The rain began to fall around midnight.

It wasn’t heavy rain nor a thunderstorm by far.

Instead, it was light, steady rainfall that gently fell onto the window as if it were trying not to disturb anyone’s sleep.

Kuro Kurogane was wide awake.

This wasn’t due to any noise.

For once, the house was completely silent. Too quiet in fact.

This was enough to make him feel a little strange.

Kuro sat up slowly in his bed, rubbing his eyes.The hallway light outside of his room was still on.

"Someone must have forgotten to turn it off," he thought.

He took a deep breath and got out of bed.

Stepping down onto the hardwood floor, Kuro felt the slight chill of the wood beneath his feet.

He walked past Akari’s room only to find the door closed.He did the same with Aoi’s room, but something was off.

Then he heard it.

A faint noise.

Not a cry.

Not precisely.

Just the breathing of someone who was not breathing regularly.

Kuro finally stopped in front of Aoi’s door.

He hesitated for a second.

Then gently knocked on the door.

"Aoi...?" he said quietly.

No answer.Kuro tried the door.

It was unlocked.That was strange already.

Kuro slowly opened the door only to see Aoi’s room dimly lit from the light shining through the window.

Aoi was seated next to the window, her knees drawn up to her chest, staring at the falling rain.

Aoi was not in her usual calmness.

Her shoulders were slightly humped down.

Aoi’s expression... more subdued than normal.Not a reading expression.Just an expression of being a person.

Kuro blinked.

"...Aoi, you’re still awake."

Aoi did not look right away.

"..., Yes."

He walked slowly inside.

"Are you having trouble sleeping?"

Kuro was silent; he waited.Then he heard her voice softly say

"..., Kind of."

Kuro ran his fingers through his hair.This was an unusual situation.

Aoi did not act like this often.Aoi was always professional.Aoi was always composed.Aoi was always in control.

Nothing appeared to bother Aoi.Tonight... was not the same.

Kuro was now sitting on the side of the bed.

The room felt different; the room was smaller.

Rain was the only noise that broke the silence. Aoi spoke.

"Kuro."

"Yeh."

Kuro and Aoi , both of them looked out the window.

"Kuro, do you think anything will happen in the future?"

Kuro was silent and looked at Aoi.

"What do you mean?"

"How much more?"

After Aoi had not said anything for a long time, Aoi spoke.

"I was scared..."

Kuro looked at Aoi, his head turned slightly.

Aoi continued to speak to Kuro, but continued to not look at Kuro.

"Back when we were kids... you were always there,"

Her eyes lit up in remembrance.

"When things got... tough."

Silence hung in Kuro’s heart.Aoi’s fingers tightened around her sleeve.

"...when Father left."

The weight of that word landed heavier than expected.The sound of rain pouring outside grew stronger.

Aoi’s voice was quieter.

"I thought... things would go back to normal..."

She paused.

"...and you’d no longer be part of it."

Kuro frowned slightly.

"...be part of what?"

Aoi turned towards him.

There was no coldness; she was not playful.

Just honest.

"...Us."

Silence.Kuro looked away from her for a moment.

Then he sighed.

"You’re overthinking."

Aoi blinked.Kuro leaned back with an ’I-can-do-this’ expression.

"I am not leaving."

Simple.No drama.No hesitation.

Just fact.

Aoi stared at him silently.

"...What if another person is coming closer to me?"

Kuro frowned.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Longer than a short pause, Aoi lowered her sights.

"...Nothing."

But at least her fingers relaxed a bit.The tension in Aoi’s shoulders eased a tiny bit.

Kuro looked at Aoi.

"You really have a lot of worries."

Aoi didn’t argue.

Instead she spoke softer.

"It’s not worry."

Kuro sighed.

"Then what is it?"

Aoi hesitated.

Then finally made a decision.

"I don’t like unknown changes."

The rain continued to tap on the window.

Kuro gazed at her for just a moment before speaking again, this time with more seriousness.

"Listen."

Aoi’s eyes moved a little toward him.

Then Kuro scratched at his face.

"I have known you since we were little kids."

After a brief pause.

"I mean, even if everything around us has changed from what we knew back then..."

He shrugs his shoulders a little.

"I still don’t think that just erases me."

Aoi did not respond right away.But the corners of her mouth turned up just a little.

"...You say that so easily."

Kuro shrugged again.

"Because, to me, it will be obvious."

There was another moment of silence.

This time it wasn’t uncomfortable.

Just quiet.

Aoi slowly turned back to look out the window again.

"...I see..."

A few moments passed.Then, she said softly:

"Thanks."

Kuro blinked in surprise.

"Thanks for what?"

Aoi did not answer him right away again.

Then, she said:

"...For being the same."

Kuro scratched nervously at the back of his head.

"That makes it sound like I had a choice."

A faint, barely noticeable smile crept back onto Aoi’s face.

"...Maybe you didn’t."

Then there was a long pause.

Then Kuro got up off of the couch.

"Well, I’m going to bed."

Aoi raised her eyes to him slightly.

"Me too."

Kuro waved as he walked toward the door.

And after he got to the door, Kuro came to a halt.

After that, no longer looking back, she added:

"If you’re not able to sleep again, please do not hesitate to tell me."

Aoi stared blankly at Kuro as he opened the door to leave.

"It irritates me to watch someone suffer and not say anything."

He closed the door softly behind him.

Aoi remained at the window long after the door closed.

The rain continued to fall outside.

Aoi’s expression was relaxed.

She was now simply deep in thought.

A small piece of Aoi that resided inside of her body had finally ceased to tremble.