Three years after that fateful day, Hodaka has returned to Tokyo. Fresh out of high school, he now lives alone in a tiny apartment, and he's finally reunited with Hina—the girl he once risked everything for.
Hina is no longer the "sunshine girl." She's just an ordinary high school student, living peacefully with her younger brother Nagi. They see each other almost every day—shopping for groceries, cooking meals together, laughing over nothing. But something's stuck between them. They still have
After the Clear Skies - A Soaking-Wet Date and Passing Umbrellas
After my part-time shift ended, I stepped outside, and sure enough — rain.
Hina looked up briefly at the sky from the back entrance of the family restaurant. She was used to it by now. A city where it rained two hundred and twenty days out of the year. Carrying an umbrella was second nature, and forgetting one meant instant regret. Today, she'd remembered her folding umbrella properly.
*Click.*
She opened it. The sound of rain pattered softly against the fabric. A sound she liked. But if she said she liked it, someone might be troubled by that.
(*Hodaka would definitely be troubled.*)
Hina set off walking alone.
Her black hair, just a little longer than her shoulders, was tied back in its usual single ponytail today. The family restaurant floor required her hair to be tied up, so she always wore it this way on work days. Her large, gentle brown eyes gazed absently at the streetlight reflections shimmering on the wet asphalt.
September would be over soon. The seasons had turned many times since that summer three years ago.
(*And yet.*)
Her heart was still stuck in the same place it had been that day.
Hodaka had come to save her. He'd shouted and pulled her back when she was about to return to the sky. Because of that, Hodaka had been chased by the police, sent back to the island, and had gone through so much pain.
—*It's my fault.*
Hina bit her lip.
(*So I mustn't be a burden anymore.*)
Hodaka had come back to Tokyo, and now lived just ten minutes away. Just that alone made her incredibly, incredibly happy. But the happier she felt, the more she hated herself. She grew afraid — was it really okay for her to be this close to him?
Yesterday, Hodaka had offered to walk her home after her shift.
She'd refused.
But deep in her heart, she'd wanted him to. She'd wanted to walk the night streets with Hodaka.
(*...What do I actually want?*)
She was mulling this over, having made it back near Minato Apartments, when her phone buzzed.
*"Want to go somewhere on our next day off?"*
A message from Hodaka.
Her heart clenched tight.
"[gentle]...I'd love to."
She said it out loud, then immediately checked to make sure no one was around. There was no one — and yet her face burned hot. The dimple that only appeared on her left cheek when she smiled was absent now. In its place was an expression of indescribable bewilderment.
She was happy. But there was a part of her that couldn't be honestly glad about it.
Hina hurriedly typed a reply.
*'Sure, okay.'*
Just that. She'd actually wanted to write more — things like "I'm looking forward to it" or "Where should we go?" But her fingers wouldn't move.
(*Because I mustn't get my hopes up like this.*)
The kinder Hodaka was, the more she leaned on him. And if she did that, then if the same thing as three years ago happened again, this time she might cause him irreparable harm.
She closed her phone.
The rain was still falling.
When she climbed the stairs of Minato Apartments, the lights were on inside.
"I'm home."
"Welcome back."
Nagi was sprawled on the sofa, reading a magazine. His black hair was a little long and sleek, and he had a habit of unconsciously brushing his bangs aside. His large eyes — so like his sister's — looked at Hina's face.
"[sarcastic] Something happen? Your face is red."
"I-it's nothing."
"Hmm. Well, whatever. You heard from Hodaka-san, didn't you."
Hina flinched.
"[surprised] How do you know?"
"Because, sis, you only ever turn red or pale over stuff about Hodaka-san."
Nagi closed the magazine and let out an exaggerated *haaah* of a sigh. He was a brother who seemed wise beyond his years, but turned utterly childish in front of the girl he liked. Right now, he was fully in teasing-his-sister mode.
"[sarcastic] A date?"
"[embarrassed] I said it's not! He just asked if I wanted to go somewhere..."
