By the time he reached the market, Rafta was already standing there, scrolling casually on his phone.
"Let's go," Rafta said without even looking up.
"Wait—where?" Haari asked, confused.
But Rafta was already walking.
Moments later, Haari found himself standing inside a clothing store.
"…What are we doing here?" Haari asked, eyes trailing the racks of shirts and jackets.
"Dancing. What do you think, dumbass? Shopping, of course," Rafta shot back as he hovered toward a section of jackets.
"But why did you bring me? I don't need clothes," Haari replied.
"I didn't bring you for you. I came for myself."
"…So then why drag me along?"
Rafta raised an eyebrow, not even glancing away from the denim he was examining. "Because it's boring to shop alone."
"…Then bring Habi-san," Haari muttered.
"She's not available today."
"So—"
Rafta turned and cut him off. "Hey, were you doing something today?"
"No," Haari admitted.
"Did you have any plans for the day?"
"No…"
"Then why are you running your mouth like a vegetable vendor mic at full volume?"
Moment later.
"How do I look?" Rafta asked, striking a confident pose.
"Huh," Haari deadpanned. " Why are you asking me , Am I your girlfriend or something."
Rafta grinned, a strange, almost mischievous smile playing on his lips. "What's that? Did our infamous loner finally get irritated?"
Haari rolled his eyes, already regretting engaging in this conversation. "Tch, whatever. Just leave already."
But Rafta wasn't done yet.
"You know, Haari," he said, tapping his chin dramatically, "seeing you like this really makes me appreciate how amazing it is to not be single, sometime. The warmth of a girlfriend, the feeling having a girl which only be yours , thinking of it is just feels something else"
Haari's brow twitched. "You done?"
"Not quite." Rafta smirked, and then, with a perfectly timed pause, he asked, "By the way, how did your February 14th go?"
Haari froze. A vein visibly popped on his forehead.
Rafta burst out laughing, stepping back just in case Haari decided to physically retaliate. "Wait, wait—don't tell me!" He clapped his hands together. "Did you spend it alone? Eating instant ramen? Watching romance anime to feel something? Man, I should've checked on you, you poor thing!"
Haari let out a slow, deep breath. "You really wanna die today, huh?"
Rafta raised his hands in surrender, still grinning. "Hey, hey, I'm just saying, some of us had a lovely Valentine's Day. While others—" He pointed at Haari. "—spent it wallowing in loneliness."
Haari cracked his knuckles. " Did you call me all the way here just tell me that ."
Rafta calm down " No It's really important , tell which one look good on me "
" Why the hell are you worrying about how look today are you going somewhere " Haari asked.
"Yeah," Rafta said casually, examining another shirt. "Today, we're going to Oki's house. For a talk."
"For a talk?" Haari repeated, not immediately understanding. But then—his eyes widened in realization. "WAIT… FOR REAL?!"
Rafta gave a firm nod. "Yeah. We've been together for years, and we decided it's time to talk with our families about it."
A moment of silence passed before Haari gave him an earnest smile. "Congratulations."
"Not officially confirmed yet, so don't get ahead of yourself," Rafta muttered.
"But if you both agreed, your parents will definitely agree too," Haari said confidently.
The store clerk handed the neatly packed clothes to Rafta.
That's when Rafta suddenly placed a hand on Haari's shoulder, his expression shifting. His usual carefree demeanor was gone, replaced with something calm—serious.
"I did what I wanted," Rafta said, his voice steady. "Now it's your turn to make a move."
Haari blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"
Rafta subtly nodded in a direction. Haari followed his gaze—his breath caught in his throat.
A few feet away, Ashi was standing there, completely unaware of their conversation, browsing through dresses.
"It's time for you to face her," Rafta said.
Haari's expression went numb.
"Don't wait any longer," Rafta continued. "You've already taken too much time. Now, you have to decide—do you want her or not? Because this moment won't last forever."
Haari remained silent, lost in thought.
After a long pause, Rafta exhaled and stepped back. "Alright then, I'm heading out."
Haari snapped out of his daze. "Rafta… good luck."
Rafta smirked. "Good luck to you too. Go and tell her what's in your heart."
And just like that, he was gone—leaving Haari in the middle of the store with a quiet storm of thoughts raging in his mind.
"Now it's your turn."
"Do you want her or not?"
Those words kept looping in his head, even as he tried to act normal.
His fingers fidgeted near his pockets, his throat dry, but his legs moved on their own.
"Nicawa-san."
The name escaped his lips before he realized it.
Ashi turned around, blinking in surprise. "Hm? Kichiro-san? What are you doing here?"
Haari scratched the back of his head, eyes avoiding hers. "Honestly… I'm still trying to figure that out myself."
A brief smile curved her lips, but it faded almost as quickly.
"I came with Rafta," Haari added, a bit awkwardly.
Ashi raised her brows. "Huh? Densi-san? Where is he now?" She looked behind him instinctively.
Haari glanced back too, but Rafta was long gone. "He… left."
"What? When?" Ashi frowned.
"I—I don't know. He was here a second ago…" tryin his best to act normal.
Ashi blinked. "Really? Did Habi-san come too?"
Haari shook his head. "Nah. Just us."
Then he spotted the small shopping bag in her hand. "You here for shopping?"
"Yeah," she nodded. Then tilted her head slightly. "What about you? What are you doing now?"
"Ahm… nothing." Haari sighed. "Just crying over my ruined Sunday."
Ashi let out a small laugh at that, covering her mouth slightly.
Then silence.
The awkward kind.
Haari could feel Rafta's words pressing down on him from somewhere in the back of his mind like a hammer.
