The cafeteria buzzed with the lively chatter of students, trays clinking, and the warm swirl of mixed food aromas wafting through the air. Laughter echoed off the tiled walls, blending with the everyday hum of college life.
Munching on her lunch, Rin was the first to speak. "I'm telling you, it was a total scam. That lady was just blabbering nonsense."
Kana raised an eyebrow, still nibbling her salad. "So that's why you two were late earlier?"
Rin rolled her eyes. "Yep. She kept going on about fate and all that junk—just trying to take our money."
Sayu frowned slightly, trying to defend her stance. "Rin, don't say it like that. This one… it didn't feel like the others…"
Across the table, Mio took a calm sip of her drink with her left hand while her right held open a book.
"Come on, Sayu. You're smart—smarter than most." She glanced up, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "Even Rin wasn't gullible enough to fall for that."
"Hey! I'm not gullible — I am smart! Pretty smart!" Rin pouted, crossing her arms as the girls burst into laughter.
Suddenly, Sayu's expression shifted as something came to mind.
"Hey guys, do you know any part-time jobs around here?"
"Part-time?" Kana echoed. "All of a sudden?"
Sayu nodded, taking a bite of her bread. "Yeah. I need to save up for tuition. I've covered this semester, but I have to start working for the next."
"What about your mom?" Rin asked, concern in her voice. "Wasn't she going to help out?"
Sayu hesitated.
"She was… but, you know, life happens."
Mio looked up from her book.
"What about a student loan?"
Sayu shook her head quickly.
"Oh no—never. It's kind of a family motto not to take on debt. My mom would kill me if she found out… but honestly, at this rate, I might not have a choice."
Mio shrugged coolly. "Well, if you're serious, let me know. I'll tell you what I did back then."
Suddenly, as if a lightbulb had gone off, Kana snapped her fingers.
"Ah! I remember!"
The girls turned toward her in sync.
"Remember what?" Rin asked.
"Last week, I saw a part-time job posting at SunDol."
"SunDol?" Sayu asked curiously.
"You mean the coffee shop?" Rin chimed in.
"Yeah, something like that. You should check it out."
"Which branch?" Sayu leaned forward.
"The one near our campus."
"That's perfect for you—it's close!" Rin said with a grin.
Sayu smiled.
"Thanks, Kana."
"Oh, it's nothing." Kana waved it off.
Just then, Sayu's phone buzzed. She swiped and opened it to see, then her phone's screen displayed a message on her TO-DO List feed:
[
Sayu blinked.
"Oh, it's time already?"
"What happened?" Rin asked.
"I have to return a library book I borrowed. Sorry, girls—I've got to run."
"Okay, but be quick!" Kana waved.
Sayu slung her bag over her shoulder and waved back.
"See you later!"
* * *
Outside…
The sky looked dim—painted in heavy, moody shades of grey. Thick clouds shifted restlessly overhead, their silent hum growing into a distant growl, like a warning whispered through the wind. A light breeze picked up, rustling the edges of Sayu's skirt and the leaves clinging to their branches.
"Oh no… is it going to rain? It's not even the rainy season yet."
she murmured to herself, gazing at the looming sky.
"I better hurry—no one's paying the late fine for me!"
Clutching the book tightly to her chest, she broke into a light jog toward the library.
Upon reaching the building, she climbed the steps two at a time, sliding through the doors with a soft whoosh. The inside was quiet, filled with the faint scent of paper and wood polish.
At the check-out counter sat a woman with sharp eyeglasses perched on her nose, her hair loosely pinned up with a pen. She looked like someone who could silence a room with just a glance—but for now, she was silently flipping through a thick novel.
Sayu stepped forward, a little hesitant.
"Excuse me?" she said, voice low as if afraid to disturb the calm.
The woman raised her eyes.
"I'm here to return this," Sayu said, offering the book with both hands.
The woman took it, scanning the barcode and flipping through the pages briefly, probably checking for any damage. Sayu waited patiently, glancing around the library as she did. There was something comforting about it: rows of unread stories standing quietly on their shelves. Even the dust in the sunbeams felt peaceful.
"Done," the woman said, sliding the return slip back.
Sayu bowed slightly. "Thank you."
Just as she turned to leave, her phone buzzed loudly in her bag.
BUZZZZ~
She fumbled with the zipper and took it out. The Caller ID: Rin.
Click.
"Hey, Rin. Did you guys finish?"
—"Yeah, Sayu. We're about to head back. You coming?"
"Oh, then wait for me. I'll be there soon."
—"Okay, be fast. Looks like it's gonna rain."
"I know, right? I'm hurrying."
Click.
She tucked the phone back into her bag and glanced out the window. A few heavy drops had begun to fall, tapping against the glass like tiny fingers.
"Guess it's starting…" she sighed. "At this rate, I'll be soaked, if I don't hurry back."
Pulling her bag over her head like a flimsy shield, she stepped outside and broke into a jog.
The wind had picked up. The clouds above churned darker now, groaning as if warning everyone below. And then—without mercy—the rain began to pour.
Pita… pita… PITAPITAPITA—
"Ahh, it's pouring?!" Sayu yelped, squinting up at the sky. Cold drops splashed on her face, running down her cheeks like icy fingers. "This bag isn't helping at all!"
Her clothes clung to her skin as she sprinted, shoes splashing through shallow puddles. The library already felt like a distant memory.
"Ugh, at this rate I'm gonna catch a cold… Seriously, was the library always this far?!"
Eyes lowered, clutching her bag tighter over her head, she kept running, until she collided with something.
A broad figure blocked her path. The rain around her… stopped.
She blinked in surprise and slowly looked up. Over her head was an umbrella—angled slightly, shielding her but not the person holding it. Her gaze rose, passing the slope of the umbrella handle, past a pair of rain-speckled hands, to tousled black hair dripping from the downpour.
The man looked down at her.
His shirt was damp from the rain, but he didn't seem to care. Raindrops slid down his jawline. He adjusted the umbrella with one hand, and without a warning, he pulled her a step closer so they both fit under the cover.
"What are you doing?" Sayu gasped, flustered.
"Come closer. You'll get me drenched." He tilted his head with a slight smirk.
"You don't want this handsome face catching a cold, do you?"