"That's a date."
"O-oh, come on!"
Her face bright red, Hina fled into the kitchen.
(*Nagi sees right through everything, doesn't he.*)
The little brother she'd raised like a sister had, before she knew it, started saying things far more mature than her. He understood everything — when Hina forced herself to smile despite being happy, when she said she was fine despite being sad.
"[gentle] Sis."
Nagi called out from behind her.
"I think you should try being honest once in a while. Hodaka-san knows you're holding back, too."
"...Yeah."
She wanted to. She really, truly wanted to.
But she couldn't.
As she took eggs out of the refrigerator, Hina murmured in her heart.
(*Because I'm someone who can only be protected.*)
All she ever did was be protected, never able to give anything back. Worse than that — her power was something that only ever put others in danger. Someone like that had no right to be honest with the person she loved.
"[sad] ...What should we make for dinner?"
"Anything's fine."
"'Anything' is the hardest answer of all."
Nagi let out a soft laugh.
"Why don't you say that to Hodaka-san tomorrow?"
Hina's hands, in the middle of cracking an egg, stopped.
(*Tomorrow.*)
Right — it was tomorrow.
Her heart wouldn't stop pounding. But the anxiety lurking behind the happiness was just as overwhelming.
The next day.
When the agreed-upon time came, Hina was waiting in front of Minato Apartments.
Today, she wore her hair down. Her glossy black locks, just past her shoulders, swayed in the faint breeze. Her outfit was a pale light-blue blouse and a white skirt. Hodaka always said he wasn't fashionable, but to Hina, it was only natural to want to meet him looking at least a little put-together.
She'd arrived five minutes early.
(*Maybe I came too early.*)
As she looked around restlessly, she saw Hodaka come running around the corner.
"[breathless] Sorry — did you wait long?"
Hodaka's unruly black hair was slightly damp with sweat, and he was breathing hard. His slender, 172-centimeter frame shifted inside his rumpled check shirt. His determined dark-brown eyes looked at Hina with relief.
"[gentle] No, I just got here too."
(*Though actually, I've been here for fifteen minutes.*)
Hodaka scratched the back of his head. A habit that came out unconsciously when he was troubled or embarrassed.
"[awkward] Uh... so, where should we go?"
"Huh?"
"I said let's go somewhere, but I didn't really think about it. Is there somewhere you want to go?"
Hina felt a tiny flicker of irritation.
"[cold] ...You invited me, and you haven't decided?"
"Ah, no, I mean... I thought it'd be better to go wherever you want, Hina."
"So you're asking where I want to go?"
"Yeah, that's it. Anything's fine."
"'Anything's fine' — that's the hardest answer of all."
Ah.
She'd just said the exact same thing to Hodaka that she'd said to Nagi yesterday.
Hodaka looked increasingly troubled, his hand scratching the back of his head faster.
"[confused] Then, uh... a movie? An aquarium? Shopping?"
"[sad] ...You're making me choose."
"Because if I decide, you might not like it."
"There's no way I wouldn't like it."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Then anywhere's fine?"
"[angry] Oh, for—! You decide, Hodaka!"
Hina had raised her voice without meaning to.
There it was again.
Hodaka always did this. Made her choose. Considered her feelings, tried to prioritize her wishes, and never stated his own opinion. Maybe it was kindness. But to Hina, it felt like he was telling her she couldn't decide anything — that she was someone who could only be protected.
(*I want to know what Hodaka wants to do, too.*)
Hodaka looked dejected, his face like an abandoned puppy.
"[sad] ...Sorry."
When he made that face, it made her feel like she was the one in the wrong. Even though she wasn't.
"[sigh] *Haaah*..."
Suddenly, a sigh came from behind them.
They turned to find Nagi standing there.
"Why are you here?"
"[sarcastic] Because there's no way you two could manage a proper date. I was watching, and sure enough — you can't even get started."
