Rain drizzled over the streets like a tired whisper.
Satoru didn't mind. The sound of droplets on his helmet was comforting—a steady rhythm in a world that refused to stop.
He turned the corner, legs pedaling slower than usual. The day had been long. Flower deliveries, patching old gear, a short shift at the shop. His muscles ached in quiet protest.
And yet, behind him, again… she followed.
Kana Fujimura, under an oversized hoodie, hands jammed into her pockets, walking at a lazy pace. Her sneakers splashed through puddles like she didn't care if they got soaked.
> "You know you look like a clown, right?" she called. "With that helmet and that duct-taped gear? Might as well wear a neon sign that says 'kick me.'"
Satoru smiled.
> "Wouldn't be the worst thing someone's thrown at me."
> "Tch. You say that like it's a badge of honor."
> "Surviving is one."
She rolled her eyes and picked up pace to walk beside him.
> "Seriously, you think looking pathetic makes you brave?"
> "No. I think doing what's right makes you brave."
> "Ugh. You sound like one of those hero propaganda ads. Gonna start quoting All Might next?"
> "I don't need to. I've got my own words."
She barked a humorless laugh.
> "God, you really believe in that stuff, huh? Helping people. Sacrificing. All that hero nonsense."
> "I don't think it's nonsense."
> "Of course you don't. You're delusional."
He stopped at a red light and looked at her.
> "Why do you hate it so much?"
She tensed.
> "I don't hate anything."
> "You hate what it makes you feel."
> "What are you, my therapist?"
> "No. Just someone who listens."
Kana turned her head sharply.
> "Well stop listening. I don't need it."
The light turned green. Satoru kept pedaling. She kept walking.
---
Later that night, as the rain came down harder, he left a small umbrella at the bus stop near her apartment complex.
Folded inside was a note:
> "Even shadows need shelter sometimes."
She found it the next morning. Didn't say a word about it. But the next time they met, her tone was colder. Sharper. Like she didn't want to owe him anything.
---
Satoru's notebook entry:
> "Kana continues patrol accompaniment. Openly hostile to heroism, rejects vulnerability. Behavior analysis: mocking tone intensifies when confronted with care. Possible core: rejection of weakness. Fear of disappointment.
> Response: Maintain presence. No confrontation. Let actions speak."