The rain had not stopped. It had been falling steadily for hours, a relentless drizzle that blurred the streets and made every step slippery and uncertain. Aki had wandered through the city like a ghost, her thoughts spiraling in chaotic loops. The memory of the kiss—their first, hers and his—still burned in her chest. She had run away in panic, hoping that distance and time could somehow allow her heart to settle, but the storm inside her refused to calm. Every street corner, every puddle, every dripping lamppost reminded her of him.
She had not planned on being gone for six hours. She hadn't planned on running so far. She had only wanted to escape, to hide, to breathe, to make sense of what had just happened. But the rain and the darkness seemed endless, the city streets stretching before her like a labyrinth with no exit. Her wet hair clung to her face, droplets sliding down her cheeks, mingling with the tears she refused to stop.
Aki sank to a wet curb, shivering from both cold and emotional exhaustion. She hugged her knees, pressing her face into them, and let the tears flow freely. Her sobs were quiet, almost drowned by the pattering rain, yet they were uncontrollable. She had always been careful, composed, strong—or at least that was the image she projected—but now, she was utterly exposed. Weak. Vulnerable. Entirely human.
"I… I can't… I can't…" she whispered to herself, her voice breaking. "I love him… I love him so much… and I can't… I can't act like everything is normal anymore…"
Every thought of Lua made her chest ache, every memory of his red eyes, his warm hands, the closeness of their bodies during that stolen kiss, made her heart feel like it was being squeezed. She had never admitted her feelings before, not even to herself in the full truth, but now, sitting in the rain-soaked streets, she could no longer hide from them. The realization struck her like lightning: she had loved him for so long, quietly, painfully, and now there was no pretending.
---
Meanwhile, Lua's world was in chaos.
He had spent the last six hours searching for her, running through the rain, calling her name over and over. His white hair was plastered to his head, his clothes soaked through, but he barely noticed. Every alley, every street corner, every familiar café, every corner of the city he knew—they were all possible places she might be hiding. And with each passing moment, his worry grew, tightening in his chest like a vice.
"She could be anywhere," he muttered to himself, his voice rough with concern. "Why didn't she answer her phone… why… why won't she answer?"
The rain blurred his vision as he ran, every heartbeat echoing with fear. Aki had never run off like this before. She had never cried openly in front of him, and he realized, with a cold pang of fear, just how deeply his own feelings for her had taken root. He could not imagine losing her, even for a moment.
"Hold on, Aki," he murmured as he splashed through a puddle, his chest heaving. "I'm coming. I'll find you… I swear."
Hours passed—or maybe only minutes—Lua could no longer tell. His entire world had shrunk to one urgent mission: find Aki, make sure she was safe, bring her back, and somehow calm the storm raging inside both of them.
---
Finally, in the distance, he saw the familiar outline of their childhood park. The park where they had spent countless afternoons running, playing, laughing, and sharing secrets. It was small, quiet, usually empty this late at night, and the swings swayed in the rain like ghosts of their past selves.
And there she was.
Aki was curled up on a bench beneath a tree, rain soaking her hair and clothes, tears streaming freely down her face. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed quietly, clutching herself as if she could hold all her broken pieces together.
"Ak… Aki!" Lua shouted, running across the wet grass, slipping once but barely faltering. "Aki, I'm here! I've found you!"
Aki flinched at the sound of his voice. Her body tensed, but then recognition and relief flooded her. She wanted to run, hide, escape again, but the sight of him—his drenched, determined self, eyes blazing with concern and something deeper—made her legs feel weak.
Lua reached her in an instant, dropping to his knees beside her. "Aki… look at me," he said gently, his voice soft but commanding. His hand reached for her, brushing wet strands of hair from her face, and she let herself be pulled into his warmth, unable to resist.
She broke completely. The tears poured without restraint as she clung to him. "I… I…" she sobbed, voice cracking, "I love you, Lua… I've loved you for so long, and I… I can't hold it in anymore!"
Lua's eyes softened, and he drew her into a tight, enveloping hug. His arms wrapped around her with careful strength, grounding her, protecting her from both the storm and her own spiraling emotions.
"It's okay," he murmured against the top of her head. "It's more than okay. I… I've always felt the same way, Aki. I just didn't know how to say it. I—"
Aki shook her head, pressing herself even closer, tears soaking his shirt. "No… I… I needed to say it first. I couldn't… I couldn't wait anymore. Every moment… every thought of you… it was unbearable…"
Lua tightened his embrace, holding her as though he could shield her from every fear, every heartbreak, every storm. "You don't ever have to hide your feelings again. Not from me. I'll always… I'll always be here for you."
Her sobs softened, but she still trembled violently. The weight of her confession, the raw vulnerability of it, left her shaking. Lua's hands cupped her face, tilting her head gently so he could look into her red, tear-streaked eyes. "You're safe," he whispered. "I'm here, always. I promise."
Aki's chest heaved as she blinked through tears. She wanted to say more, to tell him everything she had kept hidden for years, but words failed her. Instead, she let herself lean into him, feeling his heartbeat against her own, feeling the warmth of him envelop her like a shield.
Lua's lips brushed hers gently, tentative, soft. Aki gasped into the kiss, startled, overwhelmed, yet clinging to him tighter. The kiss was brief but full of all the emotions neither of them had expressed before: relief, love, longing, and a silent promise.
When they finally parted, Aki's face was pressed against his chest, her tears subsiding into quiet hiccups. She felt weak, vulnerable, yet entirely safe. The rain continued to fall around them, but inside Lua's arms, she felt warmth and stability she had never known.
Lua rested his chin atop her head. "You don't have to be afraid anymore," he murmured. "I'm not going anywhere."
Aki nodded against him, her lips trembling. "I… I really… I love you, Lua… I really do."
"And I love you, Aki," he said softly, holding her tighter. "Always have, always will."
They stayed like that for a long while, letting the rain wash over them, letting their hearts slow, letting the silence speak volumes of the emotions that words could not contain. For Aki, it was the first time in years she had felt truly seen, truly understood, truly safe.
Finally, Lua tilted her chin up gently, brushing wet strands of hair from her face. His red eyes held a softness, a warmth, a depth that made her heart ache with longing and love. Without thinking, he leaned in and kissed her again, slower this time, grounding her, calming her lingering fear, letting her know that she was cherished, protected, and wanted.
Aki melted against him, tears still lingering but now mingled with joy. The storm outside mirrored the storm inside her chest, but it no longer terrified her. Instead, it felt alive, electric, and full of promise.
For the first time, she realized that love could be both terrifying and comforting. Painful and beautiful. Scary and safe. And in Lua's arms, in the pouring rain, in the quiet of the childhood park, Aki allowed herself to feel it all.
This was the beginning. The beginning of a new chapter, a new understanding, a new life where she no longer had to hide. Where she could let herself love freely, vulnerably, and completely.
And as the rain softened to a drizzle and the distant city lights shimmered through the mist, Aki pressed her forehead to Lua's chest and whispered, almost to herself, "I've been waiting for this… for you… for us…"
Lua's arms tightened, holding her closer, as if he could keep the entire world at bay. "Me too," he murmured. "Me too, Aki. Forever."
For the first time in her life, Aki smiled through her tears, knowing that whatever storms came next, she would never face them alone.