Droplets of water fell by the wayside as they dripped onto my umbrella. At the moment, a cacophony of raindrops rang around me. Horns blared, and the smell of humid city air amplified as I waited for the lights of the crossing to change.

The red-blinking crossing light gave way to green, and I began to move forward…

"Hey!"

Only to be stopped by a familiar voice.

I tilted my head to gain a better look, and there she was. The first thing I noticed was that her hair wasn't peach pink anymore, but instead it was a rather homely brown. Her hair was let down from her bun, too. Yet, for the life of me, I cannot mistake those warm pools of amber as they looked at me from across the street.

"Hello, Yuigahama-san."

"It's Yui," she replied, smiling cheekily. "How's it been?"

We resumed walking, to where, I don't know. Presumably farther away from Yuigahama-san's original destination.

"I've been well," my voice was clipped, the rush hour getting to me. I was tired, and I wanted to go back to my sweet, sweet abode.

"I see," her voice wavered for a bit, before saying, "How's Hikki?"

"Hachiman…" I trailed off for a bit, seeing the slight flinch at the mention of his first name. "…he is on his way into making a new novel. The writing season's just started and he promises that his readership will quote-unquote "Finally get him after this.""

A loud horn blared for a moment, before Yui replied. "I've read his novels, y'know."

"Have you?"

"Oh yes, I loved how Yuki never seemed to understand that both Ryu and Yuu liked her."

A splash. It seemed that Yuigahama-san had stepped on a particularly deep puddle. She sighed, "Awww, I just got these."

"I heard detergent would help in getting rid of the bacteria that may stick."

"Nah, mom always said to use bleach when washing shoes…" Her voice trailed off again, looking far out in the distance. I squinted to where she was looking at, and at the farthest end of my vision was a bookshop. It was a trifle thing; out of the way, small, and a place where only people with inclinations towards visiting it would. It wouldn't attract anyone, in anyway, but people would still enter it.

"Ne, Yukinon," it was the first time I heard that name in a while. The warmth was still there, though tempered with age and… something else. "Hikki's quite famous now, isn't he?"

"Indeed," I agreed. "Hachiman, against all odds, managed to attain the status of fame amongst the community. His books are bestsellers, and his name is often plastered alongside big names such as J.K Rowling or Dan Brown."

"Almost makes me remember…" Her voice had a tinge of wonder. "People change, huh."

"Yes," I nodded, careful to avoid making a splash as I spotted another particularly large puddle. "They do."

A quiet moment passed between us. We were walking closer to the bookstore.

"I tried changing myself, y'know," Yuigahama said.

"I can tell."

"You always could." She giggled. More familiar sensations threatened to rip my heart out, yet I don't know why that was so. "Back to Hikki, though. Is he treating you well?"

"Marriage is off the table for him," I sighed, exasperated. "Apparently, one could become a house-husband while still remaining flexible." Then, I narrowed my eyes. "Eventually, I managed to get him to cough up the truth."

"Oh yeah?"

"He was afraid." I answered. "Of what, I don't know."

"Sounds like him." Yuigahama-san said, "Did he say why?"

"He rambled about 'youth was the antithesis of marriage,' and that 'as a youthful person, he must not commit to anything yet."

Yuigahama-san guffawed. "Even after all these years, he still somehow manages to be creepy, huh."

"Perhaps," I smiled slightly. "Though I find it both endearing and frustrating."

We crossed another street, this time moving away from the bookstore.

"Ne," Yuigahama-san spoke after another round of pleasant silence. "I think I know why Hikki's so afraid of marrying you…" she spoke, her words getting lower with each passing word. "…even though he clearly loves you."

"Oh?" Has Yuigahama's social sense found an answer that I couldn't?

"Maybe he's afraid of change." Yuigahama-san finally said. "He's always been afraid of change, hasn't he? Marriage is just a change that's too big for him to accept, for now."

"That answer does seem plausible."

We turned a corner, and just out in the distance I could see the station.

"To be frank," she spoke again. "I think we're all afraid of change, deep down."

"But it is inevitable, is it not?" I fired back.

"True, but," I see her eyes wandering off into the distance, this time, I couldn't spot what she was looking at. "Can you honestly say, for certain, that you want to change? That you want the friends you have now to change? The relationships you've built up to crumble into dust for that change?"

"I can't, but as you said…" Though her eyes were empty of tears, I could still hear the tinge of them in her voice. "It is inevitable."

"I see." Somehow, I felt like I had more to say.

We had reached the station. As I turned to bid farewell, sudden warmth enveloped me. I found myself a recipient of a hug.

"I missed you, Yukinon," she said.

A wet splotch formed on my shoulders; something I was trying to avoid, but I couldn't bring myself to be annoyed. I returned the hug, basking in the warmth of my former best friend. We stood there in silence, for any word we might say would have no meaning before the significance of our actions. But, though I say that, Yui was Yui.

And she broke the silence. "I missed you so much. You and Hikki both."

"I…" I said, the words forming in my mouth. "I missed you too, Yui."

Then, she let go, and I saw the tears brimming in her eyes, held back only by the smile that broke out on her face.

"We'll see each other again, ne?" She asked, but it was more of a request. "Let's exchange numbers."

I never needed to voice my agreement.

After that, I left for the station once more, boarding a train back to Tokyo.

Back home.