Under the Same Lights

The escalator carried them up to the main concourse. The flow of people was constant, yet Haruto could only see Nozomi in front of him.

She turned slightly, as if to make sure he wasn’t just a figment of his imagination.

“So… you live around here too?”

Haruto nodded, a little nervous.

“Yeah. I thought it was just coincidence, but maybe not.”

They walked together toward the north exit. Outside, the streetlights were already on, and puddles left by the rain mirrored the neon glow.

A red light stopped them at the corner.Haruto glanced at his folded umbrella.

“It didn’t really rain that much today.” His voice came out softer than he expected.

Nozomi heard him and gave the faintest smile.

“I like when the air still smells like rain.”

The light changed. They moved forward with the crowd, shoulder to shoulder.

“Do you always come out through this exit?” she asked.

“Most of the time,” Haruto answered, surprised by how natural the words felt while walking beside her.

They passed a bakery, the smell of fresh bread spilling into the street. Nozomi stopped for a moment, gazing at the display window.

“Looks good…” she murmured.

Without thinking, Haruto said,

“We could come here sometime after class.”

She looked at him, surprised, then lowered her eyes as if she had taken it too seriously.

“Maybe.”

The walk to the corner where their paths split was short—far too short for Haruto. When they reached it, Nozomi pointed down a side street.

“I go this way.”

A silence hung heavier than words. Haruto opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was,

“Then… I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Nozomi raised her hand in a gentle parting gesture.

“Tomorrow.”

He watched her walk away, her golden hair catching the glow of the streetlights. Haruto stood still for a moment, with the feeling that, although the city was vast, somehow it was beginning to shrink—just for the two of them.