The sky broke open in the middle of lunch break. One moment it had been bright and warm, and the next, thick clouds rolled over the schoolyard, and rain began to fall in steady, heavy sheets. Students scattered in a chaotic rush for cover, laughter and shouts mixing with the pounding drops.
Aki cursed under her breath. Of course, she had left her umbrella in her locker — of course, she had. She opened her backpack, hoping she had something she could use, anything, and found… nothing.
Great. Just great.
She darted toward the nearest covered area, hoping she could survive the ten steps to the school gate without looking like a drenched mess. But even as she ran, she felt it — the unmistakable presence behind her.
"Hey! Wait!"
Aki's heart stopped. She turned, and there he was. Lua. Naturally, completely calm, holding a large umbrella over his head. Water dripped from the edges, soaking the tips of his white hair, but he didn't seem to care. He was watching her with those red eyes — sharp, aware, unnervingly attentive.
"You can't run from me in the rain," he said, voice casual, though there was something teasing hidden underneath.
"I… I don't need your help," she snapped, trying to sound strong, though her chest was hammering.
Lua didn't budge. Instead, he held the umbrella out toward her. "Yeah, you do. Come on."
She hesitated, pride battling logic. But the moment she stepped under the umbrella with him, the space felt impossibly small. The world seemed to shrink until it was just the two of them — the patter of rain around them, the faint warmth of his arm brushing against hers.
Aki's chest tightened. Her fingers curled around the strap of her backpack, gripping it like a lifeline. She wanted to retreat, to push him away — and yet, the closer she got, the more aware she became of him.
Lua looked down at her, a small smirk playing on his lips. "You're quiet today."
"I… I'm fine," she mumbled. Her voice was unsteady, betraying her more than she wanted.
He tilted his head slightly. "Sure you are," he teased. Then, without warning, he slipped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close under the umbrella.
Aki froze.
His chest was warm against her side. His arm felt so natural around her, yet she was entirely unprepared. Her heart hammered as if trying to escape her ribcage. She wanted to say something — anything — but the words wouldn't come.
Her knees felt weak. Her stomach fluttered violently. She could barely breathe, her head swimming from the sudden intimacy. She had always known Lua was close — childhood friends practically shared everything — but this? This was different. This closeness, this heat, this faint scent of him that had never bothered her before, was overwhelming.
"Lua…" she whispered, barely audible.
He chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through her. "Yeah?"
Aki's vision blurred slightly. Every nerve in her body seemed alive, attuned to him. She wanted to move, to step away, but she couldn't. His warmth held her rooted in place.
She felt dizzy. Weak. Every childhood memory, every small laugh they had shared, every secret they had whispered in the dark, flooded her mind. And in that instant, she realized — she didn't just want to be his friend anymore.
Lua must have sensed it too, because he gently adjusted his arm, holding her closer, his voice dropping slightly. "I've got you. Don't worry about the rain."
And just like that… Aki felt herself unravel. The world tilted. She couldn't think, couldn't resist, couldn't do anything but let herself melt into him. Her hands twitched, her breath came in shaky bursts, and for a second, she wondered if her heart could possibly survive the closeness.
Her face burned. She could barely look at him.
"Lua…" she whispered again, weaker this time, the word nearly a plea.
He smiled softly, leaning just slightly toward her. "It's okay, Aki. Just… let it be."
Her mind went blank.
Every rational thought, every attempt to control herself, disappeared like mist. She could feel his heartbeat through his chest, steady and strong. His arm around her shoulders anchored her, yet somehow made her feel like she was floating. Weak, dizzy, breathless.
And she hated how much she wanted this — how much she wanted him to hold her forever, to stay like this, to never let go.
The rain fell harder, drumming against the umbrella, against the world, against the tiny bubble that had formed just for them. The rest of the schoolyard disappeared. The other students, the noise, the chaos — nothing existed but Lua and her.
For the first time, Aki didn't fight it. She let herself be weak. She let herself feel.
And in that quiet, rain-drenched moment, something shifted.
Lua squeezed her shoulder gently, just enough to make her heart leap. "You don't have to hide from me," he murmured.
She swallowed, heart pounding, lips trembling. "…I know."
But deep down, she didn't. Not yet.
The ten steps between their houses were nothing now. But the ten steps between their hearts — that was a distance she wasn't sure she could ever cross without falling entirely.
And maybe, just maybe, she didn't want to resist falling anymore.