Hana shifted her weight, stealing another glance at the boy beside her. The rain poured steadily around them, filling the silence with a rhythmic patter. The moment felt oddly stretched—neither of them spoke, yet the air between them felt heavier than it should.
Then, just as she was about to look away, the boy suddenly stepped forward.
And bowed.
A deep, formal bow.
Hana's breath hitched, her eyes widening ever so slightly. "Oh my.."
Her grip on her bag tightened.
Hana:("What's this? A greeting? An apology?")
Meanwhile, Ryuu, still bent at the waist, immediately regretted his actions.
Ryuu:("WHAT AND WHY THE HELL DID I JUST DID THAT!??)
He had moved on instinct, but now that he was in this position, he had no idea how to get out of it. His brain scrambled for a logical reason—was it respect? Politeness? Or just sheer panic?
Whatever it was, it was too late now.
Straightening stiffly, he avoided Hana's gaze. "...I, uh… sorry. That was… a habit."
Hana tilted her head slightly, observing him with a composed expression. "A habit, you say? Do you often bow to strangers in the rain?"
Ryuu's face twitched slightly. "...No."
Silence. The rain continued its steady rhythm, making the awkwardness between them all the more unbearable.
Hana exhaled softly, her voice laced with mild curiosity. "Then, may I ask what compelled you to do so?"
Ryuu hesitated, struggling to come up with an answer that didn't make him sound like a complete fool.
"...Respect?"
Hana arched a delicate brow. "Respect for what, exactly?"
Ryuu looked away. "...I don't know."
Another pause. Then, to his surprise, Hana let out a quiet chuckle, a soft and elegant sound. "How peculiar~."
Ryuu sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. I get that a lot..."
Neither of them spoke, yet the silence between them wasn't empty—it was heavy, almost expectant.
Hana shifted slightly, stealing a glance at Ryuu from the corner of her eye. There was something oddly familiar about him, though she couldn't quite place why. It was as if she had met him before, in a time and place just out of reach.
Ryuu, on the other hand, found himself sneaking glances at her as well. That feeling—the strange sense that this wasn't their first encounter—gnawed at the back of his mind. But that was ridiculous, wasn't it? He was sure he had never spoken to her before, and yet…
Both hesitated, debating whether to break the silence. The air between them felt awkward, suffocating in its quiet weight.
Then, at the exact same moment—
Ryuu:"Um—"
Hana:"Excuse me—"
Their voices overlapped, colliding like an unexpected downpour.
They both stopped. Blinked.
A beat of silence.
Hana let out a small, elegant chuckle, covering her lips with the back of her hand. "How unfortunate," she mused, her tone light but laced with amusement. "It appears we spoke at once."
Ryuu exhaled through his nose, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah… that was kinda awkward."
A ghost of a smile played at Hana's lips. "Indeed. Shall I allow you to go first, then?"
Ryuu hesitated for a second before sighing. "Nah, you go ahead."
"No,You go first.I insist " she replied.
Hana tilted her head slightly, waiting for Ryuu to speak first.
He opened his mouth, mind scrambling for something—anything—to say. And then, before he could stop himself, the words just slipped out.
"Nice weather today, huh?"
A drop of rain dripped from the edge of the bus stop roof. Thunder rumbled faintly in the distance.
Hana blinked.
Ryuu blinked.
His brain immediately short-circuited.
Ryuu: (WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST SAY?!?)
For a second, silence stretched between them. The weight of his own words sank in, and Ryuu felt his entire soul leave his body.
Ryuu: (" NICE WEATHER MY ASS!! ITS LITERALLY RAINING RIGHT NOW!!!)
His hand twitched at his side, an overwhelming urge to disappear washing over him. Maybe if he turned away fast enough, she would pretend she didn't hear—
A soft sound broke through his spiral of embarrassment.
Laughter.
Ryuu:("she's...laughing?")
It wasn't mocking or exaggerated—it was light, elegant, and completely genuine. Her hand covered her lips slightly, shoulders trembling ever so faintly as she tried to suppress the sound. But the amusement in her eyes gave her away.
"You truly are peculiar," she mused between small chuckles. "A moment ago, you bowed for no reason, and now… this?"
