Where Rain and Fate Meet

I rushed down the stairs, adjusting my backpack as I went, already feeling like I was behind schedule. As usual, Dad was in the living room, half-watching the TV while sipping his coffee. The weather forecast droned on in the background.

“Morning, Dad,” I called out, not stopping.

He glanced at me briefly, nodding toward the TV. “Cold front coming in. They say it’s gonna rain later.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course it is. Rain on a Monday? Just my luck.”

I walked into the kitchen where Mom was pouring herself another cup of coffee. She gave me a warm smile when she saw me. “Running late again, huh?”

“Yeah, kinda,” I said, grabbing an apple from the counter. “I’ll see you guys later.”

Before I could escape, Mom was at my side, fussing with my collar like she always did. “Make sure you eat something real at lunch, okay? Not just snacks.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I laughed. “I’ll try.” I made my way to the front door, hand on the knob. “Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad!”

Just as I was stepping outside, I heard Mom’s voice again. “Wait! Shin, the forecast says it’s going to rain! Take an umbrella with you.”

I groaned, turning halfway back. “I’ll be fine. It’s just a little rain.”

She laughed. “Uh-huh, sure. You’ll come home soaked.”

I waved her off. “See you later!”

Stepping outside, the sky was still clear, though a little cooler than usual. I zipped up my jacket and started walking, falling into the usual rhythm of my morning routine. The streets were quieter than normal, and I figured I might actually make it to school on time for once.

But, as I reached the corner near the café, dark clouds rolled in so quickly it caught me off guard. A cold breeze swept through, followed by the unmistakable patter of raindrops. Before I knew it, the sky opened up, drenching the streets.

“Seriously?” I muttered, glancing back toward home. Mom was definitely laughing at me right now.

I scanned the area and noticed a small awning by the café. I jogged over, taking shelter just before the rain really started to pour. I leaned against the wall, adjusting my wet jacket. The rain was heavy, like a curtain, and the street in front of me quickly emptied out. I couldn’t see more than a few feet ahead.

As I stood there, resigned to waiting out the downpour, someone else rushed toward the awning. She arrived breathless, her dark hair clinging to her face, water dripping from her clothes. She looked my way, her eyes locking with mine for a moment before she shook her head and laughed softly.

“Forgot your umbrella too?” she said, her voice light but teasing.

I nodded, still a little surprised by how sudden she appeared. “Yeah, didn’t think I’d need one for a ten-minute walk.”

She smirked, wiping the rain off her face. “Seems like the weather had other plans.”

We stood side by side, both watching the rain fall in thick sheets. Despite the noise of the downpour, there was a strange quiet between us. I glanced at her again, trying to place her. She didn’t look familiar, and yet, there was something about her that seemed… different. Like she belonged somewhere else.

She didn’t seem fazed by the rain or the rush to get to school. Instead, she was calm, almost as if she was waiting for something to happen.

“You’re not late for school, are you?” I asked, trying to break the silence.

She gave me a small, enigmatic smile. “No, I’ve got time.”

I nodded, unsure how to respond. The rain kept up for another few minutes, and neither of us spoke. Just when I thought to ask her name, the rain started to let up, the heavy droplets easing into a soft drizzle before stopping altogether.

“Well, that was fast,” I muttered, more to myself than to her.

“Yeah,” she said, turning to face me fully for the first time. “I guess this is where we part.”

Before I could ask where she was headed, she stepped out from under the awning, walking slowly down the street as if the rain hadn’t soaked her through. I watched her for a few seconds, but when I blinked, she was gone.

I stood there, feeling like something strange had just happened, but I couldn’t put my finger on what. The rain had stopped, the sky was clearing, and everything seemed… normal again.

Shaking my head, I hurried on to school. I didn’t want to be late.

As I walked to school, I couldn’t stop thinking about the girl from the rain. It was strange how someone I had only met for a few minutes could stick in my mind like that. Maybe it was her calmness, or the way she smiled at me before walking off into the rain.

“Yo, Shin!”

I felt a hand slap my back, snapping me out of my thoughts. It was Tsubasa, grinning like an idiot.

“You looked like you were in another world, man. Thinking about someone?”

I scoffed, shaking my head. “Not everything’s about that, you know.”

“Oh, sure it isn’t,” he said, walking beside me with his usual swagger. “Come on, I know that look. You were totally thinking about a girl.”

I rolled my eyes, trying not to give anything away. “You’re imagining things.”

“Yeah? Then why are you blushing?” Tsubasa elbowed me, leaning in with a sly grin. “You can’t fool me. Spill it.”

“There’s nothing to spill,” I muttered, but the image of the mysterious girl under the awning flashed in my mind. “I just... ran into someone. That’s all.”

“Oh-ho! You did meet someone! So, who is she? Cute? Mysterious? Or wait, don’t tell me—she’s a spy on the run?”

“Stop messing around,” I sighed, feeling a little flustered. “I don’t even know her name.”

“Even better! The mysterious, nameless girl. Sounds like you’re in the first chapter of a rom-com manga.” Tsubasa chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. “So, are you gonna see her again? I mean, fate brought you two together under that rainstorm.”

“I don’t know,” I said, trying to brush it off, though the thought of seeing her again made my heart beat a little faster. “It was just one of those random things.”

Tsubasa gave me a knowing smirk. “Sure, sure. You’ll probably bump into her again. Rainy days seem to have a way of bringing people together.”

We arrived at school, the familiar sound of students filling the hallways, and I tried to focus on the day ahead. Still, even as we sat down in class, my thoughts kept drifting back to her—the way she’d looked at me, like she knew something I didn’t.

“Shin, you still thinking about her?” Tsubasa whispered, leaning over as he pulled out his notebook. “I bet you’re already imagining your next encounter, huh?”

I gave him a look, trying not to smile. “You read too many stories.”

“Hey, someone’s gotta keep life interesting,” he grinned.

Before I could respond, the classroom door slid open, and Mr. Yamashita walked in with his usual no-nonsense attitude.

“Alright, settle down,” he commanded, and the room quickly quieted. I shifted in my seat, still distracted by thoughts of the girl from the rain.

“Before we start the quiz, I have an announcement,” Mr. Yamashita continued, glancing around the room. “Today, we have a transfer student joining us.”

A wave of anticipation washed over me. Could it be...?

“Please welcome Haruka Tanaka to our class. She’ll be joining us from Tokyo.”

As the door opened, my breath hitched. There she stood—the girl from the rain. Her dark hair glistened slightly, as if the remnants of the storm still lingered with her. She exuded an effortless grace, her eyes scanning the room with a quiet confidence.

“Haruka, please introduce yourself,” Mr. Yamashita prompted.

She took a step forward, and our eyes locked. In that moment, the noise of the classroom faded away. “Hi, everyone. I’m Haruka. I hope to get to know you all,” she said, her voice soft yet clear.

The way she spoke, with a gentle smile playing on her lips, sent a rush of warmth through me. It felt like fate had brought us together again, weaving our stories into something unexpected and beautiful.