As Shuichi Hayashi ate his noodles, he listened to the trio's feedback, mentally weighing whether to add homestyle mixed noodles to the izakaya's menu. Noticing Yukiko Fujimine's plate—noodles gone, but most of the topping left—he asked, "Something in the topping you don't like?"
"Yeah," Yukiko nodded. "I'm not a fan of tomatoes, celery, or onions."
"Only picky kids dislike those," Eri Fei sneered.
"You don't get it!" Yukiko snapped. "When I was dieting, I had to eat those every day…"
She stopped mid-sentence, realizing her slip, and quickly forced a laugh to change the subject. "Look, it's really pouring out there!"
Shuichi and Kogoro Mori looked puzzled, but Eri's eyes gleamed as she sized up Yukiko's figure, her mind clearly turning over something.
Yukiko, unnerved by Eri's stare, hurriedly wiped her mouth, slapped a 500-yen coin on the table, and grabbed her bag. "I'm heading home!" she blurted, bolting for the door.
"Hey, did you bring an umb—" Shuichi started, but Yukiko was already gone.
Outside, the rain poured in sheets, lightning slicing through the ink-black sky, followed by booming thunder. With those heavy, rolling clouds, this storm wasn't letting up anytime soon.
Yukiko, without an umbrella, was bound to get drenched. Shuichi glanced at Kogoro and Eri, who were still working on their noodles. "I'm going to take her an umbrella," he said, standing. "I'll be back to open the shop."
With that, he grabbed two umbrellas and headed out.
Eri stared at the door, then at Kogoro, who was still eating. "Idiot, can't you eat faster?"
"What'd I do now?" Kogoro said, baffled. "Why are you snapping at me for no reason?"
"If you'd finished sooner, Shuichi wouldn't have to play delivery boy," Eri retorted.
"Oh, you're right," Kogoro said, scratching his head sheepishly. "If I'd gone to give her the umbrella, Yukiko would've been so touched, she might've agreed to be my—"
Slap!
Eri slammed the table and stood, her face dark.
"What?" Kogoro flinched.
"We're out of change for the shop," Eri said, grabbing an umbrella and heading for the door. "I'm going to the supermarket to get some."
"Out of change? That's not right," Kogoro said, confused. "Didn't Shuichi get a bunch of coins from the bank—"
He cut off as Eri shot him a withering glare. "I said we're out, so we're out!"
"Alright, alright," Kogoro muttered.
As Eri stormed out with her umbrella, Kogoro looked around the empty izakaya. In the blink of an eye, he was alone. "How'd I end up by myself again…?"
The streets were awash with torrential rain, and passersby were few, all hurrying along. After five or six minutes searching toward Yukiko's house, Shuichi spotted her under a shop's awning, taking shelter.
She must've used her schoolbag to shield herself from the rain, but it hadn't helped much. Her bag was soaked, and her uniform clung to her body, sopping wet. Only her face had escaped the worst of it.
"I'm such an idiot," Yukiko muttered, hugging herself tightly and forcing a self-deprecating smile. "Should've just stayed home instead of going to the izakaya."
She'd checked the weather forecast that morning. The rain was supposed to start after school, by which time she'd be home, so she hadn't bothered with an umbrella.
"No idea when this rain'll let up…"
"Hoping for the rain to stop? You'll be stuck here all night."
Yukiko whipped around at the familiar voice, startled to see Shuichi standing there with an umbrella, looking mildly exasperated.
"You—why are you here?"
"To bring you an umbrella," Shuichi said with a grin. "This storm's lasting till midnight at least. Can't let you camp out here all night, can I?"
"Thanks!" Yukiko said, reaching eagerly for the umbrella. "You're kind of a pervert, a jerk, and a bit sneaky, but you've got a decent heart."
"…I'm starting to regret this," Shuichi said, his mouth twitching. He stepped into the rain. "Come on."
"Huh?" Yukiko blinked. "You're… walking with me?"
"What else?" Shuichi pointed at her clothes. "Looking like that, you're asking for trouble if some real creep spots you. I don't want to see you on tomorrow's news."
"I…" Yukiko glanced down, realizing her soaked uniform clung to her, outlining her figure unmistakably. The Teitan blazer was thick enough to prevent worse exposure, but still, her face flushed red. She clutched her chest. "Pervert! Creep!"
"I'm warning you out of kindness, and I get yelled at?" Shuichi said, exasperated.
"Couldn't you be a gentleman and offer me your jacket?" Yukiko complained. "Then I'd notice the problem naturally, the mood wouldn't be awkward, and it'd even be a little romantic…"
"My jacket?" Shuichi snorted. "Maybe I'd do that if you weren't already soaked."
"But you're completely drenched," he continued. "What good would my jacket do now?"
"You!" Yukiko clenched her fists, seething, though she knew he was right. "Guys like you will never get a girlfriend!"
"Fine by me," Shuichi shrugged, unfazed. "Girlfriends are a hassle. Before marriage, you worry about dowries. After, you're paranoid about getting cheated on…"
"What's a dowry?" Yukiko asked, tilting her head curiously. "And what's wrong with green hats?"
"Uh…" Shuichi paused, realizing Japan didn't have dowries, and green wasn't associated with infidelity here. "Never mind. Let's go, or I won't get the shop open tonight."
"With this rain, you won't have customers anyway," Yukiko muttered. She started to step ahead to lead the way but froze, remembering her drenched state and Shuichi's observant nature. If she walked in front, he'd see everything.
"You go first!" she said.
"Huh? I don't know your exact address."
"I'll tell you, just hurry up!"
(End of Chapter)