It started raining the moment Nayla stepped outside the office.
Of course it did. Her umbrella had snapped the day before, mangled by a sudden gust, and in typical fashion, she forgot to replace it. Now, gray clouds hovered like a heavy sigh, and raindrops tapped impatiently on the awning overhead.
She stood there, arms crossed, debating whether to make a run for it or wait it out. Her phone buzzed, but she ignored it. The rain had a way of muffling the world, and today, she welcomed the quiet.
Then she saw him.
Across the street, holding a bright blue umbrella like it was part of some perfectly timed movie scene, stood Raka. His grin was unapologetically wide, like he knew exactly how ridiculous and charming he looked.
"How long have you been there?" she asked as he crossed over.
"Long enough to make a good entrance," he said, still grinning.
She let out a short, awkward laugh before falling into silence again. He tilted the umbrella toward her.
"Come on. I'll walk you."
Nayla didn't let people walk her anywhere. Not friends. Not coworkers. Especially not people who smiled like that. But this time, she stepped forward anyway.
The umbrella was smaller than she expected. Their shoulders brushed, a soft contact she pretended not to notice.
"You didn't have to," she murmured.
"I know. But I wanted to."
The rain above them became a calming rhythm. The quiet between them wasn't heavy or tense, it was peaceful.
"I've always liked the rain," she said softly.
"Why?" he asked.
"It drowns out the noise in my head."
He looked at her not with pity, but with something gentler. Like he understood.
When they reached her apartment, she lingered at the gate.
"Thanks," she said.
"Anytime."
She hesitated. "You can keep the umbrella."
"You sure?"
"It suits you."
She turned and walked inside, leaving Raka standing in the rain with a grin and a borrowed umbrella.