"Splash—"
The rain fell incessantly, as if weeping on someone's behalf. The dark gray clouds covering the sky grew heavier and thicker, casting the world below into a deep, murky gloom.
In this torrential downpour, pedestrians either hurried along in raincoats or dashed toward the distance under umbrellas. Even the vehicles sped by as if trying to outrun the storm, painting the world into a space of stifling, hushed stillness.
In such a landscape, her appearance was undoubtedly an anomaly—an outlier who had wandered into a world where she didn't belong.
While those around her rushed about in a frenzy, she alone walked slowly through the rain.
Everyone else carried gear to shield themselves from the wet, but she stood bare against the elements, allowing the rain to drench her body and soak her well-maintained, silky linen-colored hair.
Her translucent, milky-white skin pressed against her water-logged clothes. Her slightly upturned face was exquisite and fair, though now it appeared pale from the dampness, evoking a sense of fragile beauty that begged for protection.
If someone from Sobu High were here to see this girl, they would have recognized her identity instantly.
She was the "Spring Flower of Sobu High," the girl who had risen to fame in less than a single semester after enrolling this year—the "Angel," Shiina Mahiru.
She was stunningly beautiful, with a small face and delicate features. Her large eyes were framed by long, slender lashes. Though her figure was somewhat lithe and petite, she was different from the "flat" types like Yukino Yukinoshita or Eriri; she possessed the kind of graceful, curvaceous silhouette often described as "slender branches bearing heavy fruit."
Of course, as one of the "High-Hanging Flowers" of Sobu High, Shiina Mahiru was not just famous for her looks; she was a polymath in both the arts and sciences.
She ranked first in the freshman year, serving as the top student of her class. She performed exceptionally in physical education as well, yet she was never arrogant. Instead, she was remarkably humble and composed, treating everyone and everything with a gentle attitude. Combined with her non-aggressive, exquisite youthful face, she had a way of making people lower their guard without realizing it.
Because of her kind personality and an aura that felt so approachable, the people at Sobu High called her "Angel-sama." This title alone made it clear just how high her status was in their hearts.
Yet, this perfect, flawless angel was currently wandering aimlessly through the rain. Her usually brilliant caramel-colored eyes were devoid of light, lacking even a point of focus as she stared blankly ahead.
She looked very much like a homeless orphan.
She looked very much like a child who could see no future.
It wasn't that no one noticed her. In fact, some people with ill intentions cast wandering glances her way, and with hidden motives, a few approached her under the guise of concern.
Fortunately, Shiina Mahiru was not entirely without a sense of vigilance.
"Thank you for your concern, but I am fine. Please do not bother me on the street."
Facing those who approached her, Mahiru dropped her usual gentle warmth, becoming cold and indifferent. She practically wore her "keep away" attitude on her sleeve.
Especially when dealing with those who tried to be persistent, she simply remained silent and pulled out her phone, hovering her finger over the emergency call button on the dial screen, which promptly scared them off.
Her way of handling things was impeccable.
Except...
"As long as you keep walking through the rain looking so helpless and alone, the flies that target cracked eggs will keep appearing one after another, buzzing around you, you know?"
When that flippant voice reached her ears, Shiina Mahiru's eyes suddenly snapped into focus.
The voice was far too close—so close that Mahiru, who hadn't noticed anyone approaching, was visibly startled.
It was only then that she realized someone had appeared beside her at some point.
Like her, he was walking slowly through the rain, letting it soak his clothes and hair. However, the water couldn't extinguish the spark in his eyes or the faint, lingering smile on his face.
Under these circumstances, even though he was just as drenched as she was, he didn't look miserable or pitiable. Instead, he carried an air of bohemian roguishness.
"You are..."
Shiina Mahiru took a good look at his face and recognized him.
"Third-year Eligos-senpai...?"
Clearly, she had heard of Leon, and she knew who he was.
"That's me." Leon wasn't surprised. He greeted her with a smile. "Good afternoon, Shiina-san. You don't look like you're in a very good mood."
"...It's nothing." The surprise on Mahiru's face began to fade, replaced by a gentle yet distant voice that discouraged further inquiry. "Thank you for your concern, but please do not worry about my affairs."
Even though her companion was a celebrity at school—a handsome Senpai most girls looked up to—Mahiru did not change her cold attitude. In fact, seeing Leon walking beside her and intentionally getting soaked just like her, a hint of suspicion flickered in her eyes.
