The blackout brought a moment of silence, followed by the heavy thud of something falling outside.
"Ah! It's dark! What if something happens!" Hitoka's voice jumped several decibels, her panic echoing right beside Jin.
All the plans Jin had been setting up for tonight were instantly thrown into chaos. He suddenly remembered what Kiyoko had once mentioned, Hitoka was scared of the dark. Clearly, that wasn't an exaggeration.
The gloomy sky outside had finally broken into a downpour. Even from inside, the pounding of the rain was sharp and heavy.
"Hey, Hitoka-chan, don't be scared. I'm here." Jin quickly reached out and took hold of her arm.
Hitoka clung to him like a lifeline, burying her face against his chest, eyes squeezed shut.
He gently patted her shoulder, steadying her breathing with his calm voice. After a couple of minutes, her trembling eased, and the panic faded a little.
She realized where she was pressed against Jin's chest, her face burned quickly. Still, it felt safer than the dark, and she couldn't bring herself to move away just yet.
"Didn't your house have an emergency light? I think I saw one on the wall before," Jin said softly, still rubbing her back.
"Y-yes, there is…" Hitoka finally pulled back, though her hand stayed loosely gripping his sleeve.
Guiding her, Jin stood up, and together they walked carefully toward the living room.
*Click!*
The emergency light flicked on, washing the room in a pale glow. Hitoka quickly released Jin's arm, her cheeks red as she ducked her head.
"Sorry… I really lost it for a second," she murmured.
Jin shook his head. "Don't apologize. Protecting girls is a man's job. Guess this means we're finishing dinner by candlelight, huh?"
Hitoka's eyes flicked to his hand. "Wait… doesn't your hand hurt anymore?"
'Crap. Totally forgot about that.'
"Ah…yeah, it's fine. Doesn't even sting now. I'll go get the rice, you sit tight," Jin covered quickly.
The two of them ate beneath the dim light of emergency light. It was awkward, but oddly cozy. With the mood broken, Jin gave up on pushing the task tonight and simply chatted with her, letting the time slip away.
Hours passed. By the time Jin checked the clock, it was already close to ten. The storm still roared outside, the power hadn't returned, and the streets were flooded in darkness.
"You don't happen to have a flashlight or candles, do you?" Jin asked.
Hitoka nodded, pointing to the kitchen. "There should be candles in the cupboard."
He rummaged around, found a few, and placed them in holders. The flickering glow filled the living room with a warmer light.
Jin handed one to her. "Here, put this in your room so it won't be pitch-black. I should probably head back now."
She stopped him, clutching the candlestick. "Wait… It's still pouring out there. Maybe… you should stay here tonight. You can use the guest room."
'Stay here?'
Jin froze for half a beat, then smiled. "Is it convenient?"
Hitoka quickly nodded, pointing at the side room. "That room hasn't been used in ages, but it has clean bedding. My mom's not coming back tonight anyway, so… it's fine."
With things laid out so clearly, there was no reason for Jin to refuse. He followed her into the guest room, tidied it up a little, and placed the candle by the bedside.
The bed was big enough for three people, so for one person, it felt almost too spacious.
Hitoka lingered at the doorway, fidgeting with her hands. "Then… stay here tonight. I'll wake you up for school tomorrow morning."
It was her first time letting a male classmate stay over. If her mom ever found out, she'd definitely get scolded.
Jin leaned back on the bed, grinning. "If you get scared again tonight, just call me. I'll come over right away."
Her face turned pink. "Y-yeah… goodnight, Jin."
She retreated to her own room, closing the door carefully behind her.
Jin looked at the candlelight flickering on the ceiling and smirked to himself. If Hitoka really did call him in the middle of the night… well, he'll gladly accept.