The rain had dwindled to a mist, silver threads under the streetlights.
Renji and Saki walked side by side down the narrow street, their umbrellas close enough for the edges to brush. The air still smelled faintly of roasted beans and chamomile, the scent of Café Lyrä lingering in their clothes, in their silence.
Neither spoke for a while. The night didn't need words.
Saki finally broke it, her tone softer than usual.
"Sayuri-san's kind, isn't she?"
Renji glanced at her. "Yeah. Kind in a way that feels… careful."
"She's been running that café for years," Saki said. "A lot of people go there just to breathe. She doesn't pry, she just… lets you exist."
Renji smiled faintly. "That's rare."
Saki nodded. "It is." She walked another few steps before glancing at him. "You seemed… comfortable there."
He chuckled under his breath. "Guess quiet places suit me."
"You don't strike me as the quiet type."
Renji's smirk softened. "You haven't seen me when I'm listening."
