The raindrops were huge, hammering the umbrella with sharp, rapid pops—
like someone up in the sky pounding out a dense drumbeat.
Amano Hina stood at the edge of a rooftop.
The wind was fierce, whipping her skirt so hard it snapped and fluttered like the wings of a struggling bird.
Her fingers clenched the umbrella handle so tightly her knuckles turned white, trembling faintly.
In her mind, the words from that "trade" group chat were still churning—scalding hot.
"Stop the never-ending rain. In exchange, your body."
Rei Ao's words were always like this—direct, brief, sharp as a blade—
driving straight into her heart.
What was this supposed to be?
A sugar-daddy arrangement?
Or some kind of deal even worse?
The thought made shame surge up in a rush.
Her cheeks burned hot enough to fry an egg.
But what else could she do?
She lowered her gaze. The city was soaked in a gray wash of rain.
Streets had become rivers; cars drifted through like silent boats.
Ever since she became the "sunshine girl," rain had turned into her nightmare—her curse.
If it went on like this, all of Tokyo would be submerged.
"I guess… this is the only way."
She whispered it to herself, and the wind and rain swallowed the sound instantly.
And then—
a strange quiet spread through the layers of rainfall.
Not because the rain had stopped.
It was something more absolute, a stillness that felt like a domain unfolding.
Hina jerked her head up.
Her pupils tightened.
At the rooftop entrance, a figure stood there—she didn't know when he'd appeared—
and he was walking toward her at an unhurried pace.
Even more shocking: the torrential rain parted on its own three meters around him.
Raindrops struck an invisible barrier, sliding off in smooth arcs.
Step by step he approached, his clothes dry, his shoes untouched by water—
like a god walking alone through the storm.
"Y-you are…"
Hina heard her own voice shaking.
The man stopped a few steps away.
He had striking eyes—
deep as a night sky loaded with stars, yet calm with the detached clarity of someone who'd seen through everything.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, a faintly amused curve.
"Rei Ao."
His voice was clear, smooth—carrying a texture that didn't allow doubt.
"The one who made the deal with you."
Hina tightened her grip on the umbrella handle; her fingertips were icy.
She hadn't expected the group owner to be this young.
And she hadn't expected his pressure to feel this… tangible.
It was the aura of someone who had the entire situation in the palm of his hand—
so much so that she found herself breathing more softly without realizing.
"Can you… really make the rain stop?"
She gathered every ounce of courage and asked the only question that mattered.
Rei Ao lifted an eyebrow.
His gaze swept over her flushed face, her rigid shoulders, her slightly trembling legs.
"Otherwise what?"
He smiled, as casually as if they were talking about breakfast.
"You think I came up here in the rain just to keep you company and admire the view?"
Hina's face turned even redder. She ducked her head in panic.
Inside her chest, it felt like a flock of sparrows was flailing around.
She wanted him to stop this damned rain immediately—
and she was terrified of the "payment" he'd demand next.
The two emotions tore at her until she didn't know what to do with herself.
"Relax."
Rei Ao spoke again, like he'd read her from the inside out.
"I never force anyone."
He lifted a hand and casually pointed at the thick, leaden canopy of clouds.
"A deal only works when both sides agree."
As he spoke, that hand rose lightly in the air.
Long fingers, clean lines, distinct knuckles.
The next second—
"Snap."
A crisp finger snap cut through the wet air.
A simple motion.
And yet it was as if he'd pressed some hidden switch in the world.
A miracle detonated right before Hina's eyes.
The first thing that stopped was sound.
Total silence.
Then every raindrop falling through the sky froze midair at once—
countless, crystalline, glittering, like diamonds suspended in time.
Hina held her breath.
And then she saw something she would never forget.
The raindrops… began to flow backward.
One drop, two drops, millions upon millions—
defying gravity together, rising toward the heavens.
They became inverted waterfalls, winding water-dragons twisting upward—
surging into the depths of the storm clouds.
The clouds themselves looked like a curtain being ripped open by an enormous hand—
receding, fracturing, melting away.
A single beam of light pierced through.
Then ten. Then a hundred. Then thousands—
golden sunlight pouring down with unstoppable force, covering rooftops, streets, the entire city.
Warmth embraced everything in an instant.
"Ah…"
Hina let out a small breath, and the umbrella slipped from her hand with a soft clatter.
Eyes wide, she watched the pooled water begin to steam away.
Watched the mist refract tiny rainbows in the sun.
Watched, in the distance, windows opening one after another, people stepping out into the streets.
Faint cheers drifted up, like a tide rolling across the city.
A massive, dazzling rainbow bridge arched across the sky—
linking a shattered past to a bright, living present.
She stood there, stunned, mind blank—
until Rei Ao's voice pulled her back to reality.
"The rain's stopped, Hina-san."
At some point he had already turned around, looking at her.
Sunlight traced the line of his profile, sharpening his handsome outline.
His smile was gentle—yet something bottomless lurked in his eyes.
"Now it's your turn to honor your promise."
Hina's cheeks flared red. She instinctively stepped back half a pace.
She'd been prepared, but her heart still pounded like it might crash out of her chest.
"W-where… are we going?"
Her voice was so thin she could barely hear it herself.
"I think this rooftop is pretty nice."
"Huh?"
…
Hina froze.
H-here? On the rooftop?
"I'm kidding."
Rei Ao laughed.
He was curious about the wild option too, but considering this was her first time—
"There's a good hotel nearby."
His tone was as ordinary as discussing a lunch spot.
"Great view. Quiet."
He paused, then added:
"And while we're at it, I'll help you modify your 'sunshine girl' ability."
"Modify?"
Hina blinked, forgetting her embarrassment as she looked up at him.
She'd never heard of an ability being modified.
"Mm."
Rei Ao walked over and bent to pick up her fallen umbrella.
He brushed away the lingering droplets and handed it back.
His fingertips grazed the back of her hand by accident—
cool, yet carrying a strange warmth.
Hina pulled back like she'd been burned, even the tips of her ears turning red.
"Your current ability costs too much, and the results are limited."
He explained unhurriedly, his gaze drifting to the rainbow in the distance.
"I can optimize it."
"Make it so you truly control sunshine and rain—maybe even the weather itself."
"So you're not at the mercy of the weather anymore."
"You become the one the weather answers to."
Hina's heartbeat skipped.
Control the weather?
No more praying, no more paying with pieces of herself?
Wasn't that… freedom?
The longing in her grew like wild grass.
But shame curled around it too—
because the price was her body.
She bit her lower lip hard, almost drawing blood.
Rei Ao didn't rush her.
He leaned against the railing with an easy calm, watching the city's life slowly return—
patient, as if he had all the time in the world.