The next morning, Ren did not go to school. The quiet of his empty room felt vast, a necessary sanctuary to process the sterile distance that had suddenly solidified between him and Hina. For years, they had been a single unit, their lives perfectly overlapped. Now, she moved in an orbit that barely grazed his, her gaze passing through him as if he were glass. He still didn't understand the drastic shift—why their shared history seemed to crumble the moment a new relationship entered her life.
But if that's what makes her happy… then I shouldn't hold on anymore. This weight in my chest is my own fault. It's time to accept the finality of it and finally move on.
He forced himself out of bed at 7:30 a.m. The house smelled faintly of brewed tea and his mother's favorite lavender fabric softener. He went through the motions of his routine: breakfast, the crisp, minty burn of his toothpaste, and a bath so warm it pricked the goosebumps on his arms, trying to scrub away the lingering numbness in his mind.
By 8:45, a tentative clarity settled over him. His mother's voice, cheerful and practical, cut through the silence. "Ren, can you run to the market? We're out of cooking oil."
As he headed toward the entrance, his fingers brushed against the familiar, slick material hanging by the door—the umbrella. The one Akari had lent him the night before.
"Oh right…" A quiet breath escaped him. "I forgot to return it."
He stopped, staring at the dark fabric. He could easily drop it off later, or tomorrow. But the thought of seeing her again sent a small, inexplicable flicker of warmth through the chill he'd been carrying. It wasn't about Hina, not really. It was just a feeling of wanting to stand in that easy, unexpected warmth again.
This is a perfectly valid reason to go out of my way… right?
With a decisive nod, he grabbed the umbrella. The cold plastic handle felt solid in his grip. Groceries could wait. First stop: Akari's house.
The air outside was cool and still, carrying the faint, earthy scent of damp pavement from the night's rain. He stood on the polished stone path in front of her home, the umbrella held loosely at his side. He pressed the doorbell. The chime was soft and melodic, echoing slightly in the silence.
A moment later, the door slid open. The woman who stood there had the same soft, gentle curve to her eyes as Akari, but with the quiet wisdom of age.
"Yes? Can I help you?" she asked, her voice calm and inviting.
"Good morning," Ren said, bowing slightly, his voice formal. "I'm Takahashi Ren. Last night, your daughter, Minazuki-san, lent me this umbrella when I was caught in the rain. I just came by to return it."
A genuine smile bloomed across the woman's face, warming her eyes. "Oh! You're Akari's friend! How very thoughtful of you to bring it back so quickly."
Friend? Ren blinked internally. She told her mother we're friends? Even though we just met yesterday, and only for a moment? He felt a surprising, pleasant twist in his stomach.
He managed a polite, slightly sheepish smile. "I didn't want to keep it longer than necessary."
"Oh dear, forgive my manners!" she exclaimed, her hand flying to her cheek. "I didn't even invite you in. That was rude of me—please, come inside, Ren-chan!"
"Ah—thank you very much. And… pardon me, Mrs. Minazuki," he replied, stepping onto the threshold.
She waved his formality away. "No need to be so stiff! Call me Aiko. And why are you calling my daughter 'Minazuki-san'? Don't you two use first names?"
Ren's cheeks heated slightly. He scratched the back of his head, feeling flustered by her easygoing nature. "I thought it was more polite… especially here, at her home."
"Nonsense," Aiko laughed, a light, musical sound. "You can call her Akari. You're welcome to use first names here, dear."
Ren couldn't help but return her smile. There was an open, genuine kindness about her, a reflected warmth from her daughter.
"Aiko-san, I'm sorry to ask this, but could you remind me of your name again?" he asked, trying to sound politely forgetful. "Not that Akari didn't mention it… I'm just truly terrible with names." It was a small, white lie to save Akari from later questions about his identity.
She chuckled warmly. "It's Aiko. Minazuki Aiko."
"Nice to meet you, Aiko-san," Ren said with a gentle, sincere bow. "Akari-san really is like you—she's thoughtful, helpful… and truly kind."
"Oh my, you flatter me," Aiko said, clearly charmed. "You're such a sweet boy, Ren-chan."
Sweet? The word hit him with a strange, unfamiliar force. He felt his smile deepen, no longer polite, but genuine. "No one's ever said that to me before… Thank you. Honestly, I'm a little jealous of Akari-san. She's lucky to have such a lovely and kind mom."
"You're too much, Ren-chan," she laughed again, waving him off as her eyes crinkled with pleasure. "You're quite handsome yourself, you know."
"Thank you," he replied, his cheeks definitely warming now. "Anyway, I should get going. My mom's waiting for the groceries, and I've taken up too much of your time."
Aiko walked him back to the door. "Come visit again if you have time, okay? You're always welcome here."
"Definitely, Aiko-san. Thank you again," Ren said, his voice imbued with sincerity as he stepped back out into the cool morning air. The umbrella was gone, but the warmth of the exchange lingered.
---
Later that evening, the heavy scent of dinner cooking filled the Minazuki home. Akari's school shoes landed by the entrance with a soft thud.
"Mom, I'm home!"
"Welcome back, dear," Aiko greeted her, stirring something on the stove. "Oh, by the way, Ren-chan stopped by this morning. He returned your umbrella."
Akari froze, her backpack halfway off her shoulder. "He came… here?"
A deep, immediate heat rushed up her neck and settled into her face. She felt her pulse jump, a rapid, startled rhythm.
"He's such a sweet boy—and quite good-looking too," Aiko continued, sighing with a dramatic, nostalgic tilt to her voice. "We had a lovely chat. For a moment, I felt like I was back in my school days."
He actually came to return it… even though I never asked him to. Her heart was now truly pounding, a hard, fast thump-thump against her ribs.
"Oh, and you know what he said to me?" Aiko teased, turning from the stove with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"What did he say?" Akari asked, her voice small and tight with apprehension.
"He said I looked pretty—and even asked if I was your older sister! I nearly blushed like a schoolgirl. If I had met someone like him back then, I might've fallen for him."
Akari felt a strangled groan leave her throat, her cheeks burning so intensely it felt painful. "Moooom! You can't say weird stuff like that! He's my age!"
She pouted, embarrassed, but beneath the mortification, there was a sharp, uncomfortable sting of jealousy in her chest. No guy has ever said something so openly charming to me before.
"He also said you resemble me, like we could be sisters," Aiko laughed, shaking her head. "He's got quite the charm, that boy."
Akari didn't respond. Her thoughts were a chaotic whirl. He talked with Mom. He even complimented her so smoothly… and yet, he barely knows me. Why is my heart racing like this?
She quickly turned away, clutching the straps of her bag, the lingering warmth in her face impossible to hide. Something felt decisively different inside her, a new, fluttering sensation that had nothing to do with rain or umbrellas. She only knew that the space Ren had occupied in her day, though brief, was suddenly vast and unforgettable.
---
BETWEEN THE LINES OF GOODBYES
MAYBE LETTING GO WASN'T THE END — MAYBE IT WAS HOW SOMETHING NEW BEGINNING
If you want, I can also format it like a clean manuscript chapter layout!