"It's time to make a move."
He stole a glance at Ashi.
She was looking at a rack again, but her expression had softened… just a little.
Haari and Ashi walked side by side along the dimly lit road, the sound of their footsteps blending with the distant hum of city life. In Ashi's hand, a shopping bag swung lightly, filled with the dresses she had purchased.
A cold gust of wind suddenly swept through the street.
"Woah—" Ashi shivered, instinctively rubbing her arms for warmth. "The weather sure is cold today."
Haari glanced at the sky. Dark clouds loomed overhead, swallowing the once-clear evening. "Yeah, with the monsoon season, rain and cold winds start coming out of nowhere these days."
Ashi smiled as she looked up. "Yeah, a crystal-clear day turns into rain before we even know it." She let out a small laugh. "I like this kind of weather."
"Huh?" Haari raised an eyebrow.
"It's exciting when something unpredictable happens. It gives me a chill, like the world is alive and full of surprises." Ashi giggled.
Haari's eyes widened slightly. He found himself staring at her—at her carefree smile, the way her hair swayed with the wind. Then, Rafta's words echoed in his mind:
"It's time for you to face her."
Haari's steps slowed. Then, he stopped entirely.
Ashi took a few steps ahead before noticing his absence. She turned back, a curious look on her face. "Is something wrong, Kichiro-san?"
Haari exhaled, then lifted his gaze. He looked directly into her eyes, determination solidifying in his stance.
"Nicawa-san…"
Ashi felt a sudden wave of nervous energy course through her.
"There's something I… I want to talk to you." Haari's voice was steady, but his fingers clenched at his sides. He wasn't looking away—not this time.
Ashi's heartbeat quickened. The air around them felt heavy, charged with something unspoken. "Y-yeah? I'm listening."
"Nicawa-san… I—"
A powerful gust of wind surged through the street, making them stumble back.
BOOM!
A loud crack of thunder tore through the sky. Within seconds, the heavens opened up, unleashing a torrential downpour.
"Wha—?!" Ashi barely had time to react before Haari grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the closest shelter—a narrow space behind a building. It was dim, but it shielded them from the storm.
Another flash of lightning lit up the street, followed by a deafening crash of thunder. Instinctively, Haari wrapped his arms around Ashi, shielding her from the wind and noise.
Ashi froze. She could hear his heartbeat—strong, steady. Her fingers clenched against his shirt, the warmth of his presence drowning out the storm around them.
Her mind spun.
He remembered.
That night… that one stormy night from long ago.
"Kichiro-san… Kichiro-san."
Haari groaned, stirring from his sleep. "Mmm… what?"
Ashi bit her lip. "I… I can't sleep."
Haari turned his head, eyes still hazy with sleep. Even in the dim light, he could see how tense she was. "Is it the thunder?"
A hesitant nod.
A pause. Then—
"You're… scared?"
Ashi frowned. "Don't say it like that! It's not like I'm a kid or anything. It's just… really loud, okay?"
Ashi's breath hitched as the memory faded. She gripped his shirt tighter, hiding her face in the fabric.
Ashi's eyes widened as realization struck her—Haari still remembered. He still remembered that she was afraid of thunder.
A sudden rush of warmth filled her chest, her heart pounding wildly against her ribcage. Without thinking, she clutched Haari's shirt tightly and buried her face into him, seeking comfort in his presence.
"Hmm?" Haari noticed her trembling against him.
The storm outside slowly began to calm, the thunder fading into the distance, the wind settling into a gentle breeze. Sensing the moment had passed, Haari loosened his grip and let her go.
But Ashi didn't move.
She remained there, holding onto him, refusing to let go.
"Nicawa-san… Nicawa-san," Haari called softly, trying to get her attention. His voice held a strange gentleness, almost hesitant. "Nicawa-san?"
Still, she wouldn't look up, her gaze fixed on the ground, her breath uneven.
Haari swallowed hard, clenching his fists.
Then, with quiet resolve, he spoke.
"I like you, Nicawa-san."
Ashi's entire world froze.
Her eyes widened, but she still didn't look at him. A whirlwind of emotions surged through her, her mind struggling to process what she had just heard.
Then, Haari gently cupped her chin, lifting her face so their eyes met. His gaze held no hesitation, no uncertainty—only a raw sincerity that made her breath hitch.
"Will you… go out with me?"
Ashi's heart skipped a beat.
Her lips parted slightly as if to say something, but no words came. Then, slowly, her eyes softened. A small tear glistened at the corner of her eye as she smiled.
"…Yeah."
Haari's eyes widened, as if he couldn't believe what he just heard.
Just as he was about to say something, Ashi's lips parted slightly—and she leaned in, closing the distance between them.
Haari froze, his breath catching.
His mind flashed back to that day—their first accidental kiss, the chaos, the awkward silence that followed. But this… this wasn't like that.
This wasn't an accident.
This was intentional.
His heart pounded so loud he could hear it in his ears. Time felt like it slowed. He didn't move—not because he didn't want to—but because he didn't want to wake up, in case this was a dream.
Her eyes fluttered closed. And right before their lips met—
RUMBLE.
The entire place shook violently, a low, ominous groan echoing from the ground beneath.
"What—an earthquake?!" Haari shouted, instinctively grabbing Ashi's wrist.
Shelves rattled. Clothes hangers clanged together. Shouts erupted from outside. The lights flickered once, then twice, before cutting out completely.
The entire world tilted for a moment.
Ashi staggered, nearly falling, but before she could hit the ground—
Haari pulled her into his arms.
"Tch—stay still!" he growled, tightening his grip.