Into The Rain With You
Kai is popular in high school—charming, surrounded by friends—but always feels alone, as though he's the one constantly reaching out while no one truly sees him. His life changes when he meets Haruka, a quiet and mysterious girl reading alone in the cafeteria during a rainy afternoon. Unlike anyone he's known, Haruka doesn’t demand attention, and her soft-spoken nature pulls Kai in. P.S. THERE WILL ONLY BE ONE GIRL IN THIS NOVEL, and some bros helping another bro out.
Chapter 5.2: A Quiet Message
The message was short, simple, but it stopped my heart for a second.
Haruka: "I hope you're doing okay. I know you don't always say much, but if you ever need to talk, I'm here."
I stared at the message for a long time, letting the words sink in. For someone who barely knew me, she was offering something I hadn't been able to ask for—space to just be myself. No pretenses, no expectations. Just… me.
I didn't know how to respond. I wasn't even sure if I was ready to talk about any of this. But I couldn't help it—I found my fingers typing out a response before I even had time to think about it.
Kai: "Thanks. I don't really know what I'm doing, but I think I might need to talk."
I hit send before I could second-guess myself.
Seconds felt like hours. But then, her response came.
Haruka: "We can talk whenever. No pressure."
It was the kind of message that felt like a lifeline. And yet, something inside me was hesitant. What was I supposed to say? What could I even say?
But deep down, I knew one thing for sure: I couldn't keep pretending anymore. I couldn't keep wearing this mask, this version of myself that didn't feel like me. Not anymore.