Shiina Mahiru bit her lip, lowering her head, saying nothing. Where was the bright, cheerful girl from when they first met? Now, she looked like a wounded stray cat left out in the rain. It was heartbreaking.
Hozuki Nozomi sighed, choosing not to press further. Instead, he shoved the umbrella into her hands and turned away, stepping into the downpour without hesitation.
"Get home quickly, Mahiru. Sengoku-sensei and Sayu are worried about you."
Watching his back disappear into the rain, Shiina Mahiru felt a strange warmth spread through her chest. Her cousin was worried about her. Sayu was worried about her. But what about you, Nozomi?
That thought flashed through her mind before she instinctively knew the answer.
The umbrella in her hands. The anxious look in his eyes.
The sound of rain striking the umbrella filled her ears, the cold seeping through her damp uniform, making her shiver.
Yet, despite the chill, she found herself laughing softly.
"Baka..." she murmured. "Why would you do something so reckless?"
Forcing an umbrella onto her and then walking home in the rain himself. What an idiot.
Shiina Mahiru exhaled and adjusted her grip on the umbrella before quickening her pace back to Sakurasou.
==============
As soon as she reached the dormitory, she spotted Sengoku Chihiro standing at the entrance, arms crossed.
"Tadaima, cousin," Mahiru greeted softly.
Seeing her safe, Chihiro let out a small sigh of relief. "Welcome back."
Then, her tone softened. "Go take a hot shower and change before you catch a cold."
"Hai."
Mahiru nodded obediently, closing the umbrella and setting it aside before heading straight to the bathroom with a fresh set of clothes.
Lying in the bathtub, she stared blankly at the ceiling, her thoughts drifting to the phone call from her mother that afternoon.
A single tear slipped down her cheek, followed by another.
Mahiru had always thought of herself as a strong girl.
Always.
To gain her parents' approval, she worked tirelessly to excel. She was the top student in her class, always composed, always the ideal daughter.
She was the "model child" that other parents used to scold their own kids in comparison.
She thought that if she worked hard enough, her parents would finally notice her.
That maybe, just maybe, they'd come home to visit her occasionally.
But that never happened.
They only gave her money. That was it.
On the rare occasions they did return home, they never comforted her, never asked about her well-being. They stayed one night, then left as if she didn't exist.
And when she moved into Sakurasou, they hadn't been supportive. They scolded her for it.
Her mother's voice echoed in her mind.
"You were never wanted."
Mahiru clenched her fists under the water, her nails digging into her palms.
She hadn't been planned.
Her birth had trapped her parents in a marriage they both wanted to escape. They didn't hate each other, but they hated her for being the reason they were still tied together.
That was the truth.
And no matter how hard she worked, how perfect she became, that truth would never change.
With a heavy heart, Mahiru finished her bath, changed into fresh pajamas, and curled up in bed.
====================
The next morning, she woke up early, shaking off her emotions and preparing breakfast as usual. It was her small way of keeping things normal.
But as she was about to pack Nozomi's lunch, Sayu sighed and stopped her.
"No need for that today. Nozomi caught a cold."
Mahiru froze.
Nozomi caught a cold?
As she walked to school, she felt restless. Her thoughts kept circling back to him, standing in the rain, pushing the umbrella into her hands and walking off without looking back.
That idiot.
A strange, inexplicable feeling welled up inside her—part guilt, part warmth.
"Baka..."
She bit her lip and muttered the word under her breath, though this time, there was no frustration in her voice—only something softer, something almost affectionate.
=================
By the time classes ended, Mahiru could barely focus.
As soon as the final bell rang, she rushed back to Sakurasou.
The moment she entered the dorm, she spotted Ogiwara Sayu wiping the floor.
"Sayu," she asked hesitantly. "Where's Nozomi?"
Sayu glanced up at her and sighed, setting down the cloth. "Still in bed. He had a high fever last night, and it took a while for it to go down. He's been resting all day."
Mahiru's chest tightened. "It's my fault... he got sick because of me."
Sayu gave her a sharp look. "Why are you apologizing? He's the idiot who ran around in the rain like a shonen protagonist. He could've just held the umbrella over both of you and walked you home together."
Mahiru lowered her gaze, clutching her sleeves.
She knew why Nozomi had done it.
He had been worried about her, but he had also wanted to give her space. He had seen that she needed a moment to compose herself, so he had left without pressing further.
He was always like that—reckless but considerate in the strangest ways.
A warm feeling bloomed in her chest once again.
Nozomi... baka.
Without another word, she turned toward his room.