"Claire…" Leo whispered to himself.
"I can't believe she's really here."
Claire was walking along the street when she suddenly felt a drop of water on her shoulder.
She looked up at the sky.
"Oh no… it's raining," she said softly.
She quickly took out her umbrella and opened it.
Leo stood at a distance, watching her.
Slowly, he began walking toward her.
But Claire was focused on her path, unaware of him.
The crowd around them grew thicker.
Leo tried to reach her—
…but suddenly, she disappeared into the crowd.
"Oh no… where did she go?" Leo said anxiously.
He looked around, searching everywhere.
People rushed past him as the rain grew heavier.
Within seconds, he was completely drenched.
Then—
He saw her.
"There she is…"
Claire was standing near the street, holding her umbrella.
She looked as if she was waiting for someone.
Just then, a man approached her.
He looked well-dressed… like a businessman.
Leo stopped walking.
"…Who is he?" Leo whispered.
He watched as the man started talking to Claire.
Claire smiled.
Seeing that made something inside Leo feel strange.
A tight, uncomfortable feeling.
"Wait… why am I feeling like this?" Leo thought.
"She's just my friend… and that person might be someone she likes."
"Then why does this feel so… wrong?"
Leo looked down.
"I guess… I should go."
He turned away.
"I'm completely wet anyway…"
Later, Leo returned to his hotel.
He changed his clothes and lay down on the bed.
"What was I even thinking…?" he said quietly.
"It's been years… would she even remember me?"
"Maybe she moved on…"
But no matter how much he tried to ignore it, the image of Claire smiling with that man kept coming back to his mind.
"Ah… why am I even thinking about that?" he said, sitting up.
"This is so annoying…"
The rain continued pouring outside.
Leo looked out the window.
"…Maybe she was the only person I was ever close to," he whispered.
After his parents passed away, he had never truly felt happy again.
He thought that meeting Claire would make things better.
But reality felt different.
Slowly, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
The next morning, Leo woke up.
"Oh… it's morning."
Then he remembered.
"Claire…"
He sat up.
"I guess I should leave now. I don't have any reason to stay here anymore."
He left the hotel and walked through the streets.
As he passed by a café, he suddenly saw someone familiar again.
It was Claire.
She was walking toward her old high school.
"Claire…" Leo whispered.
He followed her from a distance, just to see her a little longer.
"This might be the last time I see her," he thought.
As Claire walked, she suddenly felt something.
It was as if someone was watching her.
She stopped.
"I don't know why… but it feels like someone is following me," she murmured.
Leo quickly hid.
"Oh no… what am I doing?" he thought.
"This is pathetic. I should just go."
Claire entered the school.
Leo sighed.
But just then, a soft wind blew past him.
Cherry blossom petals floated gently in the air.
"Oh… it's about to bloom," Leo said quietly.
Inside the school campus, Claire stopped near a tree.
She looked up.
"Oh… cherry blossoms," she whispered with a faint smile.
"They're about to bloom."
For a moment, she stood there, lost in her thoughts.
Then she walked toward her classroom.
Outside the school, Leo stood silently, looking inside.
"This place…" he thought.
"I had so many memories here."
He looked at the cherry blossom tree again.
Then slowly, he turned away.
By evening, Leo returned to his city.
At home, Mr. Miles greeted him.
"Leo, how was your trip?" he asked.
Leo forced a small smile.
"Ah… it was good."
Mr. Miles nodded.
"That's good to hear."
Leo spoke again,
"I'll come to the company in a few minutes."
Mr. Miles shook his head.
"Leo, you just got back. You should rest today. You don't need to come."
Leo nodded.
"Okay."
Mr. Miles left for the company.
At the company, Werren was in his office.
He looked at his assistant.
"Rayan, where is Leo?" Werren asked.
"I haven't seen him at the company these past few days."