Chapter 6 – Rainy Day Trouble

The final bell rang, signaling the end of another exhausting day at Misora High. Haru slumped over her desk, grading quizzes with the energy of a dying fish. Rain pelted the classroom windows in rhythmic sheets, turning the world outside into a blur of gray.“Oh no…” Haru muttered, fumbling through her bag. She came up empty.Umbrella count: Zero.Chance of survival: Also zero.Students darted past her doorway, laughing and shouting as they dashed under colorful umbrellas. Haru groaned. “Why didn’t I check the forecast this morning…”Just then, the door slid open. Aya leaned casually against the frame, an umbrella twirling lazily in her hand.“Well, newbie,” Aya drawled, eyes sparkling with amusement. “Planning to swim home?”Haru shot her a sheepish look. “I… may have forgotten my umbrella.”Aya smirked. “What a surprise.” She stepped closer, flipping the umbrella open with a flourish. “Come on. I’ll walk you.”“I-I can just wait until it stops raining!” Haru protested weakly.Aya glanced at the sky beyond the window—thick, dark clouds that looked ready to dump a monsoon. “Sure. In about three hours. You’ll turn into a puddle before then.”Haru sighed in defeat as Aya extended her hand—not to take, just a silent invitation to stand beside her. Why does even that feel like a power move?!---They stepped out into the storm, huddling under the small umbrella. Which, Haru quickly realized, was a logistical nightmare.Aya was tall. Haru… was not. The umbrella naturally tilted toward Aya, leaving Haru awkwardly squished against her side, trying not to get soaked—or, worse, notice how warm Aya felt in the chilly rain.“This is ridiculous,” Haru grumbled, tilting her head away to avoid brushing Aya’s shoulder.Aya chuckled, her breath tickling Haru’s ear. “What’s ridiculous? That you’re fun-sized?”Haru nearly tripped over a puddle. “I-I am not fun-sized!”Aya laughed outright, the sound rich and warm against the patter of rain. “Relax, newbie. It’s cute.”C-Cute?! Haru’s heart executed an Olympic-level flip. She tried to focus on the sidewalk, on anything except the faint scent of citrus shampoo drifting from Aya’s damp hair—or the solid muscle of her arm brushing hers every few steps.---By the time they reached Aya’s apartment, Haru’s nerves were fried, her face hot despite the cold rain. She slipped off her wet shoes and practically collapsed onto the couch.Aya disappeared into her bedroom and returned with two towels. Without warning, she tossed one onto Haru’s head, laughing as Haru yelped.“Dry off before you catch a cold,” Aya said, settling beside her to towel her own hair.Haru obeyed, trying not to stare as Aya’s loose T-shirt clung slightly to her damp shoulders, revealing glimpses of toned arms. Focus, Haru. Dry. Your. Hair.When Haru finally tugged the towel away, Aya frowned and reached over, fingers brushing lightly against her temple.“You missed a spot,” Aya murmured, gently sweeping back a damp strand of hair. Her touch lingered, warm against Haru’s skin, sending goosebumps racing down her arms.For one dizzying moment, the room seemed too quiet, too intimate. Aya’s eyes softened, her usual teasing smirk fading into something else—something that made Haru’s breath hitch.Then Aya pulled back, tossing her towel into the laundry basket like nothing happened. “There. Now you don’t look like a drowned cat.”Haru’s brain short-circuited. “I-I wasn’t—! Ugh!” She buried her face in the towel, ignoring the heat crawling up her neck.Aya chuckled, heading for the kitchen. “Want tea?”“Yes, please,” Haru mumbled into the fabric, praying Aya couldn’t hear how fast her heart was pounding.---Later that night, Haru lay in bed staring at the ceiling, the rain still whispering against the window. She’d replayed that moment a hundred times already—the way Aya’s fingers brushed her hair, the warmth of her touch, the softness in her eyes.Why… why does my chest feel like this?Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Aya leaning closer, felt that fleeting warmth against her skin. Haru pressed the pillow over her face and groaned.I’m doomed. Absolutely doomed.-The rain outside fades into silence, but Haru’s heart doesn’t. It drums on, louder than ever, whispering a truth she’s not ready to face.---