Only Mine

Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Sometime during the night, rain began to fall, it was not soft, light rain, but an angry downpour that blanketed everything in a mist of water. Even walking outside would be the same as having an instant shower.

The three adults talked late into the night, closed indoors away from the rain, about everything and anything. They had finished their fresh chicken alfredo pasta a while ago. Misaki was fast asleep on one of the booth seats in the corner of the cafe, a blanket wrapped around him as he sucked on his thumb. Kichirou was sitting across from Shouta, their topic about what Shouta could expect in the coming months from the developing baby.

Jun had his hand wrapped around one of Kichirou's hands as he chatted with Ren about one of the cases Jun was involved in. Although Ren did not have a lawyer license, he had studied child care and the case Jun was working on involved a child. So Jun wanted Ren's opinion on what was the best option in the case. Ren had an arm around Shouta's waist, holding him close to him, connecting them even in that small space.

The sound of the cafe bells chiming jolted all four of them as they whipped their heads toward the front door to see who was entering. Standing there in the sudden downpour was Hana, trembling, her eyes wide on her pale face.

Soaked to the brim from the rain, Hana couldn't move a step farther into the cafe because her eyes locked onto Ren's hand quietly resting on Shouta's waist, holding him near as if he was precious. Suddenly disgusted at herself for believing anything would ever come from the one sided love she had for Ren, she burst into tears on the threshold.

For the last three years she had believed with all her heart that Ren might eventually turn her way and look at her as a lover, not just a child. She had believed that Akira was by her side as a confident, a friend and someone that would never do anything to harm her. But now, where was all of that? It was all lost in this word that was pouring rain.

After Akira's confession, she had been so stunned that she couldn't even say anything. Those hands she knew like the back of her own had wrapped around her arms and held her in place. At that moment, Hana had felt something she never had before. Instead of the slight repulsive feeling she always had, her heart had thundered in her chest and she felt like she would do anything to cover that distance between them to feel Akira's lips against hers.

Due to her trama, this sudden, inexplicable want and desire had floored her. These feelings were something she had never even felt for Ren. Without giving a response, Hana had run away, not even stopping when Akira called out her name.

Running through the rain, Hana had found herself at Ren's cafe. It was not the sight of Ren holding Shouta so lovingly that had broken her, it was the realisation that those feelings would never go anywhere. They were like a bubble caught in the breeze only to pop before it could reach anything.

Jun was the first of the men to react as he jumped from his seat to run over to his little sister. However, no matter what he said, or how he cajoled her, her tears would not stop and she would not speak. Worried for his sister, Jun, asked Kichirou to pick up Misaki so they could get the girl to their place. Lifting Misaki up into his arms, the boy still sleeping, Kichirou told Shouta, "Text me anytime, I'll try to respond as fast as I can."

Ren lent the four two umbrellas and the two watched as the four disappeared into the rainy night.

"I wonder what happened," Shouta whispered, watching as even the shadows covered all traces of the small family having even been there.

"She'll be okay with Jun and Kichirou." Ren reminded Shouta, even as he worried about it himself. He thought of Akira and made a mental note to ask her tomorrow before saying, "We've nothing to worry about."