Chapter 9

                                                                 Beneath the Umbrella

The rain had taken a break that day. For once, the streets weren’t soaked, and the grey sky only threatened to spill. The bookstore’s windows were open a crack, letting in a breeze that carried the faintest scent of damp pavement.

Kai walked in with two cups of coffee in hand.

Yuna looked up from behind the counter, blinking in surprise. “You didn’t trip?” she teased, taking one of the cups.

Kai smirked. “Not today. I’m learning.”

He joined her behind the counter—just briefly, leaning against the wall, sipping in silence. The air between them felt different. Not heavier. Not awkward. Just… expectant. Like something had shifted.

 “You know,” Yuna said, her fingers curling around the warm paper cup, “when I first saw you, I thought you looked like someone trying not to disappear.”

Kai blinked. “And now?”

 “Now,” she said softly, “you look like someone finding a reason to stay.”

The words struck deeper than they should have. Kai didn’t know how to respond, so he took another sip of coffee and looked out the window.

That’s when the first drop of rain fell.

And then another.

Yuna reached under the counter, pulling out a folded umbrella. She handed it to him without a word.

 “Come on,” she said. “Let’s walk.”

---

They walked the narrow streets together under that single black umbrella. Their shoulders bumped more than once, but neither of them apologized.

The city felt quieter. Softer.

 “Do you always carry umbrellas in advance?” he asked.

 “Only when I think someone might need it.”

Kai looked over at her. “Is that why you were working that day?”

She didn’t answer right away. Her eyes traced the ripples forming in puddles ahead.

 “Maybe,” she whispered. “Or maybe the rain was just the excuse.”

---

Back at the shop, as they stepped under the awning, Kai hesitated.

 “Do you ever wonder what would’ve happened if I hadn’t walked in that day?”

Yuna smiled.

 “You did. That’s enough.”

---

 Author’s Note: Sometimes, the smallest decisions—like bringing an umbrella—lead to the most unexpected chapters in our lives.

Kai and Yuna are no longer strangers. But is that enough to face what’s coming?

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See you in Chapter 10, — Arthur