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Endless, merciless rain.
For three days straight, the skies above Tokyo wept, drowning the city in grey. Thunder cracked the heavens like an angry warning, and the cold wind slithered through alleyways and between buildings as if it, too, had lost something.
Under the narrow eaves of an old, rundown structure, a small figure huddled against the wall.
Her light grey, curled hair clung to her cheeks like drenched fur. Knees tucked to her chest, soaked uniform heavy with rain, she looked less like a person and more like a stray cat abandoned in a storm.
> "If only… I could drown like this."
Takada Mitsuru murmured into the void.
There was no one to hear it—not even the sky seemed to care.
Ever since her mother passed away, she had been passed around like unwanted baggage. This week, her "home" was her uncle's apartment.
Everything was tolerable. Until yesterday.
Yesterday, he locked the fridge. Refused her meals.
Then told her to kneel.
To open her mouth.
> No. No. No.
She bolted. Into the rain. Into the streets.
But now she was here—drenched, freezing, and too exhausted to cry anymore.
> I'm so hungry. I want to die.
Her lips trembled as she buried her head deeper into her arms.
That's when she whispered it.
> "Someone… please… save me."
A plea not meant for anyone.
But someone heard it.
Footsteps.
She flinched. Her head snapped up.
A young man walked toward her through the curtain of rain, a black umbrella shielding him. His posture was upright, almost military. Even before he said a word, Takada Mitsuru's instincts screamed—danger.
She scowled, trying to muster a glare, her thin shoulders trembling.
> Don't come closer.
Like a wild kitten ready to scratch.
The boy, however, didn't even glance at her hostility.
His gaze was fixed somewhere else—floating midair—like he was reading something invisible.
[System Interface Activated]
Family Mutual Aid System
You were alone in your past life. Don't repeat the same mistakes.
Find the right girls. Build your family.
Emergency Alert: Target in crisis. Assist immediately to build trust.
[Name: Takada Mitsuru]
Relationship: Lv1 – Trust
Role: Housewife (Passive: Financial
Management Lv1 – +5,000 yen/day)
Status: Starving. Spirit near collapse.
Charm: 8.5
Strength: 3
Aragaki Jun sighed softly as he read.
So this is the one.
A girl trembling on the edge, nearly ready to give up. Just like he had once been.
This time, he wouldn't let someone fall.
He stepped forward, closed the umbrella, and sat beside her, letting the rain fall on him too.
Mitsuru's eyes widened.
"W-What are you doing?!"
She scooted back instantly, glaring harder, fists clenched, shoulders hunched—her whole posture screaming get lost.
But Jun only smiled gently, like a childhood friend seeing someone after years.
"Mitsuru-chan. It's been a long time."
"…Eh?"
She blinked. Suspicion surged.
He knew her name?
> Stalker? Bad guy? Uncle's friend?!
"Y-You're mistaking me for someone else," she snapped. "I don't know you."
"You probably don't remember," Jun said calmly. "Back then, we were just kids. Your mom and mine were friends—single moms supporting each other."
Takada Mitsuru stiffened.
> "Aunt… Sato…?"
"She was there too," Jun nodded. "They were close. Always helping each other out."
He was weaving the story naturally, blending truth and fiction . The System had provided everything he needed to say.
She couldn't find a hole in his story—but her instincts were still on alert.
He could be lying.
Still, her arms dropped a little. The name "Aunt Sato" had struck a chord.
Jun noticed.
A stray cat won't come close just because you call its name. You need to offer food… and warmth.
"I'm starving," he said with a chuckle. "Let's go eat. There's a restaurant just across the street. You can decide if I'm trustworthy after."
"…I'm not going with you," she replied, voice thin.
"But you're hungry, right?"
…
Her stomach growled.
Takada Mitsuru looked toward the restaurant. Not too far. Not isolated. She could scream if anything went wrong. She could run.
"…Fine."
Jun smiled again and opened the umbrella, this time stretching it to cover her.
"Mitsuru-chan, shall we?"
"…Okay."
The moment she stood up—her legs gave out.
She toppled forward—
Splash!
Before she could hit the ground, Jun caught her collar mid-fall and lifted her effortlessly.
"Too long in one position. Your legs went numb," he said, helping her up like she weighed nothing.
"…Put me down."
Blushing, she looked away.
Jun gently let her down, but didn't let go of her arm.
And so, the two walked into the rain together, the world outside sealed away under the large black umbrella.
---
As they walked, Mitsuru remembered…
A warm hand.
A rainy day.
Her mother holding the umbrella, whispering promises of home.
Her throat tightened.
She glanced sideways at Jun's quiet, handsome face.
> If he's taking me back… I'll behave. I'll be a good girl.
> If he takes me home… I'll let him do anything. I'm just tired.
> It's fine if I die like this.
"…Not fine."
"…Huh?"
"I said, it's not fine."
Jun stopped walking. His tone was firm.
"Dying isn't peaceful. It's suffocating. It's painful. Like being buried alive."
"…I-I wasn't…"
"You were," he interrupted, turning to her. "But don't apologize. I'm not mad."
His eyes softened. "It's just… I've been there too."
Takada Mitsuru bit her lip, tears welling up.
She didn't respond—but her small fingers quietly wrapped around Jun's hand.
Jun said nothing more. He simply tightened his grip.
And together, they kept walking.
The stray cat had finally found someone willing to take her home.
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