Ryuu groaned internally. "I—just—" He exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't even know why I said that."
Ryuu:(" OF COURSE I DON'T KNOW BUT WHAT I DONT UNDERSTAND IS WHY DID I FELT NERVOUS TALKING WITH HER??! GOSHH IM SO BAD IN THIS SITUATION!!")
Hana's laughter softened, and for the first time, the awkward tension between them didn't feel as suffocating.
Perhaps, in its own strange way, this was the perfect way to break the ice.
Hana's laughter lingered in the air, a soft melody against the backdrop of falling rain. She finally composed herself, a delicate hand brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"My apologies," she said, her tone still carrying traces of amusement. "It was not my intention to laugh at you."
Ryuu sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, well… you did."
Hana's lips curved into a subtle smile. "I suppose I did..," she admitted, a glimmer of playfulness in her eyes. Then, as if to humor him, she glanced at the rain pouring around them before nodding ever so gracefully.
"Yes… truly, a nice weather today, isn't it?"
Ryuu groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Oh, come on."
Hana chuckled, tilting her head slightly. "I was merely agreeing with you."
He exhaled, shaking his head. "Great. Now I'm never living this down, huh?"
For the first time since they found themselves under the same shelter, the silence between them felt lighter—less awkward, almost comfortable.
Ryuu hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
"By the way…You're Hana Fujimura, aren't you?"
Hana's body stiffened ever so slightly.
Her eyes flickered toward him, maintaining her usual composed expression, but there was a faint glimmer of surprise in her gaze. She studied him briefly, as if gauging his intent, before finally nodding.
"Yes," she admitted, her voice poised. "I am Hana Fujimura."
Ryuu exhaled, nodding to himself. "Yeah… I figured. You're kind of hard to miss."
Hana raised a delicate brow. "Oh??"
"Well," Ryuu shrugged, leaning against the bus stop pole. "You're the famous daughter of the Fujimura family."
For a brief second, something shifted in Hana's expression.
Her smile, once effortlessly poised, faltered—just barely. Not enough for most to notice, but enough for Ryuu to catch. It wasn't much, just a subtle flicker in her eyes, like a candle wavering against a breeze.
"…I see," she murmured, her tone softer now, almost distracted. Her fingers lightly traced the strap of her bag, a habit she didn't even seem to realize.
Ryuu noticed the change but said nothing. He wasn't sure why, but it felt like he had said something that pulled her away from the moment—like the mention of her name carried a weight he couldn't quite understand.
Ryuu:("Did I say something wrong?")
Scratching the back of his neck, he let out a small sigh. "Uh… sorry if that came off wrong," he said, his voice quieter now. "I didn't mean to offend you or anything..."
Hana blinked at him before her expression softened. A small, almost wistful smile played on her lips.
"There is no need to apologize," she assured him gently. "It's nothing."
Ryuu wasn't sure if he believed that. The way she said it—so effortlessly, so practiced—almost felt like an automatic response. Like she had said those words countless times before.
Still, he didn't push. Instead, he simply nodded. "If you say so..."
Hana let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head slightly. "You are rather considerate."
Ryuu blinked. That was not something he heard often.
Before he could think of a response, the rain picked up slightly, and another gust of wind sent a chill through the air. Despite the conversation, the space between them felt lighter now—less awkward, more natural.
Though their conversation had settled, Hana found herself stealing a glance at Ryuu.
There was something about him—something unexpectedly… endearing.
Perhaps it was the way he had awkwardly tried to apologize, or maybe it was the way he seemed oblivious to the weight of his own words. Either way, before she could stop herself, a thought slipped past her lips in the softest murmur.
"…How cute."
The words were barely audible, almost lost in the sound of the rain. But just as she realized what she had done, Ryuu shifted beside her.
"Did you say something?"
Hana's breath hitched.
For a fleeting second, she froze, her mind scrambling for an answer. Did he—? No, surely he hadn't heard. She was certain her voice had been too quiet.
Hana:("I ACCIDENTALLY SAID IT OUT LOUD!!")
