June weather could change in an instant. The clear afternoon was suddenly swallowed by rolling dark clouds. By the time the dismissal bell rang, fat raindrops were already tapping against the classroom windows. Before long, they had merged into a curtain of rain that shrouded the world in gray mist.
Fūki Ran stood at the first-floor exit of the School Building, gazing at the torrential rain outside. He had checked the forecast before leaving home that morning and brought an umbrella just in case. Now he calmly took a folding umbrella from his bag. Just as he was about to open it and step into the rain, a familiar figure caught his eye.
Ichinose Honami stood beneath the eaves nearby, her long pink hair fluttering in the wind. She gazed at the downpour with a troubled expression. Fūki noticed that she was carrying a rather heavy-looking canvas bag today, stuffed full as if it held quite a lot. What caught his attention even more was the transparent Storage Box in her hands, neatly packed with several petri dishes and some laboratory equipment.
She must be going to the greenhouse today. Fūki immediately came to that conclusion.
Just then, two girls from Class B hurried over to Ichinose under one umbrella.
"Ichinose, want to walk together?" one of them asked warmly. "We can take you back to the dorm first."
Ichinose smiled and shook her head. "Thanks, but I have to go to the greenhouse today, and it's in the opposite direction from the dorm."
"You're going to the greenhouse in this rain?" the other girl exclaimed. "It should be fine to look after those plants a little later, shouldn't it?"
"There are some readings I have to record today," Ichinose replied, her voice gentle but firm. "And some of the seedlings are very delicate. I can't miss the best time to treat them."
Seeing that, the two girls didn't press her any further. They said goodbye and left under their umbrella.
Fūki stayed where he was, watching Ichinose's profile as she gazed at the rain. Her brow was slightly furrowed; she was clearly trying to figure out how to deal with the situation. If she braved the downpour to reach the greenhouse, the equipment in her hands might get damaged, and the carefully prepared petri dishes couldn't get wet. But if she didn't go, all the research she had done so far might come to nothing.
At that moment, Fūki made up his mind.
He opened his umbrella and walked steadily over to Ichinose. "Going to the greenhouse?" he asked, his voice as calm as ever.
Ichinose turned at the sound of his voice, her pink hair tracing a graceful arc through the air. When she saw it was Fūki, she visibly froze for a moment. "Fūki? Yes... There are some things I have to do."
"The greenhouse attendant should be off work by now." Fūki glanced at the equipment in her hands. "Can you manage on your own?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Ichinose's eyes, as if she hadn't expected him to know so much about her plans. "I got special permission from the attendant. I can use the greenhouse after school for the rest of this month," she explained softly, then gave him a helpless smile. "I just didn't expect the rain to be this heavy."
Fūki's gaze fell on the Storage Box in her hands. "The equipment can't get wet."
"Yeah..." Ichinose sighed. "I guess I'll have to wait until the rain lets up a little..."
"I'll take you there," Fūki interrupted.
Ichinose's eyes widened, her pink lashes trembling slightly. "You don't have to... Besides, you must be going back to the dorm too, right?"
"It's on my way." Fūki's tone brooked no refusal. "Give me the equipment."
Before Ichinose could answer, Fūki had already taken the Storage Box from her hands. His movements were steady, keeping the box perfectly level. Then he tilted the umbrella toward Ichinose. "Let's go."
Ichinose seemed about to say something, but when she saw Fūki's resolute expression, she finally nodded. "Then... sorry for the trouble."
They walked side by side into the rain. Beneath the umbrella, the space suddenly felt cramped. Fūki could clearly smell Ichinose's familiar citrus fragrance, especially fresh against the damp scent of the rain. To keep the equipment dry, he angled most of the umbrella over Ichinose. Before long, raindrops had soaked his right shoulder.
"Fūki, your shoulder..." Ichinose noticed and sounded apologetic.
"It's fine," Fūki replied, brief and firm.
The route to the greenhouse seemed especially long in the downpour. Raindrops drummed against the umbrella in a steady patter, making the space beneath it feel all the quieter. Every so often, Ichinose softly pointed out the way: "Watch out for the puddle there," or "We turn right up ahead." Fūki listened in silence, holding the umbrella steady and making sure neither the precious equipment nor the girl beside him got wet.
