“Umm...... is something the matter?” To think that he would be the one to initiate conversation. Shouzou was surprised at himself.
His age equaled the number of years he had been without a girlfriend. Aside from work-related instances, his experience with talking to girls was almost nil. Cursed with the triple combo of “huge body,” “fierce face,” and “rough voice,” he was feared by every single person he met. The women were no exception.
Oh, right. Suddenly being addressed on the street at night by a guy who looked like a wild beast would for sure cause her to cower in fear. In the first place, the other party appeared to be a foreigner. Whether she can communicate or not is already doubtful in and of itself. “Ah, never mind, I’m sorry for bothering you......” Shouzou apologized in a fluster, then attempted to circle around to the other side of the narrow street.
“The rain, it drenched me.” A pleasant voice that sounded like the murmur of a brook caused Shouzou to freeze in his tracks.
“Hah?” A weird sound came out of Shouzou’s mouth.
The woman turned her blue eyes toward Shouzou, then continued speaking in an amiable tone.
“It was so very muggy, so I wanted to cool down. It’s my first time getting wet with rain, but it sure feels great, doesn’t it?”
“I guess......?”
“Would you like to join me?”
Shouzou had never imagined that the very first invitation in his life from a woman would be, “Would you like to get wet in the rain together?”
“Um, but, you do know, right? That when you get wet with rain, your body temperature decreases, which weakens your resistance and leaves you susceptible to pathogens, which ultimately causes you to catch a cold?”
“It’ll be fine.”
“Um, but, you do know, right? Raindrops these days are quite acidic, and also pick up dust and other particles when falling from the sky, so the growing opinion is that it’s better to avoid getting it on your skin if possible.” Even he didn’t know what he was saying anymore at this point.
All he had was a single emotion, a single thought, that he was sure of.
“Here.” Shouzou proffered his umbrella.
A young woman was being drenched in the rain, all by her lonesome.
Surely she had a reason for doing so that no one else could, that no one should, guess.
The rain cannot wash away sorrow, nor can it make pain more bearable.
That’s why, at the very least, he wanted her to know that “human compassion” is something that is much more common and much closer at hand than she might imagine.
“Life may be bitter and painful at times, but there are definitely great moments too.” Saying it seemingly more for himself than for her to hear, Shouzou then pushed the umbrella toward her even further, paying no mind to the fact that he was getting soaked.
“You’re a kind person.”
After she accepted the umbrella, without replying to the compliment, Shouzou said “Take care” and then dashed off at full speed—
Second floor, wooden apartment. The external hallway was covered by a corrugated iron roof, but the fierce rain was having no trouble making its way in. By the time Shouzou reached the door of his own apartment, he was thoroughly soaked, down to his underwear. It felt extremely uncomfortable.
Shouzou slid his key into the lock, then turned it with a click. But then he froze.
(Did I waste a perfect opportunity......?) The chance to hold a conversation with that great a beauty would probably never come to him again for the rest of his life. And besides that, perhaps it was a bad choice to leave a young woman by herself out in the street this late at night.
(Should I go back?) He was growing worried whether the woman, who was very likely grieving about something, was planning to hurt herself in her despair.
“Are you perhaps under a misconception of some sort?”
“HyoWAH?!” Suddenly hearing a voice addressing him from behind surprised him so much that he almost actually jumped.
Turning around, he found the woman standing there, smiling.
“Err, umm......”
“I am having a lot of fun right now. I’m not feeling bitter or pained at all.”
“Hah? Haa...... umm, did you follow me just to tell me that......?”
“Mhmm,” she said brightly, as if she didn’t have a single worry in the world. “But I am in a bit of a bind, as I don’t have anywhere to stay tonight. So if it’s not too much trouble for you......”
Entranced by her upturned eyes, Shouzou could only manage a sigh-like response like “Haa......”
Seemingly having taken that as acquiescence, the woman pushed past Shouzou with a “Then pardon me” and entered his place.
(Is this all right......?) His home was just a place to sleep, so it was very tidy. To be more precise, there wasn’t much of anything in the room in the first place, so there was no way for it to get cluttered.
Despite the old age of the apartment, the bathroom alone was brand new. He hoped it was acceptable enough for a young woman to use without feeling uncomfortable.
(No no no! I’m here, though! The presence of such a bulky man should itself be enough to make her feel uncomfortable!) Shouzou hurriedly chased after her.
“May I borrow your shower?”
“Eh? Sure, go ahead. Over there is the door to the bathroom...... wait, you seriously intend to stay here tonight?”
“Of course. You’re also quite soaked, would you like to go in with me?”
“I think not!” Shouzou had never imagined that the second invitation in his life from a woman would be “Would you like to take a shower with me?”
Leaving him behind with an “Aw, I see,” she headed into the bathroom with a disappointed expression.
A sound of splashing water different from that of the rain began reverberating throughout his apartment.
Shouzou took off his suit, then quickly wiped his hair and body off with a towel. He then changed into his home clothes, underwear and all.