Composing herself with practiced ease, she shook her head ever so gracefully. "No," she said, her tone light and unbothered. "Nothing at all."
Ryuu held her gaze for a second longer, as if trying to read her expression. Then, with a shrug, he exhaled. "Oh? Alright then. If you say so."
He leaned back against the bus stop pole, crossing his arms as if nothing had happened. Just acting normal.
Hana, on the other hand, kept her gaze forward, the corners of her lips curling ever so slightly.
Ryuu kept his posture relaxed, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the streets ahead. But at some point—without even realizing it—he found himself stealing a glance at Hana.
She stood with effortless grace, her long hair gently swaying with the breeze, the soft glow of the streetlights reflecting in her eyes. There was something about her—something undeniably elegant, like she belonged in a different world entirely.
Ryuu:(Man… she's really pretty…)
The thought came out of nowhere, catching him off guard. He quickly turned his head away, pretending to adjust his jacket, as if that would somehow erase the thought from his mind.
He wasn't sure what it was—maybe it was the way she carried herself, or the way she spoke with such composed confidence. Or maybe it was the way she had smiled earlier, that small, almost wistful expression when she assured him it was "nothing."
Whatever it was, Ryuu shook his head, exhaling quietly.
Ryuu:("Get a grip, man. Just act normal…")
And so, he did.
Or at least, he tried to…
Hana parted her lips slightly, hesitating as she glanced at Ryuu. The thought had been lingering in her mind for a while now—his name. She didn't know why it mattered, but something inside her wanted to ask.
Just as she was about to speak, the familiar sight of sleek black paint and polished chrome pulled up in front of them. Her car.
The driver stepped out, moving quickly to open the door for her. Hana's fingers curled slightly at her sides.
It's now or never.
She turned back to Ryuu, inhaling quietly.
"…Your—"
But the words caught in her throat. Why did she want to know? What difference would it make?
For a brief second, she saw the faintest flicker of curiosity in his eyes, like he was waiting for her to continue.
Hana exhaled.
"Never mind," she said instead, her voice softer than she expected.
Ryuu blinked, caught off guard, but he didn't press her for an explanation.
A small silence lingered between them before Hana tilted her head slightly, her expression relaxing. Then, she smiled—soft and honest, free of the usual composure she always held.
And for some reason, that simple gesture made Ryuu forget to breathe.
Then, as Hana turned and stepped into the car, Hana exuse her self.
He felt his entire face heat up.
Ryuu:( What—what the hell was that?!)
His heartbeat kicked up before he could stop it, and suddenly, the rain wasn't the only thing making him feel weirdly warm.
Before Ryuu can even respond,he door clicked shut, and in seconds, the car was pulling away, disappearing into the rain.
Ryuu just stood there.
Like a dumbass.
Staring at the empty road.
Not moving. Not thinking. Just… standing there.
Ryuu:(It was just a smile. Just a damn smile. And yet, it felt…warm?)
He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his damp hair, trying to shake off the strange feeling creeping up his spine.
Ryuu:("Tch… Maybe I'm just overthinking it.")
A raindrop slid down his temple, snapping him back to reality.
Ryuu: "Wait…Why the hell am I still standing here??"
He should be heading home. His house wasn't far. His legs worked just fine. And yet, he was still rooted in place, staring at a road that no longer had any reason to be interesting.
His expression twisted into a scowl as he turned on his heel, shoving his hands into his pockets.
Ryuu:("Damn it..")
With brisk steps, he finally started walking—away from the bus stop, away from the moment that had thrown him completely off balance.
And yet, no matter how much he tried to shake it off…
That stupid smile wouldn't leave his mind.
As Ryuu walked away, his mind a storm of conflicting thoughts..
A smile that wasn't just polite. Not just friendly.
Something else entirely.
But what kind of smile was it? And more importantly—what kind of feeling had it stirred within him?
Was it curiosity? Annoyance? A faint echo of something long forgotten? Or perhaps… something he wasn't ready to admit just yet?
Whatever it was, it left a mark. A quiet, lingering presence in the back of his mind, refusing to fade.
And so,one question remained unanswered.
After this fatefull encounter,what will happens next?~
End of chapter 6