Chapter 106: Rainy Night

"Are you two friends?" Tsuda asked, inquiring about their relationship for the first time.

"Yes," Izumi Sakai replied. "I happened to be in the neighborhood today, so we came over together."

Tsuda took on the role of guide, introducing them to the candles on the shelves. From time to time, Ye Zhao heard descriptions such as, "This is an antique-style candle; this one uses purely natural materials; the wick in this one contains metal fibers; this one has refreshing properties; this one is perfect for when you're taking a bath." Ye Zhao couldn't help but think that there was a surprising amount of knowledge packed into these small candles.

The woman who had opened the door for them earlier came over and asked, "Would you like something to drink? We have coffee, black tea, and cold drinks." By then, Ye Zhao already knew she was Mrs. Tsuda.

Seeing that Izumi Sakai seemed inclined to stay a little longer, Ye Zhao thought for a moment and said, "A black tea for me, please. Thank you."

"Certainly, please wait a moment." Mrs. Tsuda gestured toward the sofa in the corner.

Ye Zhao sat down on the beige fabric sofa. An *Asahi Shimbun* was spread out on the coffee table, turned to the social news section. Ye Zhao glanced at it, lost interest, and instead turned his gaze toward Izumi Sakai, who was selecting candles under Tsuda’s guidance, his eyes filled with a youthful curiosity.

Seeming to sense his gaze, Izumi Sakai, who had been listening intently to Tsuda with her brows slightly knitted, suddenly looked toward Ye Zhao. The moment their eyes met, Ye Zhao smiled at her quietly.

Izumi Sakai’s eyes flickered, and she raised the corners of her lips, smiling back at him.

In the end, Izumi Sakai chose two pairs of bath candles and one from the latest works Tsuda had recommended. Mrs. Tsuda carefully wrapped the candles and placed them in a white paper bag.

After exiting the studio and reaching the corridor, Ye Zhao reached out his hand toward Izumi Sakai. "If you don't mind, let me carry the bag for you?" He hadn’t done so in front of the Tsudas to avoid creating any misunderstandings that might cause her trouble.

Izumi Sakai tilted her head slightly. "You are such a gentleman, Ye-kun."

"In any case, please?"

Izumi Sakai smiled and handed him the bag. As Ye Zhao took the handle, he could still feel a lingering warmth.

Stepping out of the building, they realized that it had begun to rain while they were inside.

"This isn't good." Ye Zhao extended his free hand beyond the eaves to gauge the density of the rain. After a moment of thought, he volunteered, "I'll go back and borrow an umbrella from Mrs. Tsuda." He turned around, headed back down to the basement, walked down the long corridor with familiar ease, and stopped outside Tsuda's studio door.

After he rang the bell, Mrs. Tsuda opened the door and looked surprised. "Ye Zhao-san?"

"It’s like this," Ye Zhao bowed slightly. "Mrs. Tsuda, it’s raining outside. Do you happen to have a spare umbrella I could borrow?"

"Is it raining?" Mrs. Tsuda nodded. "Please wait a moment; I’ll go get one." Her gaze drifted inadvertently to the paper bag in Ye Zhao’s hand before she quickly looked away and silently retreated into the studio.

Only then did Ye Zhao remember that in his rush to borrow an umbrella, he was still holding the candles Izumi Sakai had just bought.

Before long, Mrs. Tsuda returned with a long-handled, houndstooth-patterned umbrella. "I'm sorry, this is the only umbrella we have left... there was another one, but it was accidentally broken when it rained a few days ago."

Ye Zhao hesitated. "If we take the only umbrella you have, wouldn't it be an inconvenience if you and Mr. Tsuda needed to go out?"

"It's fine," Mrs. Tsuda said, waving her hands slightly in front of her. She whispered, "My husband doesn't have very good night vision, so we generally don't go out in the evenings. Besides, the rain this time of year should stop very soon. Please, do take it."

"In that case, thank you, Mrs. Tsuda. I will return the umbrella later."

When Ye Zhao returned, Izumi Sakai was standing under the eaves, staring at the sky. Hearing his footsteps, she looked away and wore a slightly apologetic expression. "If I hadn't suddenly dragged you here, you wouldn't be trapped by the rain."

"Not at all. This was my first time encountering artistic candles; I never imagined they could be such interesting items." Ye Zhao smiled, then looked up at the sky, which was thick with dark clouds; the rain was growing heavier.

"However, I only managed to borrow one umbrella from Mrs. Tsuda. Izumi-san, you don't mind sharing, do you?"

