Later that same day, Ayro walked calmly through a quieter part of town, far from the squad's usual apartment block.
He stopped in front of a small restaurant tucked between two buildings. His eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced up at the sign.
"This must be it..." he murmured.
The soft chime of the entrance bell welcomed him in. The scent of broth and sizzling dishes filled the air, wrapping him in a warm familiarity.
His deep red eyes scanned the interior—and they stopped as soon as he saw her.
Behind the counter stood a girl. Her face... strikingly familiar. Same hair, same presence—but her eyes were a light, muted gray.
She paused. Just for a moment. Then put on a smile.
"Welcome, sir. What may I do for you today?"
Ayro returned the smile politely and gave a simple order.
She nodded and walked off, tying an apron around her waist as she prepped his meal.
She returned and placed the tray gently in front of him, her gaze briefly flickering with uncertainty. Just before she could say anything, she turned quickly back to the counter.
Behind it, a group of girls—fellow workers—peeked toward Ayro with hushed excitement.
"Who is that man? He's hot!"
"Hoshi-san! You should get his number!"
The gray-eyed girl panicked slightly, waving her hands.
"Shh, shh, shh! Don't say my name out loud!"
Ayro let out a soft exhale, a quiet smile playing on his lips as he took a bite from his food.
After finishing his meal, Ayro made his way to the counter. The gray-eyed girl stood waiting, her smile warm and professional as she bowed politely.
"Thank you for coming, sir."
The bell above the door chimed softly as he stepped out.
Outside, he walked a few paces before muttering to himself, hands in his coat pockets.
"She's wearing contacts?.. Guess that makes sense. Your eyes reflect too much light even at night..."
He turned the corner of the restaurant.
Tap. Tap.
A gentle touch landed on his right shoulder.
He turned—and there she was again, that familiar face now lit with a playful smile. She had jogged after him, her chest rising just slightly from the light sprint.
"Yo! Ayro-san!" she called out like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Ayro blinked.
"Uh... I just ate at your restaurant and... you already know my name?"
She gave him a pout and squinted her eyes dramatically, feigning offense.
"Stop playing dumb, Ayro-san. You've seen me already. Kara-chan told me everything!"
A pause.
"Ah..."
he said, caught.
"Hmm..." she thought aloud, tapping her lip with a finger.
"Ah! I know a place to talk!" she beamed, then gestured for Ayro to follow her.
From inside the restaurant, her coworkers peeked out the window as the two disappeared down the sidewalk.
"Hoshi-san's about to get scolded again,"
One muttered.
"Meh, let her enjoy her time!"
Another replied with a giggle.
The girls laughed among themselves as their friend walked off with the mysterious customer.
"A... children's park?"
Ayro asked, raising an eyebrow.
The gray-eyed girl placed her hands behind her back and rocked on her heels.
"Mhm!" She hummed cheerfully.
She took off with both arms stretched wide like an airplane, running toward the swing set. In one fluid motion, she hopped into the seat and gently started swinging back and forth.
Ayro followed more calmly, standing beside her. He leaned one shoulder against the steel bar that supported the swing, watching her quietly.
She played with the swing's rhythm for a moment before speaking softly.
"So? Why did you come here?" she asked.
She giggled lightly, her hands gripping the chains of the swing.
"It's a bit embarrassing when my co-workers watched us..."
She muttered, eyes fixed ahead, cheeks slightly puffed.
Ayro glanced at her sideways, a smirk playing on his lips.
"They were gossiping pretty loud. One of them said I was hot."
She gasped and covered her face.
"Ughhh! You heard that?! So embarrassing..."
"Pretty sure the whole street heard it,"
He teased.
She peeked at him through her fingers.
"I'm never showing up to work again."
Ayro chuckled softly.
"Then I guess this talk better be worth it, huh?"
She swung once more before slowing to a stop, her smile turning gentler.
"Yeah... it is."
Her feet planted into the sand beneath her. The air between them shifted. Softer. Warmer. Quieter.
"Kara-chan sent you?"
