Hikari tilted her head, amused. "What are you doing here? There’s no bus coming."

Saito let out a small chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, I know… I was heading home after shopping, but the rain caught me off guard. Figured I’d wait it out."

Hikari raised an eyebrow. "You’re planning to wait until the rain magically stops?"

"Pretty much," Saito admitted with a small shrug.

She sighed, shaking her head. "You’re hopeless."

Then, after a brief pause, she added, "By the way, what’s your name?"

"Saito. And yours?"

"Hikari." She smiled slightly. "Looks like we keep running into each other, huh?"

"Yeah…" Saito scratched his cheek, looking away for a moment. "Guess so."

Hikari glanced at the rain before casually offering, "If you want, we can share my umbrella."

Saito blinked. "Oh, no, I don’t wanna trouble you."

"You wouldn’t be," she said simply. "Besides, where do you live?"

"Near the seaside area. It’s kinda far from here."

Hikari’s eyes lit up. "Oh? What a coincidence—I live there too."

Saito hesitated, but before he could protest again, Hikari stepped out from under the shelter, opening her umbrella and glancing back at him with a playful smirk.

"Well? You coming or not?" she teased, tilting the umbrella slightly in his direction.

Saito looked at her for a moment, then let out a quiet chuckle before stepping forward. "Alright, alright… guess I don’t have a choice."

Side by side, they walked off into the rain, sharing the small space beneath the umbrella as the city lights reflected off the wet pavement around them.