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 - Explosion, Rain of Three
Hodaka removed his soiled apron in the back room of the convenience store, Daily Shoar Tabata North Exit.
He'd just finished the night shift. His body felt heavy. His head was full of that day — three days ago, the disaster in Chapter Three.
A woman named Miu had appeared, saying she knew Hina had once been a "Sunshine Girl." She'd bowed her head, asking for cooperation with her research. Hina couldn't say anything, and Hodaka had shouted at her and chased her off. And then Nagi had told him once again, "Protecting someone is too heavy a burden."
*(What am I supposed to do?)*
No matter how much he thought about it, no answer came.
Hodaka ran his fingers through his black hair, unruly with its natural waves. A habit when he was troubled. His determined dark-brown eyes stared back at him from the dim back room mirror.
He checked his phone. Still no reply from Hina.
Nothing for three days now.
She'd read his messages. But no response came.
*(Well, of course. After everything that happened.)*
Hodaka sighed and stowed his apron in his locker.
It was still before ten in the morning. Outside, it was raining again today. The sound of droplets striking the asphalt faintly reached the back room.
*(I'll go see Hina.)*
He had to apologize properly. He'd gotten too emotional back then. He'd been angry at Miu and hadn't considered Hina's feelings at all.
"...Should I bring something?"
He muttered it, but immediately dismissed the thought.
The cream puffs he'd brought three days ago. She might not have eaten those yet. This time, he'd go empty-handed. It wasn't about things. He had to deliver words.
Hodaka left the back room.
The store manager, Miyake-san, was at the register. Forty-five years old, a man of few words but someone who looked after his people.
"Thanks for your work."
Miyake just raised a hand slightly, and that was it.
He stepped outside.
The rain struck his face. Cold. But right now, he was grateful for that cold. It cooled his foggy head, just a little.
Twelve minutes on foot from Tabata Station, heading towards the Minato Apartments on the high ground. The rainy city was dim again today, the sound of water flowing beneath the overpass audible from all directions. The lowlands visible in the distance remained submerged in gray water.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, he arrived at the Minato Apartments.
Thirty-eight years old, a four-story reinforced concrete building. The landlord, Tamura-san, lived on the first floor. Hina and Nagi's room was the corner unit on the third floor.
He climbed the stairs.
The iron staircase was rusted, creaking with every step.
He reached the third floor.
Turned the corner.
— Again.
Hodaka's feet stopped.
A woman in a black hood stood in front of Hina's room. Short bobbed black hair peeked out from the gaps of her hood. On her left wrist, a bracelet of blue glass beads. She had a habit of touching it unconsciously when she spoke.
Kirishima Miu.
Her single-lidded eyes, giving an impression of intellect and sharpness, looked at Hodaka.
"[serious] ...We meet again."
Hodaka clenched his fist.
"[angry] You came back again?"
His voice grew loud. He couldn't contain his emotions.
"[cold] I merely came to ask Amano-san's own intentions. You have no right to stop me."
"Right? Don't be ridiculous! Hina said she doesn't want to see you!"
"She never said 'I don't want to see you.' You're just deciding that on your own."
Hodaka was at a loss for words.
She'd hit the mark.
Hina had indeed never once told Miu, "I don't want to see you." If anything, three days ago, she'd looked at the documents and seemed to be thinking about something.
But.
*(Even so, protecting Hina is my job.)*
"[angry] It doesn't matter. Go home."
"[cold] No."
The two glared at each other.
That was when it happened.
*Click.* The door opened.
The face that peered out from inside the room was Amano Nagi. Slightly long, sleek black hair. Large eyes resembling his sister's looked at the two in front of the entrance.
"[sarcastic] ...Starting up at the front door again. Isn't this seriously ridiculous?"
The fifteen-year-old boy let out an exaggerated sigh.
"[angry] Nagi, you stay out of this!"
"[sarcastic] No, no, Hodaka-san, you're the one disturbing the neighbors this early. Your voice is way too loud."
Nagi shrugged and turned back.
"[gentle] Sis, Miu-san is here. And Hodaka-san too."
From the back of the room, Hina came out.
Glossy black hair, a little longer than her shoulders. Large brown eyes holding a gentle light. But today, those eyes looked tired. The dimple that only appeared on her left cheek when she smiled was, of course, absent.
"[sad] ...Please come in, both of you."
Her voice was small. Trembling.
Hodaka felt a pain in his chest.
*(This is my fault.)*
It wasn't just Miu's fault. It was because of him that Hina wore such an expression.
The three of them silently entered the room.
Nagi closed the door.
The living room. A small room, about six tatami mats. Hina and Nagi sat on the sofa across the table. Hodaka and Miu sat on the chairs opposite them.
A heavy silence.
Outside the window, the rain continued to fall. The sound of the downpour alone filled the room.
Miu took an envelope from her bag.
"[serious] Amano-san. I wanted you to look at this today."
Documents were spread on the table.
*'Observational Data on Localized Precipitation Anomalies (Confidential)'*
*'A Folklore Study on the Weather Maiden Tradition'*
Hodaka stood up.
"[angry] Put those documents away."
"[cold] Why? This is important data concerning Amano-san's power."
"It has nothing to do with Hina!"
"[angry] Don't decide that for her!"
Miu also stood up. She, who usually spoke in an intellectual, theoretical manner, was now emotionally ranting.
"[angry] Amano-san's power may be connected to the great flood three years ago! If we can elucidate that mechanism, the same tragedy will never—"
"[angry] So you're going to make Hina a test subject?!"
"[angry] She wouldn't be a test subject! I'm asking for her cooperation!"