Hoshi asked, her voice a little lower now, almost uncertain.
Ayro rubbed the back of his neck.
"Y-yeah."
"Ah... she's really worried, huh?.."
Hoshi murmured, looking off to the side.
"She only knew me for a day."
She glanced back at Ayro, only to find him staring at her strangely.
"W-Why are you looking at me like that?.."
Ayro blinked.
"Ah... your eyes. Weren't they orange?"
"Ah!"
She exclaimed, suddenly flustered.
"My contacts!"
She carefully popped them out and she showed her natural eyes to Ayro.
"There we go! Better?"
Ayro, fingers resting thoughtfully on his chin, gave a small smirk.
"You really are the kunoichi."
"Hehe,"
Hoshi giggled, scratching the back of her head, eyes now glowing in their natural hue.
Then, she tilted her head curiously.
"How did you guys find me?"
"Intuition,"
Ayro replied casually.
Hoshi's eyes widened in fear.
"S-Seriously?.."
He chuckled.
"Of course not."
"Then how!"
She pressed.
"That's a secret,"
He said with a smirk.
"Jeezzz!.. Alright,"
She huffed. Then, another question followed.
"Is Kara-chan okay?"
"Mostly, yes."
Ayro replied, uncertain.
"Eh?.. Why mostly?"
Hoshi raised a brow.
"Worried, are we?"
She leaned in closer, still sitting on the swing.
"Of course I am!.. It's the least I can do!"
"Alright, alright. She got in trouble for bringing you into the apartment."
"Ah..."
"She also had an argument with her older brother."
"Eh?"
"Things are still a bit rough between them today. They're trying to make up."
Ayro informed,
Hoshi fiddled with her nails as she replied.
"I caused that, didn't I?"
Ayro remained silent.
"Ah..."
She took a deep sigh.
"What do I do?"
She looked up at the sky, her bangs casting a shadow over her eyes.
"I don't want to be the reason their relationship spiraled..."
She paused.
"Yet... I'm not even in the position to say anything."
Ayro remained silent.
Then—
drip... drip...
Raindrops began to fall. Light at first, then steady.
"Rain came at a horrible time!"
Hoshi whined as they dashed toward a nearby hotel just across the street.
They stepped under the shelter just as the rain picked up. Hoshi was catching her breath when suddenly—She remembered when Ayro had a very convenient hand position.
Startled, she froze.
Her face turned red. She pressed her palm to her cheek, eyes wide.
Ayro noticed.
"Are you okay?" he asked, slightly leaning forward.
Hoshi didn't respond. She just looked at him, lips pouting, her palm still against her cheek.
Ayro blinked, clearly confused.
"...What?"
Then she tilted her head to the right, eyes narrowing.
"Hm... your wound."
Ayro instinctively touched his cheek—the same one Hoshi had sliced during their second encounter.
"I'm sorry about that..."
She muttered.
"I was going in circles that day."
"Don't worry about it,"
Ayro said plainly.
"But if you do it again, I won't hold back."
Hoshi leaned forward, eyes wide in mild panic.
"W-What do you mean by that?"
Ayro looked past her, toward the empty park across the street. A faint smirk formed on his lips.
"Oi..."
She said softly, suspicious of that smile.
Suddenly, a voice came from behind them.
"Hallo!"
Hoshi jumped, startled like a cat, while Ayro stayed calm.
The man—owner of the hotel—smiled widely.
"Welcome, ma'am, sir. It's a rainy day—perfect time for couples to be together! How may I serve you today?"
Silence hung in the air.
Hoshi frantically waved her hands, cheeks flushed.
"No no no no!! It's not like that!!"
The man chuckled lightly.
"Ahh... is that so?"
He bowed politely and retreated back inside.
Ayro smirked.
"Jeez..."
Hoshi squatted by the wet road, hiding her face behind her hair, utterly embarrassed.
"So? What are you gonna do now?"
He asked sincerely.
Hoshi stood up, eyes fierce with determination.
