Inside a clothing store, Nishimiya Shoko is dazzled by the wide array of beautiful outfits. She rarely went clothes shopping herself. Her mother usually bought her clothes, and she just wore whatever she got.
Unknowingly, she and Ryosuke walk to the back of the store. Shoko stops and looks up at the clothes on the racks. The corner is filled with discounted winter clothes from last year. Shoko stares at them, lost in thought. Her mind drifts to the past.
The worst year was when her mother was so devastated that she couldn't get back on her feet. Shoko only remembers that the winter was very, very cold. What's the first thing a person with money wants to do? Everyone's answer might be different. But back then, Shoko's only wish was to buy a nice winter coat. She could barely get by wearing the same clothes as everyone else in the summer, but winter clothes were too expensive. Later, her mother got a job again, and their family's situation improved slightly. They managed to survive that cold winter. The young Shoko knew how much her mother had sacrificed for their family, so she endured everything her mother put her through.
"Shoko, do you want to try it on?" Hiratsuka Ryosuke notices the sadness and longing in her eyes. He takes down the coat she's looking at without asking her why she's so fixated on it. Shoko hands Ryosuke the bag she's carrying and takes the coat. She first touches the surface of the coat, then puts it on. She turns to the full-length mirror. The girl in the mirror has eyes like a starry sky. The snow-white down jacket and the wide collar wrapping around her pale neck make her look like a swan in a world of ice and snow.
"It suits you. You should buy it," Ryosuke says calmly.
Shoko shakes her head, takes off the jacket, and says softly, "I have winter clothes at home. I don't need to buy it." But Ryosuke doesn't listen this time. He asks the sales assistant to set the coat aside. He hasn't forgotten the purpose of their trip. He takes Shoko to the new arrivals section. Ryosuke takes down a white floral dress and thinks for a moment. Then he turns to Shoko. "Try on something new, Shoko."
Shoko takes the dress and goes into the fitting room. A moment later, a faint voice calls from inside. "Ryosuke, can you come in?"
Ryosuke walks to the fitting room door. He looks around, and seeing that no one is there, he slips inside. Shoko has the dress on, but she's turned away from him. Her pale, flawless back is exposed. "The zipper is stuck. I can't pull it up," she says softly.
With Ryosuke in the small fitting room, Shoko's face turns as red as a fresh strawberry. Ryosuke walks up to her, quietly unzips the dress, and then zips it up slowly. His little finger accidentally brushes her back, and she tenses up as if she's been shocked. She stands perfectly still.
With the dress on, Shoko turns to face him, head down, feeling shy like a child who has done something wrong.
"You look cute, Shoko."
"Really?" Shoko looks up suddenly, her bright eyes filled with light.
Ryosuke nods. "Do you want to try on something else?"
"No, this one's fine. I really like it," Shoko says, looking down again and pinching the hem of her dress.
When Ryosuke opens the fitting room door, he locks eyes with a girl with a bob cut.
"What a coincidence, Kato," Ryosuke says calmly, greeting her. He finds it strange that he keeps running into Kato Megumi in unexpected places, as if she's everywhere.
"Yes, what a coincidence, Hiratsuka-kun," Kato says politely, holding a piece of clothing. She's happy to run into someone who can actually notice her. But when she sees the girl with the flushed face slowly walking out of the fitting room, the light in her eyes dims. She says emotionlessly, "It's better not to do anything bad in public, Hiratsuka-kun. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
With that, she walks past them and into the fitting room as if she saw nothing. Shoko didn't notice Kato until Ryosuke spoke. When she finally sees her, she thinks she's a cute girl. Shoko asks cautiously, "Ryosuke, do you know her?"
Ryosuke nods calmly. "Yeah, but we only know each other's names."
After paying at the counter, Shoko, wearing her new dress, leaves the commercial district with Ryosuke. It's the rainy season in Japan, from May to July, and the weather is unpredictable. Dark clouds gather in the sky, and sparse raindrops begin to fall.
Ryosuke points to a gazebo in the park. "Shoko, there's a gazebo over there. Let's wait it out." The secluded park is empty, and so is the gazebo. Ryosuke is surprised to find such a tranquil corner in the middle of this urban jungle. Just as they enter the gazebo, the rain starts pouring. The air becomes misty.
Ryosuke hasn't eaten since this morning, and he's starting to feel hungry. Shoko sits next to him, puts her bag on her lap, and takes out a lunchbox. "Here you go, Ryosuke." She smiles, showing her teeth, and hands him a rice ball.
"Huh? You brought food with you?" Ryosuke is a little surprised. Most people either eat out or go home when they go shopping. Few people bring food with them. But he's so hungry that he doesn't mind. He takes a bite. The scent of rice and seaweed fills his mouth. After he swallows, he says, "It's delicious."
Ryosuke's compliment makes Shoko's smile even wider. She woke up early to make the rice ball herself.
After a while, they finish eating, but the heavy rain doesn't show any signs of stopping. Perhaps it's because his sister slept on his lap last night, which meant he didn't get enough rest. Ryosuke feels a little tired after eating. He leans against a pillar in the gazebo and closes his eyes for a short nap.
The rain slows down a bit. Shoko notices Ryosuke's breathing has become steady. She stares at his sleeping face, lost in thought. She looks around and sees that no one else is there. The only sound is the gentle rain. A bold idea sparks in her mind.
The gazebo's bench is made of wood. Shoko slowly kneels on the bench and crawls closer to Ryosuke. She quietly watches him sleep. His face is no longer cold. It is peaceful. Ryosuke is so handsome.
Shoko's moist brown eyes become hazy. She sticks out her tongue and licks her lips, then swallows. She looks around again to make sure no one is there.
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
Her heart pounds like a drum, as if she's a thief afraid of being caught. Her face gets closer and closer to Ryosuke's. She can feel his breath on her skin. She smells his scent and finds it hard to control herself. Just once. Ryosuke won't notice, will he? She wants to close her eyes for what she's about to do, but she doesn't want her first time to be blurry. So she opens her eyes wide, looks at his lips, and slowly leans in.
A warm, moist breath enters Ryosuke's nose. He wasn't truly asleep, just resting his eyes against the pillar. When he opens his eyes, he sees Shoko's face very close to his, almost touching his.
Their eyes meet. Shoko's eyes, once hazy and moist, are now wide open as if she's been struck by lightning. Realizing what she was about to do, white steam rises from her head. Her face turns pink, a blush spreading all the way to her ears. She stands perfectly still, like a statue.