Sakura and Fukamizu were walking home together after school when, suddenly, rain began to pour without warning, startling them both.
"Aw man, I'm soaked... I didn't know it was going to rain," Fukamizu grumbled, brushing water from her hair.
"Yeah... Too bad I didn't bring an umbrella either," Sakura replied, hugging her schoolbag tightly.
Fukamizu looked around quickly, then said, "Ah! My house is just around the corner. Let's go there!"
"H-Huh?!" Sakura stuttered, a light blush creeping onto her cheeks.
Without waiting, Fukamizu grabbed her hand, and they dashed through the rain toward her house.
When they finally reached Fukamizu's place, both of them were completely drenched.
"You should warm up. It's bad if we catch a cold," she said, kicking off her wet shoes.
"Yeah… you're right," Sakura said softly.
"I'll go set up the bath. Wait here, okay?"
"Okay..."
After a few minutes, Fukamizu returned.
"The bath's ready. I'll go first. I'll lend you some of my clothes too."
"Huh? Oh... okay," Sakura replied, still a bit flustered.
After Fukamizu finished her bath, she stepped out, drying her hair with a towel.
"Alright, I'm done. Your turn now," she said, smiling.
"Right..." Sakura nodded, then headed to the bathroom.
Once Sakura finished her bath and stepped out in her oversized shirt,
"Oh, you're done? I made some chocolate milk for you." Fukamizu handed her a cup.
"Oh… thanks," Sakura said, accepting it with a shy smile.
"Does the shirt feel okay? I hope it's not too uncomfortable," Fukamizu asked, with concern.
Sakura shook her head gently. "No, it's fine."
Fukamizu smiled in relief. "I'm glad."
Fukamizu glanced out the window. The rain showed no signs of stopping in fact, it seemed to be pouring even harder than before.
"It looks like the rain won't let up anytime soon," she muttered.
Sakura followed her gaze, then looked back at her. "Yeah... it's really coming down."
Fukamizu turned to her "So... um, I think you should stay over for the night. It's dangerous to walk home like this."
Sakura's eyes widened. "S-Stay over?!"
"I mean only if you're okay with it" Fukamizu said.
"I can set up a futon in the living room or something."
Sakura hesitated, cheeks slightly pink. "I… guess it's safer than walking home."
Fukamizu smiled. "Great. I'll get everything ready."
A little while later, they both settled down in the living room. The rain kept tapping softly on the windows, and the warm scent of chocolate drifted in the air.
They continued watching the TV in silence, though the story unfolding on the screen barely registered in Sakura's mind. The sound of rain tapping against the windows filled the quiet spaces between them, soft and steady.
Sakura sat with her hands gently wrapped around the warm cup of chocolate milk. The sweetness lingered faintly on her tongue, but her attention was elsewhere.
She glanced sideways at Fukamizu.
She looked relaxed, her expression calm as she watched the screen. Her hair had dried into soft, messy layers that framed her face in a way she hadn't quite noticed before. There was a quietness to her in this moment that felt... different.
(She seems gentle tonight,)
Her gaze lingered for a second longer than she meant to. Then she turned back to her cup.
(It's not the first time we've spent time together. So why does this feel... new?)
She didn't blush. She didn't panic. She simply sat there, letting the thoughts come and go like waves.
(She's still the same. And yet, something about him feels...)
Fukamizu shifted slightly beside her and looked at her. "Are you okay?"
Sakura nodded, her voice soft but steady. "I'm fine. Just tired, maybe."
She gave a small smile. "Yeah… it's been a long day."
Sakura returned the smile faintly, then looked at the window. The rain hadn't let up. It blurred the city lights, making everything outside look distant.
She wasn't sure why her chest felt heavy—warm, but heavy.
They sat like that a little longer. Nothing more needed to be said.
And as the minutes passed, the rain kept falling, and the world beyond the walls of the house faded into a quiet blur.
Sakura looked down at the cup in her hands again.
(I don't know what this feeling is yet…)
She let her fingers tighten gently around the cup.
(But when I'm with you… it feels warm.)
She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in the comfort of it all.
(Maybe… that's enough for now.)