(Yuto's POV)
I didn't get an answer.
Ren walked past me as if my question never reached him, as if words could fall to the floor and disappear the moment he chose not to look back.
I stayed seated.
The classroom felt unbearably quiet after that—the kind of silence that presses against your chest. His chair was slightly pushed away, his desk angled just enough to create distance, like it was something he had learned to do long ago.
Maybe I crossed a line.
Or maybe silence was the only answer he knew how to give.
People like Ren don't reject you openly.
They retreat.
I leaned back in my chair and stared at the ceiling. The fluorescent lights hummed softly above me. Outside, the sky had begun to darken, clouds gathering without warning.
I thought about the way he moved his desk away from mine that morning.
The first time, I thought he disliked me.
The second time, I realized he was protecting himself.
So I moved closer—not to trap him, but to let him know I wasn't leaving.
I still didn't understand why I cared.
Ren Mori wasn't loud. He wasn't friendly. He wasn't easy to approach.
Yet whenever he was near, the world felt quieter in a way that made sense.
I finally stood up and slung my bag over my shoulder.
The moment I stepped into the hallway, I heard it.
Rain.
By the time I reached the school entrance, it was pouring. The ground outside shimmered under the heavy downpour, rain crashing down like it had been waiting all day.
And then I saw him.
Ren stood beneath the roof near the gate, staring up at the sky as if he expected it to change its mind. His shoulders were slightly hunched, his bag hanging loosely from one strap.
He didn't look annoyed.
Just tired.
I opened my umbrella and walked toward him.
"Ren."
He flinched slightly, turning toward me just as the umbrella covered him.
"You'll catch a cold," I said gently.
He hesitated. "…I don't have one."
Before he could say more, I placed the handle into his hand.
"For today," I said. "Just take it."
He looked down at the umbrella, then back at me, uncertain—like he didn't know which response was expected of him.
For a moment, I thought he might refuse.
Instead, his fingers slowly curled around the handle.
"…Thank you," he said, barely above a whisper.
I stepped back, letting the rain soak into me instead.
"See you tomorrow," I added.
Before he could respond, I turned around.
Cold rain drenched my hair, my uniform clinging to my skin as I ran forward. My shoes splashed against the pavement, but I didn't slow down.
I didn't look back.
By the time Ren might have turned around—
I was already gone.
I didn't get an answer.
But as I ran through the rain, one thought stayed with me, heavier than the water soaking into my clothes.
If he brings the umbrella back tomorrow—
Then maybe he didn't walk away from me.
Maybe he just needed time.
And for some reason, that felt like enough.
To Be Continued
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