In her view, Leon's actions were likely the same as those men from before—either an attempt to hit on her or a deliberate act of trying to look cool.
Leon saw this, but he didn't care.
"Is that so? Then just act like I didn't say anything."
With that, Leon stopped talking. He simply walked alongside Mahiru, continuing their stroll through the rain.
This behavior made Mahiru visibly uncomfortable. Her beautiful brows knitted together tightly, but she didn't say anything more.
She truly wasn't in the mood, so she simply changed direction and turned onto a different path.
However, to her surprise, it was as if Leon had predicted her intent to turn. He actually shifted his direction half a step faster than she did, and his direction was exactly the same as hers.
Mahiru's frown deepened, but she remained silent, walking on until they reached the next intersection. She changed direction again, intending to part ways with him.
But Leon, as if possessing some form of precognition, shifted half a step faster again. Mahiru, realizing a beat too late, found that they were walking together once more.
The scene didn't look like Mahiru was trying to lose Leon; instead, it looked like Leon was trying to part ways while Mahiru was the one following him.
Every time they reached a turn, Leon was always half a step faster in switching to the direction Mahiru intended to take. The more it happened, the more it looked like she was the one trailing after him.
If he were a full step ahead, Mahiru would see which way he was going and take a different path. If he were a step behind, Mahiru would be the first to turn, and if he followed, it would look too deliberate, giving her a reason to drive him away.
But Leon was precisely half a step ahead. By the time Mahiru turned, it was too late to change her mind again. If she deliberately pivoted a second time, it would look far too forced on her part.
If it were Yukino Yukinoshita or Utaha Kasumigaoka, they wouldn't care if others thought they were being forced; they would leave when they wanted to leave and turn when they wanted to turn.
But Mahiru couldn't seem to do that. She hesitated again and again, and eventually, she could only accept the situation, continuing the silent walk with Leon.
This walk lasted for an entire hour in the rain.
By this point, Leon still looked relaxed and unbothered, while Mahiru was starting to feel the cold. Her stamina was failing, and even her vision was beginning to blur.
"This is bad..."
Mahiru bit her cold, wet lip.
She realized she might have overplayed her hand.
Her mood today was indeed terrible, which was why she had come out to walk in the rain, but she hadn't intended to let it go this far. This would only ruin her health.
But because of Leon, she hadn't been able to retreat in time. As a result, she had been out in the rain for over an hour, and her body was clearly starting to give out.
"...I'm sorry, Senpai."
Mahiru didn't persist any longer. She stopped her footsteps, her breathing becoming somewhat ragged.
"I want to go back now."
This was a direct dismissal.
Leon stopped immediately and turned around, meeting Mahiru's eyes, which had become somewhat hazy.
Then, he spoke with a smile.
"You're already home."
As he spoke, Leon pointed to a building nearby.
Mahiru froze. When she clearly saw the appearance of the building, her expression changed instantly.
That building was unmistakably the apartment complex where she currently lived.
"This..."
Mahiru couldn't hide her astonishment.
"Don't be so shocked," Leon's voice, filled with amusement, reached her ears. "You were just walking aimlessly, not paying attention to the road at all. Especially in the latter half, you gave up on changing directions and followed me in a daze. Naturally, I led you straight to your house."
"You should feel lucky that I wanted to lead you to your own home. If I had wanted to lead you to mine, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to leave right now."
"Even though you kept your guard up the whole way and didn't let suspicious people get close, that vigilance was still a bit lacking, Shiina-kouhai."
Amidst Leon's teasing words, Mahiru's breathing became even more rapid.
Half of it was from shock; the other half was due to her body becoming increasingly weak.
"How... how did you..."
Mahiru wanted to say something, but she found it incredibly difficult.
"How did I know where you live, right?" Leon looked at Mahiru, his eyes narrowing. "That's not important. What's important is that if you don't go inside right now, you might collapse."
As soon as the words left Leon's mouth, Mahiru felt her legs give way. Her body went soft, and she began to fall.
She happened to fall right into Leon's arms.
"Told you so."
Leon's voice reached Mahiru's ears once more.
"Remember to learn your lesson today. Don't go out in the rain like this next time, Shiina-san."
But Mahiru couldn't hear those words anymore.
She had completely lost consciousness and fallen into a deep faint.