The sky had been clear in the afternoon, but by the time training ended, rain had begun to fall again—so suddenly that Hayato and the others barely had time to change clothes.
Thankfully, everyone had brought umbrellas that morning.
After saying their goodbyes, they opened their umbrellas and stepped out into the rain.
Hayato walked Hitoka home first, then turned to look at Kiyoko walking beside him, his thoughts wandering.
He'd been wondering all day: if they shared an umbrella, would their height difference make them look like a scene out of a shoujo manga? Sometimes being tall wasn't great... but the image was amusing nonetheless.
"What are you smiling about?" Kiyoko asked.
"I thought of something funny," he said, and shared the thought about sharing an umbrella. Kiyoko let out a small laugh.
"Our height difference isn't that dramatic. The rainwater wouldn't run down onto me like in those manga," she said.
"It wouldn't?"
"Want to test it?"
Without waiting for a response, Kiyoko closed her wave-patterned umbrella and stepped under Hayato's.
"See? What you said didn't happen."
Hayato's umbrella was large—big enough that even with Kiyoko tucked in beside him, it wasn't cramped. But their shoulders still pressed together slightly.
She was wearing a sleeveless sweater over her summer uniform. The rain had cooled the air considerably, and despite the fabric between them, Hayato could feel her temperature.
"Kiyoko-nee, your arm's kind of cool. Are you cold?"
Kiyoko, on the other hand, felt the opposite—Hayato's arm radiated warmth. His post-practice body heat was practically steaming against her skin.
"Girls tend to have lower body temperatures. The rain doesn't help," she replied, a little flustered.
"Let's do sukiyaki for dinner," Hayato said, seizing the moment to change the subject. "We can grab ingredients on the way. You'll eat with me tonight, right?"
He glanced at her. They were so close now that reaching out to hug her wasn't entirely unthinkable... but he knew better than to try.
Kiyoko blinked, her expression brightening. "Sukiyaki? Sounds perfect. I can eat at your place—my parents left for a relative's wedding and won't be back until tomorrow."
"Great! Let's hit the shopping street."
They bought groceries together and returned to Hayato's house. When they stepped into the genkan, Kiyoko didn't take off her shoes right away. Instead, she handed him the bags.
"I'll go home first and take a hot bath. You should bathe too—you're soaked."
"Good idea," Hayato said, shivering as he realized how cold he actually felt.
Once Kiyoko left, Hayato stored the groceries in the kitchen and headed to the bathroom. He turned on the heater, peeled off his damp white shirt, and toweled off.
Then the doorbell rang.
Confused, he walked shirtless to the door, towel draped around his neck.
"Kiyoko-nee?" he blinked as he opened it. "Didn't you go home?"
Kiyoko stood awkwardly at the door, clearly embarrassed.
"I forgot my key at school…"
There was a beat of silence—then Hayato burst into laughter.
"Pffthahaha—I'm sorry! It's just… Kiyoko-nee, being clumsy is so unlike you!"
Kiyoko buried her face in her hands, mortified.
"Come in, quick," Hayato said after regaining control of himself. "The water's hot already—you can take a bath first."
She looked up—and froze. Hayato stood in the doorway, shirtless, hair damp, a towel slung around his neck. His physique, lean and athletic from volleyball, caught her off guard. He smiled warmly.
"Kiyoko-nee?"
"Ah—right, I'm coming in!" she said quickly, ducking inside. "Look at you, still shirtless. You'll catch a cold!"
Hayato blinked, only just realizing he'd greeted her half-naked. He scratched his head.
"It's not like she hasn't seen shirtless guys before… right? We all take our shirts off after practice…"
Still, her reaction had felt… different.
Back in the bathroom, Kiyoko stood before the mirror, cheeks flushed, both hands cupping her face.
"What's wrong with me?" she whispered. "He's just Hayato. My younger brother. That's all."
She took a deep breath to calm herself.
Outside the door, Hayato's voice called, "Kiyoko-nee, there aren't any girl's clothes, so I left you some of mine. That okay?"
"N-no problem!" she squeaked, startled.
She pinched her cheek in frustration. "Get it together, Kiyoko…"
"I'll start dinner. Call me if you need anything," Hayato added, footsteps retreating.
Kiyoko composed herself, then opened the bathroom door to find neatly folded towels and clothes waiting on the rack. She smiled softly—Hayato had thought of everything.
After removing her wet clothes and tossing them into the washer, she stepped into the bathroom. The water was hot, just the right temperature. She washed quickly and then settled into the tub, submerging her shoulders in warmth.
"Phew… finally warm…"
She soaked for twenty minutes, then got out feeling refreshed. The towels and change of clothes—Hayato's oversized white t-shirt and black shorts—were clean and soft. The shirt hung down to her thighs, and the shorts to her knees.
She gave herself a once-over in the mirror. It was far from a perfect fit—but oddly cozy.
With her hair tied up and still wrapped in a towel, she stepped out of the bathroom.
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POWER STONE!!
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