The two chatted for a while, and then heard a loud thunderclap from outside.
"Aki-Kun."
Sajuna, startled, hid in Akira's arms.
But strangely, the frightened Sajuna didn't have the same gloomy feeling she had when she first came in, and the expression on her face wasn't as stiff as it usually was when she was scared.
Akira gently held Sajuna as she burrowed into his embrace.
She must have been pretending to be scared.
After all, the atmosphere was so good, and he himself was a little afraid. Even if Akira had comforted him, it was still normal for him to feel scared again when the thunder came.
Akira defended Sajuna in his heart.
Besides, as a boyfriend, shouldn't he protect his girlfriend?
They were both adults, so shouldn't adults have things they're afraid of?
Adults aren't superheroes; they still have things they're afraid of.
After the thunder outside the window, more and more lightning appeared, bigger and brighter than the first flash. (This is to prevent anyone from saying that the speed of light is greater than the speed of sound; in reality, it's just writing that Akira and the others inside the house didn't notice the lightning.)
The rain outside the window began to fall, pattering against the remaining glass of the abandoned hospital, accompanied by the somewhat muggy breeze of June, leaving speckles of water.
"It's raining," Akira said, looking at the scenery outside. Not far away, a flock of crows with rain-soaked wings flew by, letting out mournful cries, seemingly angry at the weather.
Akira held Sajuna's hand and watched the rain outside the window for a while, then left the place and went to meet Shinju and Wakana.
Passing through several abandoned rooms, Shinju, who was looking around, saw Akira and Sajuna walking hand-in-hand.
Shinju cupped her hands and hurried over to Akira and Sajuna.
"So Akira-kun and Big Sister are here. I thought you two were lost."
"How could that be, Shinju?" Sajuna retorted weakly.
Looking at her sister's shy expression, Shinju actually wanted to mention how her sister's intelligence plummeted whenever she was near Akira-kun.
But seeing her sister trying to maintain her composure, Shinju decided it was best not to do that for now.
After all, she still had to maintain her sister's dignity.
Shinju thought this to herself.
"Eh! Akira-kun, Juju-sama!"
Marin, who was looking around, saw Shinju's actions and quickly followed, greeting Akira and Sajuna, who were together.
Marin finished her greeting and walked over to the window, saying, "It really is raining."
Wakana also looked at the rain outside the window with a worried expression: "It's raining just like the weather forecast said."
However, his tone wasn't particularly anxious, as everyone who came to visit had brought an umbrella.
Wakana was only worried that even with an umbrella, they might still get a little wet.
"Inui-san, how much longer can we visit?"
Wakana walked over and asked Inui-san.
Sajuna took out her phone from her pocket, opened an app, and checked her remaining time.
"About 30 minutes left."
"I don't think the rain will stop in 30 minutes," Wakana said worriedly.
"But it's good that we all brought umbrellas," Wakana added after his disheartening remark.
"Then let's stay here for the rest of the time," Akira said. "Have you all looked around the environment?"
Wakana nodded, "Kitagawa-san and I have already seen most of this abandoned hospital, and we think it's perfectly suitable for the flower princess photoshoot!"
Wakana's face was full of excitement. Today, he not only saw the location for the flower princess photoshoot but also learned some photography techniques from Shinju.
He truly felt that this trip was worthwhile!
"As long as you're satisfied."
Akira nodded, always feeling that Wakana's emotional intelligence was sometimes online and sometimes not.
But once it involved work or serious matters, his emotional intelligence would completely disappear, as if it had gone into hiding.
Shinju, who was nearby, took Sajuna's hand, and the two sisters ran off to whisper to each other.
Marin, who was originally next to Wakana, also couldn't resist finding Sajuna to chat with after seeing her beloved Juju-sama leave.
From time to time, Marin could be heard excitedly saying some embarrassing names.
Only Wakana and Akira were left by the window for the moment.
"Wakana."
Akira looked at the rain outside the window.
"What are your plans after finishing the group cosplay outfits?"
"Plans?" Wakana asked, puzzled, and touched his neck.
"I guess it's to make clothes for Kitagawa-san's next desired cosplay character."
If Marin were still here, she would surely blush shyly upon hearing such words.
But Wakana spoke of such things as if he were completing a task assigned by his boss.
He didn't seem to think there would be any romantic feelings involved.
"I mean, don't you have anything you want to do for yourself?"
Akira turned his head, looking at Wakana's slightly upturned lips and his somewhat awkward, wry smile.
"Like, what do you want to say to Kitagawa-san?"
This time, Wakana didn't avoid the topic as he used to, nor did he blush from fright. Instead, he lowered his head, touched his neck, and said in an unconfident tone,
"Akira-kun, do you think Kitagawa-san really likes me like this?"
"Why do you think Kitagawa-san wouldn't like you like this?" Akira avoided the question and asked Wakana in return.
Wakana fell silent.
He thought back to what Akira had said to him when he first sought to be his friend.
"Does making clothes make you feel ashamed?"
Whether it was for Hina dolls or for Kitagawa-san, he had never considered it something to be ashamed of.
"No, I don't feel ashamed. I'm very happy when I make clothes." This was Wakana's original answer.
"Then why do you think you have an introverted personality and no friends?"
What Wakana had once considered a flaw, Akira-kun saw as an excellent quality within him.
It was his dedication to what he loved that made his passion surpass most ordinary people in this world, which is why he seemed out of place in the eyes of others, and even disliked.
"Because of your passion, you can endure the loneliness of not socializing and transform it into motivation to move forward. Because of your passion, you can strengthen your inner self and make yourself strive towards your goal no matter what."
What Wakana had previously considered Akira's simple words of guidance suddenly took on a different meaning in that moment, transcending the original time and reshaping his perceptions once again.
Yes, just the fact that he was introverted could be viewed so differently by him and Akira-kun.
Then, this love, which is pursued by more people in the world and is even more difficult to understand,
How could it be overturned by his own judgments of "unsuitable," "unworthy," and "worthless"?
Even if Kitagawa-san rejected him, he still had to genuinely express his feelings, presenting them completely to Kitagawa-san.
"Because I'm introverted, I don't have friends."
Wakana would never say such words again.
Even introverted people should have friends.