51

Riku nodded. “Yeah. Hard to believe, right?” He let out a small laugh, but there was something underneath it—something she couldn’t quite place. “Forget about me. You must have tons of friends right, Nicawa-san.”

Ashi shook her head almost immediately. “No, no. You’re only the sixth friend I’ve ever made.”

Riku’s eyes widened slightly. “sixth? Now that’s something I really can’t believe.”

Ashi smiled faintly, swirling her drink as she thought back. “Yeah, I know it’s kind of hard to believe…”

Riku tilted his head slightly, curiosity evident in his expression. “So, who was your first friend?”

Without hesitation, Ashi answered.

“Kichiro-san.”

The reaction was instant. The easy-going air around Riku disappeared, his expression shifting as if someone had pulled the ground from beneath him. His fingers, which had been resting on the table, tensed slightly.

“…Haari, huh?” His voice was steady, but Ashi noticed the brief flicker in his eyes.

She continued, oblivious to the change in his demeanor. “Yeah. Kichiro-san was the first friend I ever made. Then Habi-san, Densi-san, our boss, then Yami-san… and now you.” She counted them off on her fingers before looking back at him with a small smile.

But Riku didn’t respond right away. He just stared at his drink for a moment before exhaling quietly. Then, as if nothing had happened, he flashed his usual confident grin.

“I see,” he said. “That’s a good list.”

Ashi nodded, sipping her drink.

The warmth of the café continued to surround them, but for some reason, Riku suddenly felt like he was on the outside looking in.

And for the first time that evening, his drink didn’t taste as good as it did before.

After they done they head to door Ashi was on front and Riku was behind her.

As they got outside a familiar voice cut through the rain. “Nicawa-san?”

Ashi’s eyes widened, her heart skipping a beat as she turned to see Haari standing a few feet away. He was completely drenched, his hair plastered to his forehead and his clothes clinging to his body. Despite the rain, his expression was calm, though his eyes held a sharp intensity as they flicked between Ashi and Riku.

“Kichiro-san!” Ashi exclaimed, her voice a mix of relief and concern. “What are you doing here? And why are you soaking wet? Where’s your umbrella?”

Haari shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I forgot it at home.”

Ashi groaned, her worry evident. “Seriously, you’re going to catch a cold like this!”

Riku watched the exchange, his jaw tightening as he noticed how casually Ashi interacted with Haari. She had never been this relaxed or open with him, and it stung more than he cared to admit.

Haari’s gaze shifted to Riku, his eyes narrowing slightly. “ Riku I mean Nagi,” he said, his tone polite but edged with something colder. “What are you doing with Nicawa-san?”

Riku’s smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. “I was just offering her a ride home. The weather isn’t ideal for walking.”

Ashi glanced at Haari, then back at Riku. “Actually,could you drive Kichiro-san home instead? He’s going to catch a cold if he stays out in this rain any longer.”

Riku hesitated, his eyes flicking between Ashi and Haari. The tension in the air was palpable, and for a moment, no one spoke. Then Riku’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out, pretending to check it.

“Ah, I’m sorry,” he said, his tone apologetic but his eyes avoiding Ashi’s. “I just got an urgent call. I have to go now.” He glanced at Haari, their eyes meeting for a brief moment. Haari’s gaze was steady, almost challenging, and Riku quickly looked away. “Take care, Nicawa-san. Haari.”

With that, Riku turned and walked back to his car, leaving Ashi and Haari standing in the rain. Ashi watched him go, her shoulders slumping with relief. She turned to Haari, her expression a mix of worry and frustration.

“What should we do now?” Ashi asked, her voice barely audible over the sound of the rain.

Haari glanced at her, his expression thoughtful. “Didn’t you bring an umbrella?”

Ashi blinked, then quickly rummaged through her bag. “Oh! I did.” She pulled out a small, folded umbrella and opened it with a soft click. The canopy was barely large enough for one person, let alone two.

“Let’s go together,” Ashi said, holding the umbrella out to cover both of them. “There’s no telling how long this rain will last.”

Haari hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Thanks, Nicawa-san.”

They stepped out into the rain, their shoulders brushing as they huddled under the small umbrella. The closeness made Ashi’s heart race, but she tried to focus on the path ahead. The rain-soaked streets glistened under the streetlights, and the sound of their footsteps splashing through puddles filled the silence.

A short distance away, Riku sat in his car, his grip tightening on the steering wheel as he watched Haari and Ashi walk together under the umbrella. The sight of them so close, their shoulders touching, sent a pang of jealousy through him.

“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath, his knuckles turning white as he clenched the wheel. He wanted to drive away, to leave the scene behind, but something kept him rooted in place, his eyes fixed on the two figures walking in the rain.

As Haari and Ashi continued walking, a car sped past, its tires sending a wave of water splashing onto the sidewalk. They barely had time to react, and the icy water drenched them both.

“Ugh!” Ashi exclaimed, shaking her arm to get rid of the water. “Seriously? What’s wrong with people?”

Haari chuckled, despite the situation. “Well, at least we’re already wet. Can’t get any worse, right?”

Ashi shot him a glare, but there was no real anger in it. “You’re way too calm about this, Kichiro-san.”

They continued walking, their clothes clinging uncomfortably to their skin. By the time they reached Haari’s apartment building, they were both shivering slightly from the cold.

