The episode opened in near silence, the only sound being the soft patter of rain against the apartment's windows.
Water streamed down the glass in uneven rivulets, blurring the view of the Tokyo evening beyond into an impressionist painting of light and motion.
Every drop seemed to echo, filling the warm, dimly lit room with a gentle, meditative rhythm.
The TV flickered in the corner, its screen casting pale light across the living room.
A news anchor's voice droned softly, barely above a whisper.
"In other news tonight, police are still investigating the mysterious incident involving a couple found severely beaten and hospitalized late last night. Authorities are puzzled, as no fingerprints or traces of the assailants were found at the scene..."
The image on the TV cut briefly to the parents' house, now surrounded by police tape, its shattered windows covered in plastic sheeting.
Inside, investigators moved like ghosts, whispering theories no one would ever prove.
Sora sat on the floor, leaning against the edge of Yukiko's couch.
His head was bandaged, one arm still in a sling.
The bruises on his face were dark and vivid, a haunting reminder of the night before.
He stared at the screen for a moment, his jaw tightening—then deliberately turned his gaze away.
"Tch. Who cares about them," he muttered under his breath.
"They're out of my life now."
Akio sat beside him, cross-legged, quietly sipping from a cup of steaming tea.
His expression was calm, but his hands trembled slightly as he set the cup down.
The memories of that night were still raw, still carved into his heart like scars that would never fully fade.
Yukiko sat at the kitchen table, leaning back in his chair with his feet propped up.
He was holding a basketball in one hand and a can of cold soda in the other, spinning the ball lazily.
Even he, normally the group's endless source of energy, seemed quieter than usual.
The room was heavy with silence—until Yukiko suddenly broke it.
"Hey, alright," he said, his voice carrying a spark of cheer.
"Tournament's over, right? No more stress, no more life-or-death matches."
He grinned, though it didn't fully reach his tired eyes.
"So what do you guys wanna do today?"
Akio blinked, startled by the question.
It felt strange—so strange—to think about something as simple as "hanging out" after everything they'd been through.
Sora scoffed.
"What, like we're just... normal high school kids or something?"
But even as he said it, a tiny, fragile smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"...Yeah. Maybe we are, for today."
Akio's gaze softened.
"Let's just... get out of here. Clear our heads. It's been raining nonstop, but...
there's something kind of nice about walking in the rain, don't you think?"
Yukiko immediately sprang to his feet, his energy returning in full force.
"Now you're talking, seriously! I've got three see-through umbrellas and some clear raincoats my grandparents left here. We'll blend right in with the crowd."
Akio chuckled softly.
"Leave it to you to be prepared for literally everything."
Sora grumbled, but there was no real venom in his tone.
"Fine. But if we're doing this, I get to choose where we go first."
Stepping Into the Rain
The three kids stood in Yukiko's entryway, slipping into the clear plastic raincoats.
The transparent material shimmered under the warm light, their silhouettes visible beneath like ghosts preparing to haunt the night.
Yukiko handed each of them a see-through umbrella, the kind you saw everywhere in Japan, simple yet strangely elegant.
"Here, these golden treassures are my favorite," Yukiko said with pride.
"They make rainy nights feel... kinda magical, you know?"
As they stepped outside, the city greeted them with a thousand lights blurred by rain, every neon sign casting glowing reflections onto the slick pavement.
The world felt softer somehow, the rain muffling the usual chaos of Tokyo into something almost peaceful.
The three walked side by side, their umbrellas overlapping slightly.
For a while, they didn't speak, just listened to the rhythmic sound of raindrops on plastic and the distant hum of passing cars.
Akio inhaled deeply, the cool, damp air filling his lungs.
This... this almost feels like a dream, he thought.
After everything that happened... to just be here, like this...
Their First Stop: The Drink Shop
Sora suddenly broke the silence.
"Hey. There's a vending machine down this street that sells that drink we were talking about last week. The peach-flavored one with the fancy gold label."
Yukiko's eyes lit up.
