After a day of work, Hikari stepped out of the shop, stretching her arms as the cool evening air greeted her. The city lights flickered to life, casting a soft glow on the damp pavement. She sighed, relieved that the workday was finally over.

As she made her way toward the metro station, she noticed a familiar figure walking from the opposite direction. Saito.

He noticed her at the same time. A small, almost shy wave from him.

Hikari smirked slightly and waved back.

"Hey, Saito. How was your day?" she asked as they got closer.

"Pretty tough," he admitted with a tired chuckle. "What about you?"

"Aahh… exhausting. I had way too much to do today."

They naturally fell into step together, their pace syncing as they walked toward the station. The city buzzed around them—cars passing by, the distant chatter of pedestrians, the faint sound of a street musician playing an acoustic guitar.

There was a slight awkwardness between them, both stealing quick glances at each other and then looking away, a hint of pink dusting their cheeks.

After a brief silence, Hikari cleared her throat. "So… where do you work?"

Saito slipped his hands into his pockets. "Oh, I work at a game development company."

Hikari raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? A game dev? That’s pretty cool. What kind of games do you make?"

"Mostly action RPGs. Right now, we’re working on a project that’s been a nightmare with all the bug fixes," he sighed. "But, you know, it’s fun in its own way."

She chuckled. "Sounds like a headache to me."

As they passed by a row of buildings, Saito’s gaze landed on a small restaurant tucked between towering skyscrapers. Unlike the flashy places around it, this one had a cozy charm, its warm lighting spilling onto the sidewalk.

Something about it felt… inviting.

Saito stopped and pointed at it. "Hey, you don’t have dinner plans, do you?"

Hikari blinked. "No, I don’t. Why?"

"Then let’s grab a bite here. My treat," he said casually. "Consider it a thank-you for the umbrella yesterday."

Hikari's heart skipped a beat.

"Huh? D-Dinner with you?" she stammered.

She hesitated for a moment, her mind racing. Dinner? Just the two of us? Won’t it look like a… She shook the thought away, telling herself it didn’t matter. It’s just food. That’s all.

Saito tilted his head. "What do you say?"

She crossed her arms, pretending to think it over. But the slight blush on her cheeks betrayed her.

"If you insist…" she finally said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Saito smiled. "Great. Let’s go."

As they stepped toward the entrance of the cozy restaurant tucked between the towering buildings, Hikari exhaled softly, almost inaudibly.

What am I even feeling right now? she wondered, her cheeks tingling with warmth despite the cool night air.

Inside, the restaurant was quiet and warm, the faint sound of clinking cutlery and mellow jazz music filling the air. The lighting was soft—dim enough to feel intimate, yet open enough not to be awkward.

They slid into a booth by the window, raindrops gently tapping the glass beside them. Saito leaned forward slightly, his elbows on the table.
"So… what do you want to eat?" he asked with a small smile.

Hikari blinked, caught off guard. "Oh… uhm…" She glanced at the menu, then hesitated. "You choose," she said, avoiding his eyes.

Saito chuckled. "C’mon, it’s my treat, not a test. Get whatever you like."

Hikari let out a shy breath and picked something simple off the menu. “Okay… this one then.”

“Good choice,” Saito nodded. “I’ll go with the same.”

They chatted a bit in between bites—nothing too deep, just small talk about food, the rain, and how oddly peaceful the city felt tonight. The awkwardness from earlier slowly melted into something softer, more comfortable.

After finishing the surprisingly delicious meal, they left the restaurant side by side, their reflections blurred in the puddles along the sidewalk.

The train ride back was quiet but pleasant. A few glances, a few smiles. No rush to speak. Just the unspoken comfort of shared space.

When they finally arrived at their apartment building, they paused in front of the elevator.

“Well,” Saito said, scratching the back of his head, “thanks for coming out with me. I had a good time.”

Hikari nodded, her tone soft. “Yeah… me too. Thanks for the dinner.”

They both gave each other a faint wave as they entered their respective apartments.

And when Hikari closed the door behind her, a small smile lingered on her lips for a little longer than she expected.