Nagi looked between the two of them with an exasperated expression.
"[calm] Why don't you go to Takashiba Elevated Shopping Street? It's close, you won't get wet even in the rain, and you like it there, right, sis?"
"[surprised] Why are *you* taking charge?"
"Because you weren't deciding anything. I got tired of waiting."
So saying, Nagi briskly started walking.
"[surprised] Wait — Nagi, are you planning to come too?"
"[smirk] Obviously. If I leave you two alone, you'll just loop 'where should we go, where should we go' forever, right?"
Hodaka and Hina exchanged glances.
"[awkward] ...Well, the shopping street sounds good."
"[embarrassed] ...Yeah. Let's go."
And so, the three of them set out together.
Takashiba Elevated Shopping Street was as lively as ever.
A long, narrow shopping arcade built under the elevated tracks connecting Tabata and Komagome. After the great flood, shop owners who'd relocated from the lowlands had gathered here, and now forty-two shops lined the street. With a roof overhead, shoppers never stopped coming even on rainy days.
In front of "Nakajima Fruits and Vegetables," hydroponically grown tomatoes were lined up at 120 yen each, same as always. Next door was "Rainbow," a hundred-yen shop specializing in umbrellas — reputed to have an unusually extensive selection.
"Look at this umbrella!"
Hina picked up a clear plastic umbrella. The handle was shaped like a cat.
"[gentle] It's so cute. Nagi, don't you think this would suit me?"
"[deadpan] I mean, it's fine for you to have, sis. I'm good."
"You're no fun."
When Hina smiled, the dimple appeared on her left cheek alone.
Hodaka watched that smile from a little distance away.
(*Good.*)
She'd been angry just a moment ago, but now she seemed to be enjoying herself. Coming to the shopping street had been the right call.
"[excited] Hodaka, look at this! The tomatoes are super cheap."
Hina turned around and waved at Hodaka.
"O-oh."
When Hodaka came closer, Hina happily showed him the bag of tomatoes.
"Three for 300 yen. Let's have them for dinner. Hodaka, do you want to eat with us?"
"[surprised] Huh — is that okay?"
"Of course. Hodaka, you always just eat cup noodles, right? Nagi told me."
"[embarrassed] That guy... saying unnecessary stuff."
Nagi stood in front of the greengrocer's, staring intently at a daikon radish.
"[matter-of-fact] I mean, it's true. Hodaka-san, your diet's unbalanced. Sis was worried about you."
"Hina was?"
"[embarrassed] Hey, Nagi! I told you not to say that!"
Her face bright red, Hina smacked Nagi repeatedly on the back.
(*She's been worrying about me.*)
A warmth spread slowly through Hodaka's chest.
They walked a little further and entered a coffee shop called "Amayadori."
Behind the counter stood the owner, Sonoda Keiko. Fifty-five years old, her graying hair tied back — a friendly, approachable woman.
"Oh my, welcome. Hodaka-kun and Hina-chan. Are the two of you together today?"
"[embarrassed] N-no, we're not! There's three of us!"
Hina frantically pointed at Nagi behind her.
"Oh my, oh my. Your little brother's with you too. I was sure it was your usual date."
"It's not a date!"
"It's not a date, I wonder?"
"I said it's not!"
Nagi muttered under his breath.
"[deadpan] You're way too slow denying it. Gotta say it faster."
Hodaka and Hina fell silent at the same time.
Keiko chuckled as she showed them to a window seat. From here, you could see the rain-soaked shopping street outside. Their usual spot.
The three of them each ordered coffee. 380 yen a cup.
Cradling her steaming cup, Hina spoke quietly.
"[gentle] ...High school's been fun."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I've made friends, I'm keeping up with my part-time job. Nagi's going to school properly, too."
"[sarcastic] What do you mean, 'properly'? I've never skipped."
"I know. Good boy, good boy."
Hina ruffled her brother's hair. Nagi made a face like he hated it, but he wasn't genuinely displeased.
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