Today, the rain fell heavily… as if the heavens had burst.
Looking out the window, Saya saw a dark, menacing sky above. The sound of the rain was so loud and the droplets so large that she felt a prickle of fear, wondering if the glass would shatter against the force. This drove her to sit in the living room instead.
It had been raining since she woke up. Gokudera had left at midnight due to some urgent research Giannini was conducting—something directly related to Saya's condition—so he had to rush out, though he told her to call him immediately if anything happened.
Today, her body felt strange. She felt a deep chill and her movements were slightly sluggish. After the red glow on her bracelet faded upon waking, a blue light had emerged in its place.
Before she could call Gokudera, her phone rang. The screen displayed Reborn's name.
"Ciao. Is it a blue flame today?" the voice on the other end asked playfully. Saya answered affirmatively.
"Yes, Mr. Reborn. The bracelet has a blue light today. It changed just as I woke up," she said anxiously, turning the bracelet over in her hand. The blue glow pulsed slowly while she sat there in her pajamas.
"That's the Rain Flame. That's why it's raining," Reborn explained. "This element is the gentlest; you could say it's the safest for you. Consider it a lucky day. Yamamoto is on his way to pick you up now, so don't be afraid."
"Understood," she replied before Reborn hung up.
The gentlest flame. Saya comforted herself with a small smile and began her daily routine as usual.
After showering and dressing, she prepared bento boxes. Since she was already at it, she intended to make lunch for the Vongola Guardians who took turns looking after her. Yesterday, she had been so caught off guard by everything that she hadn't made anything for Gokudera; she made a mental note to compensate him next time.
"By the way… what does Yamamoto-kun like to eat?" she murmured in front of the gas stove. She remembered his father owned a sushi shop, but wondered if fish or seafood might be too repetitive for him. "In that case… let's go with Chicken Teriyaki."
She set to work. Despite moving slower than usual and feeling a chill deep inside, the warmth of the stove helped her endure the symptoms.
I should probably get a kotatsu ready, Saya thought. She couldn't stand in front of the stove all day.
Ding-dong!
The doorbell rang just in time. Saya opened it to find a dark-haired boy with slightly tanned skin and the handsome, classic look of an athlete. Yamamoto stood at the door, smiling broadly and waving even though he was damp from the rain. Saya saw a car driving away—likely Reborn dropping him off. "Hey! Morning, Saya-chan. How are you feeling?"
"I'm a bit cold, but I can manage. My movements are a little slow, but nothing more than that. I'll be in your care today, Yamamoto-kun," Saya bowed politely. Yamamoto waved his hands dismissively in a flurry.
"We're friends, don't be so formal! By the way…" Yamamoto paused as he caught the scent of food. He sniffed the air and gave her a soft smile. "Are you making bento?"
"Yes, but I didn't know what you liked, so I made Chicken Teriyaki," she gave him a sweet smile and opened the door wide to let him in. "I'm not sure if it'll be to your taste, though."
"Hmm, I'll have to try it first, but it smells delicious," he said. "But first, give me your hand."
After closing the door, Saya reached out to him. He ignited the flame on his ring and stabilized hers. "Thank you," she said as Yamamoto smiled back.
"Lead the way, Saya-chan. Pardon the intrusion." He scratched his head as the girl nodded and led him inside.
As Saya guided him toward the kitchen, the boy looked around, observing her home. He noticed that while the house was decorated in warm beige tones, it felt strangely lonely. Yamamoto felt a pang of curiosity but chose not to pry since they weren't yet that close. He kept his questions to himself.
"I made some for breakfast too. I wasn't sure if you'd eaten yet, so I thought making extra would be better," she said, lifting the pan of teriyaki chicken from the stove. After Yamamoto patted his hair dry with a towel, he helped her scoop the rice and expertly arranged the bento boxes—a skill clearly inherited from his family's restaurant business.
Once the bentos were packed, it was time for breakfast, featuring the same teriyaki chicken. But as she was transferring a piece of chicken into Yamamoto's bowl…
"Yama… Yamamoto-kun!" Saya cried out. Suddenly, the blue flame that had been contained in the bracelet burst forth. The rain outside intensified instantly, echoing yesterday's chaos. Now, Saya's entire body was engulfed in a brilliant, blazing blue flame. Yamamoto was shocked by the sudden surge, especially since he thought he had just balanced her flames moments ago.
Faster than thought, Yamamoto ignited his ring again and grabbed Saya's arm. After a few moments, the flames on her body gradually calmed until they vanished.
"It's okay now," Yamamoto said softly, his eyes full of concern. Saya remained in shock, her voice trembling.
"Mr. Reborn said it was the gentlest flame… he said it was safe," she muttered, her face pale. Her heart was racing so hard it felt like it might burst from her chest. When Yamamoto touched her hand, he realized it was as cold as if she had been standing in the rain for minutes.
"…I didn't think it would erupt again either… I'm truly sorry." The boy looked into her pale blue eyes; they were shaking with terror. In that moment, she seemed so much more fragile than the girl who had been smiling sweetly a moment ago.
"…That really scared you, didn't it?" he asked, taking her hand in both of his. "Don't be afraid. If anything happens, I'll protect you. Everyone in Vongola will, too. You'll be safe, Saya-chan."
Saya looked at Yamamoto and nodded as if she understood, though her hands were still shaking violently. Her large eyes began to brim with uncontrollable tears. Seeing this, Yamamoto decided to stand up and pull her small frame into a hug.
Saya's eyes widened, but she didn't resist. Instead, she hugged him back, gripping him tighter and tighter. She buried her face in his chest, her whole body trembling. Yamamoto stroked her hair gently with empathy. As he looked out the window, he saw that the rain was finally starting to let up.
"Let's go to school, alright? The rain has slowed down, Saya-chan." Saya nodded against his chest. "But… only after we eat. I'm hungry now."
Yamamoto gave a wide grin as the girl looked up, her eyes still a bit red from crying. She nodded several times before they slowly pulled apart and sat down to eat.
In reality, she had only transferred to this school a week ago. Although Yamamoto was her classmate, she didn't know him well. From what she could see, he was kind and friendly to everyone. His hug was unfamiliar and strange, yet she had been so truly terrified—it was more than she could handle alone, both physically and mentally.
Saya stole a glance at him as he ate, seemingly without a care in the world. Surprisingly, she felt a sense of peace, yet also a strange, fluttering turbulence in her heart.
Once they were full, she and Yamamoto left the house together, both carrying bento boxes wrapped in red cloth. Though it was still drizzling and the sky remained overcast, light was beginning to break through the clouds.
Saya looked up at the sky where Yamamoto was pointing and saw a rainbow stretching across the horizon. The girl thought it was absolutely beautiful.