Into The Rain With You

I arrived at school and slipped back into my familiar role without much thought. The same hallways, the same crowds of students, the same expectations. I joked with a few classmates, made some offhand remarks about the homework assignment, and smiled through the conversations.

It was all second nature.

But as I walked through the hall, my mind kept drifting back to the feeling I couldn't shake. Something was different. I wasn't sure if it was because I was starting to feel the weight of the mask I wore, or if something about the world around me was changing. All I knew was that I couldn't quite get comfortable anymore.

I found my usual spot in the cafeteria, surrounded by my friends. The laughter was louder today, more infectious, like they were all trying to make the most of the day. But my focus kept drifting toward her again—Haruka.

She was sitting at the same spot by the window, her nose buried in her book, completely oblivious to the world around her. I don't know why, but I kept staring at her. It was almost like I couldn't look away. She wasn't laughing with anyone, wasn't trying to crack a joke, wasn't performing for anyone.

She just… existed.

I wondered what it was like to be her. To be so detached from the noise. So free of expectations. I shook my head. It was ridiculous. What was I even thinking?

People like Haruka didn't care about the things that mattered. She was too busy in her little bubble to even notice what was going on around her. She wasn't part of the world I lived in. She couldn't possibly understand what it was like to be me.

Still, there was something magnetic about her quiet.

"Earth to Kai!" Miyu snapped her fingers in front of my face, pulling me back to reality. "What's going on? You seem kinda off today. You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, flashing a grin. The usual grin. The one that everyone expected from me. "Just didn't get enough sleep last night."

I could tell Miyu didn't buy it. She raised an eyebrow. "Right. Well, maybe you should take a nap in between classes. You're looking a little… out of it."

I nodded and gave her a thumbs-up, but I could feel the distance between us widening.

Miyu was my friend, but even she didn't get it. No one did. Not really.

The bell rang, signaling the start of class, and I slipped into my seat like it was just another day. The teacher droned on, but I didn't really hear anything. My mind kept wandering back to Haruka. Why was she so different? Why didn't she care about fitting in? And more importantly, why was I so obsessed with her?