Izumi Sakai showed him a smile. "Of course not."

Ye Zhao opened the umbrella and brought Izumi Sakai under its cover. "Um, the steps might be a little slippery, please be careful." As he spoke, he slid the handle of the paper bag onto his wrist and instinctively reached out his hand to her.

Izumi Sakai did not hesitate; she took his hand quite naturally. After walking slowly down the steps, she let go just as naturally and said softly, "Thank you."

The sound of rain drumming against the canopy above was rapid and rhythmic.

"Do you usually use candles, Izumi-san?"

"Yes. When work gets very busy, I sometimes can't sleep well due to nervous tension, so I light candles to calm my mind."

"I know it’s nagging of me to say this, but please, you must take care of your health."

"I feel like I’ve heard you say that more than once, Ye-kun."

"I suppose so." Ye Zhao chimed in, subtly tilting the umbrella toward Izumi Sakai. "But that really is the only simple wish I have for you, Izumi-san—that you stay healthy."

"Thank you, Ye-kun," Izumi Sakai said. "You really are different from anyone else I’ve met."

"If it’s a good kind of different, I’ll accept it all."

"And if it’s a bad kind?"

Ye Zhao’s brows drooped, and he sighed. "Well, there’s no helping that—I’ll just have to accept that, too."

Izumi Sakai laughed happily at his reaction. "Actually, there’s nothing bad about it at all. I don’t know why, but sometimes I get the feeling that you’ve known me for a long time. The first time we met, the way you looked at me was just like seeing someone you were very familiar with."

*Because I have "known" you for a long time,* Ye Zhao thought to himself silently.

As they walked, the angle of the umbrella tilted more and more dramatically toward Izumi Sakai, keeping her flowing ponytail, her slender shoulders, and her white trousers well-protected. In contrast, half of Ye Zhao’s body remained exposed to the rain, soaking wet.

Just then, a hand with slender fingers reached up and gently pushed the umbrella back toward Ye Zhao. "Ye-kun, you always tell me to cherish my health, yet you don't look after your own at all," Izumi Sakai’s gentle voice sounded in his ear.

"This," Ye Zhao was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Although I’m grateful, if you catch a cold because of this, I would feel uneasy. This umbrella is quite spacious; if we both stay a little closer, it will be enough for both of us." As she spoke, she moved slightly closer to him.

The two walked shoulder to shoulder under the umbrella. Because of the close proximity, their shoulders brushed against each other from time to time, and every time it happened, a wave of joy surged up from the depths of his heart.

Emerging from the alleyway, the sudden downpour had not lessened the crowds on the street.

Standing by the roadside, Izumi Sakai hailed a taxi while murmuring happily, "Ye-kun, you really are a kind person."

"Eh?"

"I’ve thought so for a while now. You really are a very patient and gentle person."

"Actually, I'm not really that good." Ye Zhao looked down at his own shoes; the canvas was splattered with rain and looked a bit dirty. "Are you heading straight back now, Izumi-san?"

Izumi Sakai said "Mmhmm." Just then, a taxi arrived and pulled up in front of them.

Ye Zhao saw her into the taxi. "Then, goodnight."

Once he said this, the driver started the car. Through the glass window, Izumi Sakai waved at him from the back seat. Shortly after, the car slowly pulled away into the crowded street and disappeared into the vast night.

After finally catching a second taxi, Ye Zhao looked through the window at the rain, which was becoming increasingly violent, nearly a torrential downpour. He thought that Mrs. Tsuda’s prediction that the rain would stop soon seemed unlikely to come true.

Getting out of the taxi, he stood under the eaves of his apartment building and shook off his umbrella. Once back in his room, he hung the dripping umbrella in the bathroom, changed out of his damp-smelling clothes into the washing machine, and took a quick, perfunctory shower. Although he hadn't prepared pajamas in advance, living alone meant he didn't mind wandering back to the bedroom in such a casual state.

Just as he fastened the last button of his pajamas, the phone on the coffee table rang. He walked barefoot to the living room and answered. "Izumi-san."

"Ye-kun, are you home now?"

"Of course." Ye Zhao sat on the sofa, stretching his long legs out onto the coffee table. "What about you, Izumi-san? You made it home safely, right?"

"Yes. You were out in the rain earlier, weren't you? Remember to take a hot bath so you don't catch a cold."

"Please don't worry, I’ve already showered and changed into fresh clothes," Ye Zhao joked. "The recording session is starting soon; if I catch a cold now, I’ll have to walk into the studio with a runny nose and sing with a duck’s voice."

Izumi Sakai laughed.