"It's the same thing! You're not thinking about Hina's feelings at all!"
"[angry] You're the one not thinking about Amano-san's feelings—"
"[sarcastic] Yep, there it is again. The Protection Championship."
Nagi, legs crossed on the sofa, spoke in a cold voice.
Hodaka turned around.
"[angry] Nagi, you—"
"[cold] Sis hasn't been able to say a single word, you know."
Nagi's finger pointed at Hina.
Hodaka stopped moving.
Hina was looking down, gripping her knees tightly with both hands. Biting her lip, enduring something. Her large brown eyes were wet with tears that threatened to spill at any moment.
*(Again.)*
He had stolen Hina's voice again. While shouting about protecting her, protecting her, he had sealed the words of the most important person.
"[gentle] Amano-san."
Miu took a step closer to Hina.
"[gentle] What do you want to do?"
It was a quiet voice.
So gentle it was hard to believe it came from the same person who had been arguing with Hodaka moments before.
Hina raised her face.
"...I..."
Her voice wouldn't come out.
"Hina, you don't have to answer anymore."
Hodaka said it without thinking, standing up.
"[angry] You go home. Hina doesn't have to answer."
"[cold] That's why I said you're deciding for—"
That was the moment.
*Clatter!*
A chair scraped.
Hina was standing.
"[crying] Stop it... both of you...!!"
Her voice trembled. A voice that seemed ready to burst, one he had never heard before.
Hodaka and Miu both stopped moving.
Nagi bit his lip, staring at his sister.
Tears spilled from Hina's eyes.
"[crying] I... I also...!"
Hina screamed. As if vomiting out all the words she had suppressed for three years.
"[crying] I wanted to see Hodaka again too... I've always, always felt that way...!"
Deep in Hodaka's chest, something pulsed violently.
*(Hina... wanted to see me?)*
He should have been happy. He should have been relieved. Yet, for some reason, his heart ached.
"[crying] But... but because of me, Hodaka was chased by the police... because of me, Tokyo was submerged...!!"
Hina's voice broke with tears.
"[crying] So... I don't want to hurt anyone precious to me anymore...!"
It was a wail.
A cry where love and guilt were messily mixed together.
Hodaka stood frozen.
"[whispers] Hina... I'm not, at all..."
He couldn't form a voice.
He didn't know what to say.
He had thought, *I want to protect her.* He had tried to protect Hina from everything that hurt her.
But.
*(Every time I said 'I'll protect you'...)*
Hina had thought of herself as "a sinner who makes Hodaka suffer." Just by being by his side, she believed she was causing him trouble, and she had suffered for three years.
His "protection" had been a cross for Hina.
Hodaka was completely crushed before that fact.
He had no words to offer in return.
Only Hina's crying echoed in the room.
The sound of rain overlapped it.
Nagi, arms still crossed, bit his lip. He said nothing. The fifteen-year-old boy's eyes seemed slightly moist.
"[whispers] ...I'm sorry."
Miu said it quietly.
She, who was usually so theoretical and logical, now hung her head, her voice trembling. She unconsciously touched the bracelet of blue glass beads on her left wrist.
"[whispers] I... wasn't thinking about Amano-san's feelings at all."
Miu put the documents back in her bag. Her hands were shaking.
"[angry] You're apologizing now?"
Hodaka said it quietly.
But Miu didn't argue back.
Miu headed for the door.
She looked at Hina's tear-streaked face one more time.
Then, she opened the door and stepped into the hallway.
— *I'm the same.*
Miu's mouth moved that way.
But no voice came out.
Words only for herself, unheard by anyone.
*(Saying I'd save people with my research...)*
*(The truth is, I just wanted to apologize to Yuki.)*
Her best friend, who had lost her home in the great flood three years ago. A best friend she had been estranged from ever since. Miu hadn't been able to do anything for Yuki. So she thought, at the very least, if she could prevent the same tragedy through her research— that's what she had believed.
But that was just ego, just a desire to clear her own guilt.
Hina's words, *'I don't want to hurt anyone precious to me anymore,'* echoed in her head.
Miu descended the stairs.
She went outside into the falling rain.
Without even opening an umbrella, she hurried away.
Only the three of them were left in the living room.
Exhausted from crying, Hina sat back down on the sofa. Her face was downcast. Occasionally, her shoulders trembled, and a sob escaped.
Nagi was rubbing her back.
"[gentle] ...Sis."
That was all.
Hodaka remained standing, unable to say anything.
Hina raised her face.
Eyes swollen from crying looked at Hodaka.
"[sad] ...Hodaka, please go home today."
Her voice was so deeply wounded. Deeper, heavier than that time he had left the cream puffs and gone home.
Hodaka tried to say something.
"[whispers] Hina, I—"
But the words wouldn't come.
Back then, he had been able to leave the cream puffs. He had been able to at least give her something.
But tonight, he had nothing he could leave.
Hodaka hung his head and opened the door.
"[whispers] ...I'm sorry."
Saying just that, he closed the door.
He descended the stairs.
The rusted iron staircase creaked.
From inside the room, he heard Hina's sobs.
"[crying] ...*hic*, *uuu*..."
"[gentle] Sis... it's okay, come on."
Nagi's voice faintly followed him.
Hodaka stepped outside the apartment building.
Rain was falling. Cold rain.
He looked up. Light leaked from the window of Hina's room.
*(I...)*
*(Every time I try to be by Hina's side, I end up leaving her alone.)*
She had said she wanted to see him.
Those should have been the happiest words he'd heard in three years.
But now, he didn't even have the right to be happy about them.
Hodaka clenched his fist.
The
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