Ashi stepped under the building’s awning, shaking the umbrella to get rid of the excess water. “Okay, Kichiro-san, I’ll head home now.”

“Wait, Nicawa-san,” Haari said, stopping her. “You’re soaking wet. You’ll catch a cold if you go like that.”

Ashi waved him off. “It’s fine. I’ll just hurry home.”

Haari frowned. “Don’t be stubborn. Come in and dry off first. Then you can head back.”

Ashi blinked, caught off guard by the offer. “Huh? Come in?”

“Yeah,” Haari said, scratching his cheek awkwardly. “I mean, it’s the least I can do after you shared your umbrella with me.”

Ashi hesitated, glancing down at her soaked clothes. “Ahm, well… I guess it wouldn’t hurt.”

Haari smiled, gesturing toward the entrance. “Great. Let’s get you dried off.”

Haari’s apartment was quiet, the only sound being the soft patter of rain against the windows. The warmth inside contrasted with the cold, damp clothes both of them wore, making the atmosphere feel both cozy and tense. Ashi stood near the entrance, water dripping from her hair and clothes, while Haari rummaged through his closet for towels.

“You should take a shower first,” Haari said, handing her a clean, fluffy towel. “You’ll catch a cold if you stay like that.”

Ashi shook her head, her arms crossed as she tried to stop herself from shivering. “No, You were out in the rain way longer than me. You should shower first, Kichiro-san.”

Haari frowned, his tone firm but gentle. “Nicawa-san. You’re shivering. Go warm up, I’m fine.”

Ashi hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay… thanks."

She took the towel and quickly headed toward the bathroom, her wet uniform clinging uncomfortably to her skin.

As Ashi stepped inside, the scent of fresh soap and faint traces of Haari’s shampoo filled the air. She paused, feeling an unexpected warmth rush to her cheeks.

It… smells exactly like Kichiro-san…

Her face turned red instantly. "No! What am I even thinking?!" she muttered to herself, shaking her head vigorously.

Quickly undressing, she turned on the warm water and let it wash over her. The heat soothed her chilled skin, and she sighed, feeling much better already.

Ashi was startled by a soft knock on the bathroom door. “Nicawa-san?” Haari’s voice called from the other side.

“Uh, Kichiro-san? What are you doing here?” Ashi asked, her voice slightly higher than usual.

“I’m leaving a pair of my clothes outside,” Haari explained, his tone calm and matter-of-fact. “Since you don’t have another pair, and your clothes will take time to dry, you can wear these for now.”

Ashi hesitated, her face burning. “Ahm… thanks.”

She heard the soft rustle of fabric as Haari set the clothes down, followed by his retreating footsteps. Once she was sure he was gone, she cracked the door open just enough to grab the clothes. Her heart raced as she held up Haari’s shirt and sweatpants, the reality of the situation sinking in.

Ashi slipped into Haari’s clothes, the fabric soft and slightly oversized on her frame. She stretched the shirt down, trying to make it fit better, but then froze. Her eyes widened in horror as a realization hit her.

“Oh no… I forgot… I DON’T HAVE MY BR_A!” she thought, her face turning crimson. “What should I do now?!”

She glanced at herself in the foggy mirror, the oversized shirt hanging loosely on her shoulders. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out how to handle the situation. “Should I just… stay in the bathroom forever? No, that’s ridiculous. Maybe I can… adjust the shirt so it’s not obvious? " She coverd her face with her both hands "Ugh, this is so embarrassing!”

She paced in small circles, internally panicking.

I can’t just walk out like this! What if he notices?! No, no, it’s fine! It’s just for a little while! Stay calm, Ashi. Act natural!

Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and tried to convince herself. "I can do this. I’ll just pretend like nothing is wrong!"

But the moment she reached for the door handle, her confidence wavered.

"Ahhh… this is so embarrassing…" she whispered to herself before stepping out.

Haari was standing near the kitchen, drying his hair with a towel when Ashi walked in. He turned toward her.

"You finished?" he asked.

Ashi avoided his gaze and quickly looked to the side. "Y-yeah. You can go now."

Haari raised an eyebrow at her stiff response but didn’t question it. "Alright." He grabbed his own towel and headed toward the bathroom.

As soon as he disappeared inside, Ashi let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

A moment later, she found herself in the kitchen, instinctively preparing two cups of coffee. The warmth of the mug in her hands helped ease her nerves.

When Haari returned, dressed in dry clothes, she handed him a cup.

"Here. It’ll help warm us up."

Haari accepted it with a nod. "Thanks."

They stood in comfortable silence, sipping their drinks. The rain outside continued to pour, but inside, the atmosphere was surprisingly peaceful.

Haari begain " So how's working going on " .

" It going well , I recved lot of help from Nagi-san, because of him work is so easy these days." Ashi said.

Haari hiched a little " That's good to hear "

Once Ashi’s clothes were dry, she changed back into them, folding Haari’s clothes neatly and handing them back to him. They headed downstairs to the building’s entrance, the rain still pouring outside.

“Thanks for having me, Kichiro-san,” Ashi said, opening her umbrella.

Haari glanced outside at the heavy downpour. "You sure you wanna head back?"

Ashi tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Haari hesitated slightly, scratching his cheek as he looked away. His ears were a little red. "I mean… the weather’s still bad. You… can stay the night if you want."