The torrential rain outside the gazebo gradually stops. The remaining water on the roof tiles drips from the eaves into puddles on the ground. The steady drip-drip sound is a soothing natural melody. A vibrant rainbow, like a wreath woven from flowers, arches from the distant sky to the park outside the gazebo.
The ground is soaked, and inside the gazebo, a boy and a girl stare at each other.
Hiratsuka Ryosuke's nostrils flare. Besides the fresh, damp scent of grass and trees after the rain, there's a delicate fragrance that belongs only to the girl. This scent is so captivating it makes him want to forget all his troubles and just get lost in its tenderness. Ryosuke's throat moves. He calls out softly, "Shoko..."
That gentle call is all it takes. The once statue-like Nishimiya Shoko becomes a wound-up toy. She comes back to life. Her moist brown eyes widen, and she jumps up from the bench. If she were in an open field, her movement would be fine. But on the narrow bench, she loses her balance and falls backward, toward the outside of the gazebo.
"Look out!" Ryosuke's back suddenly tenses. He stands up and grabs Shoko's fair, delicate wrist, pulling her toward him. As a result, her backward fall turns into a forward one. Seeing that a fall is unavoidable, Ryosuke chooses to protect her. He wraps one arm around her waist and the other around her head.
Thud!
A dull sound echoes in the gazebo. Ryosuke's back hits the ground. Luckily, he has trained his body to withstand impact through his kendo practice. Shoko's body is light, and falling with her doesn't hurt at all.
"Are you okay, Shoko?" Ryosuke asks with concern. Even though he broke her fall, he's worried the sudden shock might have frightened this little quail.
Shoko seems to have lost all the courage she had just moments ago. She covers her face with her hands, pressing tightly against Ryosuke's chest. She starts making garbled, incoherent noises, as if she's reverted to the time before she learned to speak.
With Shoko's sudden outburst, Ryosuke's slightly unsettled heart calms down. He lies on the ground, looking at the girl on his chest. The girl in front of him has gone from a startled little quail to a self-hiding ostrich. Ryosuke says nothing, gently stroking her hair, trying to calm her down. His warm, firm hand soothes Shoko, and she slowly stops making the strange noises.
After a while, Shoko, with her head still buried in his chest, says in a muffled voice, "There was something dirty..."
"What?" Ryosuke asks, not quite hearing her.
Shoko raises her head, her face red. Her usually clear eyes are now a little evasive. She says vaguely, "Um... right, I saw something dirty on your face and I wanted to blow it off and clean it for you." She nods firmly, as if she truly believes her clumsy lie. "Yes, that's exactly it!"
Shoko is flustered, but Ryosuke doesn't expose her lie. He finds her attempts to hide her shyness endearing. The sight of her flustered makes Ryosuke smile. His rare smile is like Cupid's arrow, hitting Shoko's young, innocent heart. For a moment, she is dazed.
Ryosuke gently pats Shoko's head. "Sho-chan, how long are you planning to lie on me?"
Shoko reluctantly climbs off Ryosuke and stands up. A faint blush remains on her face, and her eyes dart around, as if the ordinary park is a captivating wonderland. Ryosuke gets up and brushes the dust off his clothes. The rain has completely stopped now.
Ryosuke takes Shoko's bag. "Let's go, Shoko. I'll walk you home," he says gently.
Shoko nods, following him step by step. She stops looking around and secretly watches his back, a smile on her face. It's like she's back in elementary school, on the day he saved her. Sometimes, just by living well, a person can save someone else.
The boy and girl leave the quiet gazebo. The empty park is now filled only with the chirping of sparrows.
A while later, Ryosuke walks Shoko to her apartment and waves goodbye. The new dress he bought her isn't a luxury brand, but an affordable one that any family could buy. This isn't because Ryosuke is cheap; he considers the other person's feelings when he gives a gift. If he had bought her an expensive, luxurious dress, her personality would make her happy, but also feel pressured. She would probably never wear the dress, instead treasuring it like a rare artifact. Clothes are meant to be worn, not stored away. Ryosuke is a pragmatist. He also did this to fulfill Hikigaya Hachiman's request. On the way home, he sent Hachiman the name of the store, the style of the dress, and the receipt, so he's helped his elementary school classmate solve his problem.
After seeing Shoko go inside, he thinks that he's not far from the Himura family's home. It's been a while since he visited his master, and it's still early, so he decides to go. He sets off in that direction.
At the Nishimiya household, Nishimiya Yuzuru receives an email from Hikigaya Komachi. Komachi, being helpful and considerate, even included pictures of the dress. Yuzuru looks at the white floral dress and imagines her sister wearing it. "This dress seems perfect. It looks so innocent." "When sis comes home, I'll tell her to buy it. Ryosuke-san will definitely be charmed." "I, Nishimiya Yuzuru, am about to succeed. Hehe."
Hearing a sound at the bedroom door, Yuzuru's eyes light up. She puts on her shoes and runs out of the room. The only person who would be coming home at this time is her sister.
"Sis, you're back..."
The person who opens the door is indeed Shoko, but when Yuzuru sees what she's wearing, her smile freezes. Her sister wasn't wearing this outfit when she left. This dress? It looks familiar.
She quickly pulls out her phone and compares the pictures. They are identical. Did my sister go on a date with Ryosuke-san today? And why is she still so shy and blushing even after coming home?
A thought flashes through Yuzuru's mind. Her eyes narrow, and she gasps. She realizes a question she has overlooked this entire time. She's always thought her older sister, Nishimiya Shoko, was naive and simple. But it seems her sister's actions might not be so simple after all.