"You've already been caught in the rain today… If you stay cold like this, you're going to get sick."
Takada Mitsuru pursed her lips slightly. Her deep blue eyes shimmered in the dim light, and her shoulders tensed without her noticing. Her body, thin and small, reacted on its own—even though she wanted to be useful, she was still afraid. Of rejection. Of misunderstanding. Of making things awkward.
Seeing how the girl was still trying to help despite clearly being overwhelmed, Aragaki Jun sighed internally. He didn't push her away, but his earlier wicked thoughts vanished like smoke in the wind. This girl… she was too fragile.
The conversation came to a quiet halt. With nothing left to say, Jun stood and went to the kitchen to boil water. Mitsuru, meanwhile, silently laid out the bedding on the tatami mat floor. Her hands trembled slightly as she arranged the pillow. It was her first time sharing a bed with a man.
And she was terrified.
Sliding under the covers first, she curled up tightly, burying herself so only the top of her head peeked out. Her heart pounded so loudly she thought it might burst. The sound of running water and the occasional clink of the kettle made the silence more unbearable.
Eventually, Jun returned, turned off the lights, and tiptoed around the small lump under the quilt. He lay down on the opposite edge, careful not to disturb her. The glow of his phone screen briefly illuminated the room, then faded.
"…" "…" The rain outside tapped gently against the window, an almost rhythmic background to the shared stillness in the dark room.
The futon was clearly made for one. Even lying on opposite ends, the slightest movement meant accidental contact. Mitsuru curled into a ball, like a kitten trying to disappear, her back faintly brushing against Jun's shoulder now and then. Her fingers kept pulling the blanket as if hiding inside it could protect her from everything.
Jun stared at the ceiling. No matter how he pretended to sleep, his body refused to relax. After a long while, he rolled onto his back and felt the gentle brush of her shoulder against his own.
Mitsuru flinched. She thought… he was making a move.
Without a word, she shifted away, instinctively putting distance between them. But in doing so, she rolled out from under the blanket.
Jun noticed. "Mitsuru, you've been in the rain so long today… don't catch a cold."
She didn't reply. Maybe she didn't know how. Maybe she didn't trust her voice not to tremble. She lay still, pretending to be asleep.
Jun sighed and gently reached out his hand. "Don't worry. I won't do anything. Just sleep. I promise."
He pulled her gently back under the blanket. She didn't resist.
Her body pressed against his arm, small and cold but slowly warming under the shared heat of the futon. Time passed. Quietly. Calmly.
Eventually, Mitsuru poked her head out from the blanket, and turned toward him. To her surprise, Jun had already fallen asleep.
She watched his sleeping face for a while, her heart both calm and conflicted. In the quiet darkness, images from earlier that day replayed in her mind. The kindness. The shelter. The warmth.
Someone had reached out and saved her from a place she never thought she could escape.
Was this real?
Was this... what home felt like?
Even after her mother's death, when she was tossed between relatives like unwanted baggage, she had always hoped someone would appear and pull her out of the darkness.
Now, it had happened. This boy, who didn't even know her, had offered her a new beginning.
She closed her eyes again, tightly, afraid the moment would vanish if she blinked too long. But the warmth remained.
Then, Jun mumbled something in his sleep and suddenly rolled over.
His arm wrapped around her waist, and his leg came down across hers.
Like a body pillow. Like a doll.
But this time, Mitsuru didn't panic. Curled in his embrace, she felt secure. This wasn't scary. This was... safe.
She leaned forward, pressing her cheek against his chest. Her gray curls spread slightly, resting against his shirt.
"Good night…" she whispered, barely audible.
She curled even tighter, a small ball inside the quilt. Like a cat in its nest.
That night, nothing happened.
But something definitely changed.
---
Sunlight peeked through the curtains the next morning.
Jun groaned, squinting. "Ugh… forgot to close the curtains again…"
The rain had stopped. A quiet calm had taken over Tokyo, with cool, pleasant air drifting in. As he reached for his phone, his hand brushed something warm and soft.
The girl.
Still asleep, curled against him, her breathing soft and even.
Jun blinked, then slowly lifted the edge of the quilt.
Takada Mitsuru was still sound asleep. Even though they were the same age, she looked so small—barely over 1.5 meters, maybe 80 pounds. Her gray-white curls spilled across the pillow. Her face was peaceful, even childlike.
He studied her for a moment, quietly. The corner of his lips lifted a little. Then, without waking her, he slipped out of bed.
The bathroom door clicked shut. Jun stared into the mirror.
"Ten days already, huh…"
From April 1st—the day he'd been hit by a car and thrown into this world—he'd spent the first week in the hospital. Then came these last few days adjusting to… this new life. And now, it was time to return to school.
He wasn't excited. But it was the best option right now.
"No memories, but the guy before me really pulled through. Got into Sobu High. No cram school. Part-time jobs. Respect."
It felt like he was living in someone else's body. One that had extraordinary learning ability thanks to some kind of system.
"I don't get anything yet, but… I'll figure it out."
After washing up, he stepped out—and there she was. Mitsuru sat on the edge of the futon, head lowered.
"Good morning, Mitsuru-chan."
"…Good morning…"
She didn't move much until he went into the kitchen.
After folding the futon, she tiptoed to the bathroom. As she sat down and relieved herself, a realization struck her.
No toilet paper.
"Ah…"
Her face went crimson.
How could she possibly ask him about this?
Mortified, she hunched over and tiptoed out, determined to search on her own.
Thankfully, she found it.
She exhaled with visible relief.
A new day had begun.
And maybe, just maybe… it wasn't so scary anymore.