"How's your research been going lately?" Fūki suddenly asked, breaking the silence that had held nothing but the sound of rain.
Ichinose seemed surprised he'd asked. After a pause, she replied, "Pretty well... though I've run into a few problems. Some of the plants are growing more slowly than expected, and some have developed unexpected mutations." Her voice gradually grew more animated. "But those surprises have actually led me to discover some interesting things."
Fūki listened quietly, responding now and then. He noticed that Ichinose's whole demeanor changed when she talked about her research. Her focus and enthusiasm were completely different from her usual gentle, polite manner, yet somehow even more genuine and captivating.
At last they reached the greenhouse. Fūki helped Ichinose open the door, then handed the Storage Box back to her.
"Thank you so much for today, Fūki," Ichinose said sincerely as she took the box. "If it weren't for you, this equipment might have been ruined."
"It was nothing." Fūki's answer was as concise as ever. His gaze swept over the greenhouse, where the carefully tended plants looked especially green in the rainy light. "How long will you need?"
Ichinose paused. "About... half an hour. You don't have to wait for me, Fūki. The rain seems to have eased a little, so I can get back on my own."
Fūki glanced at the rain still beating down outside, then looked at Ichinose's bright eyes. "I'll wait for you," he said, calm but resolute. "Let me know when you're done."
Before Ichinose could reply, he had already turned and walked over to the bench by the greenhouse entrance. He took a book from his bag and began reading on his own.
Ichinose gazed after him, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she swallowed the words. She nodded softly, then carried the equipment deeper into the greenhouse.
Sitting on the bench, Fūki kept his eyes on the page, but his thoughts drifted to the busy figure deeper inside the greenhouse. He could faintly hear Ichinose's footsteps as she moved back and forth, and occasionally she hummed softly. The rain outside, the scent of the plants in the greenhouse, and the faint citrus fragrance came together to create a peaceful scene.
At that moment, Fūki suddenly realized that his interest in Ichinose had long since gone beyond that of an ordinary classmate. He had remembered her habits, learned about her research, and even gone out of his way in weather like this to escort her to the greenhouse.
When had this change begun? When he first caught that citrus fragrance in the hallway? When he saw her focused profile in the Library? Or when he discovered a side of her no one else knew at the greenhouse?
Fūki closed his book and looked out the window. It was still raining, but his heart felt unusually calm. Perhaps some changes didn't need to be explained. Maybe it was enough to let things take their course.
Half an hour later, Ichinose finished her work and quietly came over to Fūki. "Fūki, I'm done."
Fūki put away his book and opened his umbrella. "Let's go."
On the way back, the rain had eased, but it was still falling steadily. They shared one umbrella again, but this time the silence wasn't awkward. Instead, a strange sense of calm flowed between them.
"Um..." Ichinose suddenly spoke, her voice gentle. "How did you learn so much about my research, Fūki?"
Fūki's steps faltered slightly. "I happened to notice," he replied, as concise as ever.
Ichinose lowered her head, her long pink hair hiding her expression. "Actually... I've always worried that people would think I was strange if they found out. Spending all my time in the greenhouse researching plants..."
"Everyone has a side others don't know about," Fūki said calmly. "What matters is that this is the path you chose for yourself."
Ichinose lifted her head, surprise and gratitude shining in her eyes. "Thank you for saying that."
By the time they reached the Dormitory Building, the rain had finally stopped. Golden sunlight spilled through a break in the clouds, painting a rainbow across the horizon.
"Thank you so much for today," Ichinose said again, her gratitude unmistakable. "You didn't just help me out of a tight spot—you also... made me feel that all my persistence meant something."
Fūki looked at her pink hair, edged in gold by the setting sun, and nodded slightly. "See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow." Ichinose gave him a radiant smile, then turned and ran into the dorm.
Fūki stood there, gazing at the rainbow in the distance. Only after a long while did he turn to leave. The dampness on his shoulder brought a slight chill, but a strange warmth was stirring in his heart.
This time, he knew clearly that his interest in Ichinose Honami was no longer simple curiosity. His desire to understand her, help her, and protect her felt so genuine and intense.
And this feeling was new to him, yet not unwelcome.
Before you continue