The rainy season in Kasukabe arrived without warning. Heavy raindrops pounded against the glass windows of Sekoguchi Apartments, blurring the neon lights outside into streaks of color.
Standing by the office window, Yoichi watched the rain intensify, his brows tightly furrowed.
He had left in a hurry that morning and forgotten to bring an umbrella. More importantly… Matsuzaka Ume had a late shift at the kindergarten today. If the rain kept up like this, she was probably still stuck there.
He picked up his phone, his thumb hovering over her contact.
For a moment, he hesitated.
Then he put it down.
Knowing her personality, she'd probably insist she had "prepared an umbrella long ago" even if she hadn't.
By eight in the evening, the rain showed no sign of stopping.
After a moment of thought, Yoichi grabbed the spare umbrella he had borrowed from the office and headed toward Futaba Kindergarten.
As he reached the entrance, he immediately spotted a familiar figure standing under the eaves.
Matsuzaka Ume.
She held a few picture books in her arms, her hair slightly damp and messy from the wind, her expression clearly irritated as she lightly kicked at a puddle with the tip of her heel.
"Ms. Matsuzaka."
Yoichi stepped forward.
She turned sharply, surprise flashing across her face for a split second before she quickly masked it with her usual tsundere expression. "Why are you here? Just passing by?"
"Yeah," Yoichi replied casually, raising the umbrella. "Just passing by… and thought I'd check if anyone needed help. Let me walk you home."
Matsuzaka stared at the plain black umbrella, then glanced at Yoichi's shoulder, already damp from the rain.
Her lips parted slightly—
But she turned her face away.
"…Who asked you to?" she muttered. "I can just wait until the rain stops."
Almost as if on cue, lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a low rumble of thunder.
Her body stiffened.
Just for a moment—
But Yoichi noticed.
He didn't say anything. Instead, he simply shifted the umbrella slightly toward her, silently exposing more of himself to the rain.
They stood like that for several minutes.
Until finally—
"…Fine. I'll count this as you owing me," she said quietly, stepping under the umbrella.
They walked side by side through the narrow, rain-soaked streets.
The umbrella tilted toward her.
Yoichi's left sleeve was soon completely drenched.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then suddenly, Matsuzaka said softly, "You know… Dr. Tokuro used to hold an umbrella like this for me too."
Yoichi paused slightly.
He remembered Hiroshi mentioning it—her past, a love she had never been able to let go of.
"He was very gentle," she continued, her eyes lowered to the rain-slick ground, her voice almost blending into the sound of falling rain. "But he was too devoted to his own ideals… and in the end…"
She didn't finish the sentence.
But the faint redness in her eyes said enough.
Yoichi slowed his pace.
"Gentle people deserve to be treated with the same gentleness," he said quietly.
Matsuzaka looked up at him suddenly.
For a moment, their eyes met—
And her heartbeat skipped.
She quickly looked away, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "D-don't say strange things. Just walk."
When they reached the apartment building, Matsuzaka stopped at her door.
Just as she was about to go in—
"Ms. Matsuzaka."
Yoichi called out.
"I'm off tomorrow. I was thinking of making some snacks from my hometown… would you like to try some?"
Her hand froze on the doorknob.
There was a pause.
"…Mm."
She answered softly—
Then quickly shut the door.
Inside, she leaned against it, pressing a hand to her warm cheeks.
"…What's wrong with him…"
Her heart was a mess.
That man—
Always managed to hit the exact place she tried hardest to protect.
The next morning, she woke up unusually early.
After hesitating in front of her wardrobe for a while, she even changed outfits twice before settling on a newly bought dress.
Standing outside Yoichi's door, she raised her hand—
Lowered it—
Raised it again.
Then finally knocked.
The door opened.
A warm, sweet fragrance drifted out.
Yoichi stood there in an apron, holding a rolling pin, smiling slightly. "Come in. The cookies just finished baking."
On the coffee table sat freshly baked cookies and steaming black tea.
Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a soft glow over everything.
Matsuzaka picked up a cookie and took a bite.
The soft, crumbly texture melted instantly in her mouth.
And suddenly—
Her eyes stung.
It tasted exactly like the snacks her grandmother used to make.
A taste she hadn't experienced since leaving home.
"Is it… not good?" Yoichi asked carefully.
"No!" she said quickly, turning her head and wiping the corner of her eye. "It's just average… nowhere near as good as store-bought."
And yet—
Her hand reached for another one.
Yoichi couldn't help but smile. "If you like it, I can make it for you more often."
Her heartbeat sped up again.
She stood abruptly. "I—I have things to do. I'm leaving!"
But just as she reached the door—
Yoichi gently held her wrist.
"Ms. Matsuzaka…" he said, his voice quieter than usual, "I know you might not be ready, but I—"
"Don't say it!"
She cut him off immediately, her face flushed red.
It wasn't that she didn't understand.
It was because she understood too well.
The past still lingered in her heart, making her afraid to step forward again.
But at the same time—
His quiet, steady kindness was slowly breaking through the walls she had built.
Just then—
Ding-dong!
"Uncle Yoichi! Teacher Ume! We're here to eat snacks!"
Shin-chan's voice rang out from outside.
Matsuzaka immediately pulled her hand away and rushed out like she was escaping.
Yoichi stood there for a moment, then let out a helpless laugh before opening the door.
The next second, the Kasukabe Defense Force flooded in like a storm.
That night—
Matsuzaka lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
Unable to sleep.
She picked up her phone, opened Yoichi's chat, typed something—
Deleted it.
Typed again—
Deleted it again.
Finally, she sent just one simple message:
"Tomorrow… add two spoons of sugar to the black tea."
The reply came quickly:
"Okay. I'll also make more of the cookies you liked."
She stared at the screen.
A small smile appeared before she could stop it.
Her hand moved to the necklace around her neck—
A fossil pendant.
A gift from Dr. Tokuro.
"…Tokuro," she whispered softly.
"…maybe… I can try to be happy again."
Outside, the rain had stopped.
Moonlight slipped through the curtains, quietly illuminating her face.
Some feelings don't arrive like a storm.
They grow slowly—
Through small moments.
Through hesitation.
Through warmth.
Until one day—
They become something you can't let go of.
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