Sofia didn't expect to see him again. Not so soon. Not like this. But sometimes… the universe had its own quiet ways of bringing people back together.
It was raining the next afternoon. The kind of rain that made the world feel softer… slower.
Sofia stood under the shelter outside the campus library, hugging her notebook close to her chest as she watched the raindrops fall. "I should've checked the weather," she murmured. She sighed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
A few students rushed past, laughing, umbrellas bumping into each other, voices blending into the sound of rain. Sofia smiled faintly. She liked moments like this. Quiet. Almost… poetic.
"Do you always stand in places where you might get wet?" The voice came from beside her.
Sofia turned. And there he was again. Kenzo. Standing just close enough that she noticed him… but far enough that he still felt like a mystery. He held a black umbrella in one hand. Calm. Composed. Like the rain didn't bother him at all.
Sofia blinked in surprise. "You're stalking me now?" she teased lightly.
Kenzo's expression didn't change much—but there was the faintest hint of something… amusement, maybe. "I was going to the library," he said.
She raised an eyebrow. "Coincidentally at the same time as me?"
He didn't answer immediately. Just looked at her. And somehow, that silence said more than words ever could. After a moment, he tilted the umbrella slightly toward her. "You'll get soaked," he said.
Sofia glanced at the sky. "Yeah… I noticed that." A pause. Then she hesitated. "…Are you offering?"
Kenzo nodded once. Simple. No unnecessary words. Just… an action.
Sofia stared at him for a second longer than she meant to. Then, slowly, she stepped closer. "Alright," she said softly.
And just like that— They were standing under the same umbrella. Closer than before.
The walk to the library wasn't long. But somehow, it felt… different. Every step was quieter. Every breath more noticeable.
Sofia tried not to think about how close they were. About how the space between them had disappeared. About how the warmth of his presence felt… oddly comforting.
"Why did you help me?" she asked suddenly.
Kenzo glanced at her briefly. "You would've gotten sick," he replied.
Sofia smiled slightly. "That's it?"
He nodded. "People don't always need a reason."
She tilted her head, studying him. "That's a very… you answer."
Kenzo looked at her again. "What does that mean?"
Sofia chuckled softly. "Hard to read. Quiet. Slightly mysterious." A small pause. Then she added, almost playfully— "And maybe a little intimidating."
Kenzo didn't respond right away. Instead, he looked ahead. But there was something softer in his expression now. "You talk a lot," he said quietly.
Sofia gasped lightly. "Is that a complaint?"
"No." Another pause. Then, almost reluctantly— "I don't mind it."
That answer made her heart skip—just a little. Not loud enough to panic. But enough to notice.
By the time they reached the library, the rain had eased. Sofia stepped out from under the umbrella, turning to face him. "Thanks," she said.
Kenzo gave a small nod. "You're welcome."
She hesitated. Then smiled. "Maybe I'll see you again."
Kenzo looked at her for a moment. Longer this time. As if considering something. Then— "I'm sure you will," he said.
Sofia felt it again. That strange feeling. Like something had shifted. Like something had quietly begun… to matter.
She turned to leave. But before she could walk away completely— "Sofia."
She paused. Looked back. Kenzo stood there, still holding the umbrella, rain fading behind him. "I'll read your next essay," he said.
Sofia smiled. A little softer this time. "I'll write something worth reading, then." And just like that— She walked away.
But Kenzo didn't move right away. He stayed there. Watching. Thinking. For reasons he didn't fully understand… He didn't want this moment to end.
✨ End of Chapter 2