The soft sound of rain against the windowpane was like a muffled whisper filling the silent room. Miyuki slowly awakened, blinking her eyes as she noticed the faint light filtered through the dark hotel curtains. Her body still carried the remnants of the previous night — a mix of shame, exhaustion, and a shy warmth rising to her face as she remembered the details… Ren's hands… his lips on hers...
She sat up slowly in bed, pulling the sheet up to her chest, glancing sideways at the man still asleep beside her. Ren lay on his back, one arm thrown over his eyes, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. For a moment, Miyuki just watched — as if trying to confirm that it hadn't all been a dream.
But it wasn't.
Reality hit hard. The news coverage, the accusations of plagiarism, the betrayal of those she trusted most… She had lost everything. Or almost everything. She still had her voice. And, unexpectedly, now there was Ren.
Miyuki got up carefully, slipping on the hotel slippers and picking up his shirt from the floor — far too big for her, but it carried his scent. She stared at herself in the mirror for a moment, took a deep breath, and decided to take a quick shower. She needed to think.
Shortly after, Ren woke up. He saw the empty space beside him and sat up in a jolt, hair messy and forehead creased, but relaxed upon hearing the water running in the bathroom. He ran a hand over his face, murmuring something inaudible. He couldn't quite process everything either… but somehow, when he looked at Miyuki, he felt the need to protect her.
When they left the hotel together, chaos awaited outside. Paparazzi swarmed them like hungry vultures, shouting questions and thrusting phones and cameras toward Miyuki.
— "Miyuki, is it true you plagiarized Ayumi's song?"
— "Who's this man with you? Your new boyfriend?"
— "Are you retiring after the scandal?"
Miyuki tried to retreat, her chest tightening. But in an unexpected move, Ren firmly took her hand and pulled her close. His gaze shifted — intense, dominant, almost regal.
— "I'm her fiancé." — he said loudly, facing the photographers coldly. — "I came back from abroad to clear the name of the woman I love. Now, get out of the way."
His voice cut through the air like a blade — firm and authoritative. A noble, imposing aura rose around him, making even the boldest step back, not fully understanding why.
Guiding Miyuki with determined steps, Ren led her to the building's underground garage. There, a van awaited. They entered without a word. Miyuki's mind was still processing what she'd just heard.
"Fiancé?"
The silence between them was only broken when they arrived at her house.
Already in the comfort of her home, with dim lighting, Ren removed his rain-soaked coat and hung it by the entryway.
— "You didn't have to do that out there." — Miyuki said quietly, hugging her own arms.
— "Yes, I did." — he replied firmly, stepping closer. — "You were cornered, and I can't stand injustice. Not to you."
Miyuki looked away, feeling his words stir something deep. He sat down, crossing his arms over the table.
— "I have a proposal. Let's make a deal."
She lifted her eyes, cautiously.
— "What kind of deal?"
— "Let's pretend we're engaged. Just for a while. It'll help clean up your image and ward off the scandals. And honestly... I won't let you fall alone."
Miyuki hesitated, heart tight. It was madness. But after all she'd lost, was there any other option?
— "...Fine. But only for a while." — she said reluctantly. — "Don't make me regret it."
Ren gave a half-smile.
— "I won't."
After that, they had coffee together. He made sure to prepare something light, and Miyuki, a bit more at ease, went to her music room. The piano awaited like an old friend. She sat down, her fingers hesitant on the keys, and began to quietly sing a melody she was still composing.
Ren appeared at the door, leaning on the frame with his arms crossed.
— "It's a little off-key." — he commented casually.
— "It's an unfinished song." — she replied without looking at him.
— "If you change the harmony in the chorus… like this…" — he stepped closer, playing a few notes. — "The melody fits better."
Miyuki looked at him, surprised.
— "You know music?"
— "Not officially. But… when you truly love music, you feel when something's right."
She tested the notes he'd suggested, and the sound filled the room as if it had found its home. She stayed silent for a few moments, impressed.
Minutes passed, and heavy rain began falling outside. Lightning split the sky, followed by loud thunder. Ren looked out the window, and a look of alarm crossed his face.
"Sakura!" — he thought, heart tightening.
Without saying anything, he went to the kitchen, quickly prepared something for Miyuki, placed it on a plate, and left it on the table. Beside it, he wrote a note in his firm handwriting:
"Eat well. I made this for you. Had to rush home urgently. — Ren."
He left quietly, taking the umbrella he had left by the door.
Meanwhile, Miyuki was still in the music room. Upon hearing a louder thunderclap, her fingers trembled slightly. Though an adult, she had feared thunderstorms since she was little. Instinctively, she remembered there was a man in the house — and strangely, that made her feel calm.
— "I'm not alone..." — she murmured to herself, and resumed practicing.
Minutes later, the silence felt too heavy. She stopped playing and walked to the living room. The place was empty.
— "Ren?" — she called once, looking around.
Realizing he had indeed left, a strange feeling overtook her. She was angry, maybe disappointed… but there was also a strange warmth in her chest. Her eyes landed on the table, where the plate of food still steamed. Next to it, the note.
She read it slowly. With each word, something inside her warmed.
"Eat well. I made this for you. Had to rush home urgently. — Ren."
Holding the paper between her fingers, her heart tightened — not from pain, but from a forgotten feeling: care.
Meanwhile, across the city, Ren arrived home soaked. He opened the door in a hurry.
— "Sakura, I'm home!"
The little girl was curled up on the couch, wrapped in blankets with her stuffed kittens. Upon hearing her father's voice, she peeked out with tear-filled eyes.
— "I… I wasn't scared!" — she tried to hide it, running to him.
Ren smiled, kneeling to hug her tightly.
— "Of course you weren't, my brave girl."
He made something warm for her to eat, sat beside her, and gently stroked her hair until she calmed down.
— "Tomorrow, Daddy will have to go out again… there are some things I need to take care of."
Sakura looked at him with sleepy eyes but nodded. She knew she could trust him.
And so, two homes — separated by streets and very different pasts — were bound by an invisible thread that night of storms… where wounded hearts slowly began to warm again.