Rain splattered onto the sidewalks as homeless kids struggled to find shelter from the cold.
From under a thin strip of roof, a girl watched the rain fall from the sky, and fall with a pattering noise on the houses and soaking the pebble road with an amazed expression.
One hand was extended, to feel the rain on her fingers. She smiled, despite hearing the wails of disappointment of the children as they watched it rain.
Rin liked the rain. If only she had a huge wardrobe filled with new clothes, she would've stood in the rain, feeling it caress her skin. But since she only had this frayed, dirty kimono, it was wiser to seek shelter and not get this one wet.
A sniffle sounded next to her, and she looked down in surprise.
Another girl huddled next to her, crouching on the floor with a sad expression. She was sniffling, about to cry. The other girl's breath came in tiny clouds, and Rin couldn't help but wonder why she was so sad.
"Why are you crying?" She asked, eyes wide.
"The rain is so depressing...it makes everything wet, and we have to go find something to hide under. It's easier for other people, but it's harder for us...it's not fair we get called homeless brats..."
She rocked back and forth, sniffing.
Rin felt an urge to protect this girl suddenly, maybe because she was so beautiful, maybe because she bore the marks of sadness. There was something about her that struck her.
"Tell you what," Rin lowered herself to the other girl's level. "I promise things will get better. Just...stay with me."
The other girl looked up in surprise.
"No one's ever offered that before..."
"It'll be okay...we'll be friends through everything. I promise."
Rin extended her pinkie, the universal sign of a promise. The other girl looked at it, then linked her own pinkie around Rin's.
"What's your name? My name is Rin."
"My name's Miku. Promise...we'll be together forever, right?"
"Yes. I promise on my life."
And that was the vow exchanged by two homeless children, seeking shelter from the rain.