"I'll continue my work as the kunoichi of this city... I'll protect everyone from getting taken away, even if it takes my life."
"Ahh... cool."
"That's all you're gonna say?"
Hoshi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yup."
Ayro replied calmly.
"Well... there's nothing else to say. You expecting something, perhaps?"
"Eh... n-not really."
A sudden chilly wind swept past them.
"Ouh... cold"
She said, brushing her shoulders.
Ayro glanced at her, then pulled out a small cube from his pocket. Hoshi, curious, leaned in to take a closer look.
Suddenly, the cube unfolded and transformed into a coat.
"Hoh!" Her eyes lit up. "I've always wanted to wear men's clothes!"
Ayro offered the coat to Hoshi. She took it gently, snuggling into the warmth and letting out a soft sigh.
"Ah... warm... that feels goooood."
She settled down and she leaned back on a dry patch near the hotel as the rain poured around them.
"Psst,"
Hoshi whispered, catching Ayro's attention as he stood nearby.
"It's a bit warmer here,"
She said again, smiling gently as she patted the spot on the dry floor beside her.
Ayro quietly walked over and sat down next to her.
Suddenly, Hoshi looked away, her expression stiff.
"WHAT AM I DOING?! WHY DID I MAKE HIM SIT NEXT TO ME?! NOW WHAT! WHAT DO I SAY?!"
Her thoughts screamed in panic.
Ayro tilted his head slightly, looking at her with a confused expression.
A silence passed between them, long and slow.
"It indeed is warmer here..." he finally said, voice calm as ever.
Hoshi turned back to him quickly, eyes bright.
"Right?!" she smiled, trying to keep her cool.
"Ah, sorry about that... seems like we're gonna be stuck here for quite a while, huh?.."
They both look at the empty rainy street and then slowly but surely, Hoshi's eyelids began to droop.
Her head swayed gently with each breath until, without realizing, she leaned over and rested against Ayro's shoulder.
He didn't move.
He didn't flinch.
He simply sat there, calm as ever, letting her sleep.
No words were exchanged. No shift in expression.
All that lingered between the two of them... were the soft, steady drops of rain pattering against the world outside, cradling their quiet moment in peace.
[Boys Room]
"Ayro is taking a long time isn't he?"
Itoshi sat lazily on the couch, tossing a rubber ball against the wall and catching it with a bored flick of his wrist. The ball bounced rhythmically through the quiet room.
"He might be stuck in the rain,"
Kirashi muttered, glancing toward the window where gray clouds still loomed.
"Even rain can't stop him,"
Ryujin said flatly, arms crossed.
"He must be distracted right now."
Itoshi caught the ball one more time, then paused, staring up at the ceiling.
"Eh... what could distract him right now?" he mumbled, mostly to himself.
The ball slipped from his hand and rolled onto the floor, forgotten.
[Girls Room]
Kara stood quietly in front of the window, her fingertips gently pressed against the cold glass. Each exhale fogged a small patch in front of her face, fading just as quickly as it formed.
The rain trickled down the pane in gentle streaks, a soft rhythm to her thoughts.
"I wonder how they're doing right now..."
She mumbled, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
After a moment of stillness, she pulled away from the window. The cold left her fingers, but the feeling lingered in her chest.
Quietly, she made her way to the bedroom, where Jayu was curled up under the covers.
Without a word, Kara lay beside her and gently pulled the blanket over both of them. She closed her eyes.
Just for a while... silence.
It was May 17th.
A peaceful, rainy day that carried itself all the way until the sun sank quietly beneath the sea's horizon.
The soft rhythm of rain became a lullaby for the weary—everyone, in their own way, took solace in it. Some found rest. Others found comfort. And for a few, it meant the quiet beginnings of trust.
Though bodies rested, minds remained restless.
Unspoken questions hovered in the air.
The mysteries weren't gone—only momentarily forgotten under the shelter of warmth and new bonds. But deep down, they all knew... this calm was only temporary.
The rain would stop.
And when it did, the unknown would rise with the wind.
~~~To be Continued~~~