"Oh, yeah! You mean 'Golden Peach Nectar'?! That stuff's crazy good. Let's go!"
They hurried through the rain, laughter bubbling up between them for the first time in what felt like forever.
The vending machine glowed like a beacon at the edge of a small park, its cheerful colors stark against the stormy night.
Each kid bought a bottle, the cold metal of the drink comforting against their hands.
They cracked them open at the same time, raising them like a toast.
"To... surviving," Akio said softly, his voice almost lost beneath the rain.
"To friendship," Yukiko added with a grin.
Sora hesitated, then smirked.
"...And to kicking each other's selfs in the next tournament."
They all laughed, the sound mingling with the rain as they drank deeply.
The sweet, fruity flavor seemed to wash away some of the lingering bitterness in their hearts.
Exploring the Night
From there, the night unfolded like a perfect, gentle dream.
They wandered through a small game arcade, Yukiko challenging random strangers to basketball mini-games and winning every time while Akio struggled hilariously with the claw machine.
Sora pretended he wasn't having fun, but his sharp focus on a rhythm game gave him away when he quietly muttered, "New high score," under his breath.
They stopped by a tiny bookstore, the warm smell of paper and coffee wrapping around them.
Akio lingered over a shelf of fantasy novels, lost in thought, while Sora gravitated toward mystery thrillers.
Yukiko ended up buying a manga about basketball teams battling aliens.
At a street food stall, they ate takoyaki, the steam rising from the piping-hot sushi mingling with the misty night air.
Yukiko burned his tongue and yelled, "Hot! HOT!" while Akio nearly fell over laughing.
Everywhere they went, the rain followed, but instead of feeling oppressive, it felt like a blessing—a curtain separating their small, private world from the rest of society.
The Restaurant Finale
Eventually, their wandering led them to a cozy, lantern-lit family restaurant tucked down a side street.
The warm glow spilling from its windows beckoned like a promise of safety.
Inside, the atmosphere was lively but not crowded.
The smell of simmering broth and grilled fish filled the air, wrapping around them like a hug.
They slid into a booth by the window, their wet umbrellas propped neatly by the door.
Outside, the rain continued to fall, turning the world beyond the glass into a hazy dreamscape of reflected light.
As they ate, they talked about everything and nothing:
Yukiko went on a dramatic rant about his basketball team's last big loss, complete with wild hand gestures.
Sora grumbled about Akio's weird habits, only to pout furiously when Akio teased him back.
Akio sat quietly for a moment, then admitted he'd never felt this... normal before. Not in either of his lives.
"You know," Akio said softly, looking between his two friends,
"I think... this might be the first time I've actually felt like I belonged somewhere."
Sora snorted.
"Don't get all sentimental, idiot. It's embarrassing."
But his ears were red, and Akio caught the tiny smile he tried to hide.
Yukiko raised his glass of soda.
"Hey, seriously. Here's to new beginnings."
The three clinked their glasses together, the sound bright and pure against the gentle backdrop of rain.
The Walk Home
By the time they left the restaurant, the rain had slowed to a light drizzle.
The city seemed softer now, calmer, as if even the storm understood that something important had changed.
They walked back to Yukiko's apartment in companionable silence, their umbrellas swaying gently above their heads.
Akio looked at Sora and Yukiko, his heart aching with a feeling he couldn't quite name.
It wasn't just happiness—it was hope.
We've been through hell, he thought, watching their silhouettes glow beneath the neon lights.
But maybe... maybe we can build something better now.
Ending Scene
Back at the apartment, they collapsed into a comfortable heap on the floor, exhausted but content.
The TV still played softly in the background, reporting on the "mystery attackers" that no one would ever find.
Yukiko yawned.
"Hell yeah! today was perfect. Rainy days are the best, huh?"
Sora grumbled half-heartedly.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."
Akio smiled faintly, closing his eyes as the sound of the rain lulled him toward sleep.
For the first time since their reincarnation, the world felt... safe.
And outside, the rain continued to fall, washing away the last remnants of their old pain.
TO BE CONTINUED...