iii.

Taki watched his breath as it met the cold Tokyo air. It reminded him of the rising steam from hot mountain springs where he'd rather be. It hadn't snowed yet, but it was cold enough for his face to feel numb. He only dared to move his lips, thinking his face might shatter into pieces if he moved an inch of muscle.

Taki took a deep breath and exhaled. He counted the seconds before his breath vanished into thin air.

One, two, three...

He groaned and dropped his head. He had been waiting under a park shed for Tsukasa and Shinta for what seemed like hours. There was a mock job fair nearby which they planned to go to. Considering it's their last year of high school, Shinta thought it might help them decide what they wanted to do for their future. As for Taki, he just wanted to get more experience to prepare himself before going into architecture. After all, he has bigger plans than working shifts at Il Giardino Delle Parole.

The familiar rhythmic beat of the rain broke Taki's train of thought. He retreated further into the shed and leaned against the wall. He sighed into his cold hands. If he had known it would rain, he would've brought an umbrella or a raincoat. In hindsight, he should've waited inside a building than in a thinly-roofed shed.

He watched as people ran past the shed, taking mental notes of people who either protected their bag or used it as a temporary cover. Some even stopped to squeeze their soaked clothes. He smiled back at those who greeted him as they ran in. Not long after, the shed was filled with about 10 people—Taki didn't bother to count—and seemed tightly packed.

The air smelled of wet grass. It reminded Taki of Itomori, a memory he would rather not revisit. He couldn't call it a bad one, and it certainly didn't feel like a good one at all. The memory just left him with a heavy feeling he couldn't put into words even if he tried to. Taki scratched his head, frustration building up not only with the long wait but also with his inner struggles. Emotional stress and academic pressure were the two core ingredients of this year's predicament.

Fortunately, the rain didn't last long. As soon as it turned into a drizzle, the shed became less populated. Taki checked his phone, sighing when he saw the usual "almost there" and "not yet on the train" messages. He placed it back in his pocket and straightened up. After the rain completely stops, he decided he would go on to the venue, whether his friends showed up or not.

He took small steps at first. The drizzle still hasn't stopped, and it would be bad if it started to rain heavily again when he's walked far from the shed. Just to entertain himself while waiting, he counted how many steps it took to get out of the shed.

One, two, three…

Someone passed by in front of him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. A cold shiver went through him, starting from his shoulders to his toes. Yet, he felt a warm sensation bloom from his chest. His whole body froze, but his eyes followed the red cord tied neatly into a ribbon at the top of the girl's head.

A girl, a god's body, a comet, half-light...

She was briskly walking, clutching her bag tightly to her chest. Her soaked sneakers squeaked with every step she took. Her dark hair, although heavy with rainwater, swayed left and right with her movements.

Taki stepped out. He stared at her retreating figure. A strong urge to run after her came over him. But why? Who was that? What would he even say to her?

"Oh, what the hell." He muttered to himself.

He tried to match her pace and walked in long strides. She was only a few feet away in front of him. The puddles he would normally walk around on became an insignificant obstacle between him and whatever he would find once he talks to her. It's been so long; he was tired of searching, of longing. The empty days he had to go through, feeling unsatisfied no matter how hard he tried to be truly fulfilled.

A heavy rain suddenly poured down. Taki cursed when he saw the girl run in panic. He started to run after her, hoping she wasn't faster than he is. The rainfall made it hard for him to see. After a few seconds, he could barely see her.

"No," Taki yelled in between breaths. "Wait!"

He was out of the park and in the concrete forest of the city. In front of him was a pedestrian walk, to his left was a sidewalk, and to his right was a row of shops. An ocean of umbrellas was all he could see. He turned to every direction and found no sign of the familiar braided cord.

Taki rubbed his face with both hands. He couldn't tell if it was tears or rainwater all over his face. He was so close. She was just there, in front of him. If he didn't hesitate for a few seconds, he would have caught up with her. If he wasn't wearing a heavy jacket, he would have run faster. If he wasn't—

Taki dropped his head and sighed. It was back, the emptiness, the feeling of loss. It all came crashing down on him with the rain. The rush of the events a few moments ago faded into the air. Taki thought he was being too dramatic, running after a stranger just because he felt like it.

The chaotic orchestra of the cars and the rushed steps of civilians reminded Taki where he was. He quickly apologized to anyone who had to slow down to walk around him. He ran back to the park entrance and caught his breath. He ran his hands through his hair and let out an exasperated sigh. So much has happened before the mock job fair he had to go to today.

As he took off his coat to prevent himself from catching a cold, he looked up at the clear sky. The rain had completely stopped, and Taki realized it wasn't rainwater but tears streaming down his face.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I had a hard time finishing this chapter because I didn't know how to end a chase :( Was it too short? Hopefully how I wrote it is fine. I'm also a bit worried that the emotions didn't hit hard enough. Please tell me what you think :)