the day it stopped raining | midoriya izuku

04 | mistful promises

TOKYO
20°C
MODERATE RAIN

The smallest measurable unit of human connection, typically exchanged between passing strangers—a flirtatious glance, a sympathetic nod, a shared laugh about some odd coincidence—moments that are fleeting and random but still contain powerful emotional nutrients that can alleviate the symptoms of feeling alone.

Staring at the white umbrella belonged to a green looking boy—a boy full of life and beaming with a radiance that Masuyo thought the world didn't need the sun but him—she picks it up off the coffee table, slouching on her couch as she examines it like it was some kind of relic, though noting that it was just one of those cheap umbrellas convenience stores usually sell. Did he buy it from Neoma? Or somewhere else?

As shallow as it may be, it wasn't just an umbrella simply given by a kind stranger. It was a gift of salvation. Hope in the form of tangible things. In Masuyo's eyes, the umbrella was gleaming—glowing like a single firefly found in the midst of a lost jungle trail, guiding her to a path of the unknown, but a path that makes her feel secure to trust it.

Her mind flashes back to the young boy's eyes. He couldn't be younger than her. Perhaps around the same age. Back then, she wanted to whisper a 'thank you', but deep in her gut, she couldn't. Masuyo wasn't used to expressing gratitude that it held her back. Held back her spark of light and a twinge of sunshine.

If she could ever meet this boy again, she would. She'd want to run up to him and hug him, but that's just an imagination she depicted in her daydreams. The girl was too much of a loner to do that. Perhaps a little awkward in some situations. But she knew more than anyone that she was kind to everyone. Even if people treated her differently.

A sigh left her lips, leaning back into the couch as the umbrella lays on her lap. She tilts her head to the windows, the rain constantly adorning the glass with waterfalls and beads of dewdrops. At this point, her windows are like LED screens that only show water droplets racing down the windows.

Masuyo couldn't help but wonder if he'd be there again.

After all, it was around 8PM when it happened—when she met a kind boy being so kind to her. Masuyo knows it's just those moments where strangers help each other. But for her, she was alone for so long that she forgot how it felt like to have moments like this.

So she placed the umbrella back onto the table, wore a hoodie and grabbed her wallet before leaving the apartment.

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"The time has turned to 8:06PM. Now, we will let you know the weather forecast. Currently, Tokyo region's weather from now is drizzling instead of heavy rain. Current temperature is 23°C with a northerly wind, and wind speed is 4 meters. Tomorrow, the rain, to no surprise that it will return and it's likely we'll experience cold winds and a possible storm. However, there is a possibility that the next few days will be unpredictable as Tokyo, compared to other prefectures, has been raining non-stop. Scientists have little explanation on why this is happening, but it may be climate change, monsoon season or a weather-related quirk. Please take shelter and carry umbrellas for your safety. That's all from me."

The television switches back to the news report on villain attacks and an update on yesterday's landslide, in which Midoriya sighs in relief that everyone involved is now recovered and safe. Though the weather report didn't slip from his mind, lips frowning a little at the mention of storms and intense winds. It'd be understandable if the cause of perpetual rain was due to climate change or mother nature in general. But if it's the cause of someone's quirk? Would it be a random civilian or a villain?