The next morning felt different.
Ren Takahashi walked into Class 2-B, sliding the door open as usual. Conversations buzzed around him, but one voice stood out—soft, polite, unfamiliar.
"Good morning, everyone. I'm Yui Sakamoto… I just transferred here."
He stopped mid-step.
There she was—the same girl from yesterday, the one he had shared his umbrella with. Her long black hair was neatly tied with a blue ribbon, her eyes downcast as she introduced herself.
She didn't notice him. Or at least, that's what Ren thought.
"Please treat me kindly," she said with a small bow.
"Whoa, she's pretty…" whispered one boy.
"Looks fragile," murmured another.
The teacher scanned the room. "Yui, you can sit… ah, next to Takahashi."
A murmur spread.
Ren blinked. Why me?
Yui made her way to the empty seat beside him. As she sat down, she whispered just loud enough for him to hear.
"Ren-kun… thank you for yesterday."
He glanced sideways. "You remember?"
She smiled slightly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Of course. You were kind."
Ren didn't know what to say, so he just nodded.
Later that day…
During lunch break, Ren headed to the rooftop — his usual spot. Quiet, breezy, no crowds. But today, he wasn't alone.
Yui stood there, gazing out at the school courtyard.
"Sorry," she said softly, turning around. "I didn't know this was your place."
Ren shook his head. "It's okay. You can stay."
There was a pause.
Then she said, "I don't do well with crowds. That's why I transferred."
Ren looked at her. "You mean…?"
She nodded. "My last school was hard. Rumors, fake friends… I wanted a reset."
Ren listened quietly.
"I didn't expect anyone to help me here," she said, looking down. "But you did. Without asking why. That's rare."
Ren gave a small smile. "You looked like you needed it. That's all."
Yui stared at him for a long moment. Then, softly, she said, "I think I'm going to like it here."
And with that, she turned back to the breeze — her ribbon fluttering in the wind, her eyes no longer so heavy.
Ren didn't know it yet, but that moment marked the beginning of something… beautiful. And maybe a little complicated.