Work Text:
It was rare to have all members of SEES present in the dorm on a normal day. But it was a Saturday evening and there was a steady downpour going on, trapping everyone inside, so this would count as a pretty abnormal day. Not an unwelcoming one, though, Minato thought to himself as he stared at the tall windows by the door.
He watched the rain with a headphone on, simultaneously listening to the thrumming of the music in his ear and beat of the raindrops outside. On a normal day, he quite enjoyed the company of rain, the louder the better. He would match the volume and pacing of the songs in his MP3 to the tune of the gloomy weather, feeling in sync with the world around him. And then he would either read a book or study or fall asleep unintentionally and the next thing he knew it would be bright and sunny, his MP3 dead silent.
But this wasn’t quite a normal day. Instead, he was sitting at the couch in the lounge with Hamuko asleep next to him, her head on his shoulder and the other half of his headphones pressed to her ear. Most people were used to it being the other way around, with Minato dozing off and Hamuko being as chipper and lively as ever. Then again, this wasn’t a normal day, so Minato didn’t let it bother him too much.
Accompanying them at the lounge were the rest of the second years, including Aigis, who was standing still and quiet at Hamuko’s other side, watching her intently. Yukari and Fuuka sat together on the opposite couch, growing more anxious and upset. Junpei paced around the front door, peering from one window to the next as if the rain looked different from each view. In the other room, the tasty smell of curry wafted from the dining table, where Mitsuru, Akihiko and Ken ate in quiet content. Further back, Shinjiro busied himself with cleaning the kitchen and rearranging the fridge, muttering to himself as he worked. A little ways next to where Ken sat, Koromaru was stretched out comfortably on the floor, staring at the kitchen and ears twitching at Shinjiro's every movement.
Indeed, they seemed to be the calmest amidst the restlessness in the lounge and the roaring storm outside.
Minato watched with mild interest as Ken slowly reached down to give something to Koromaru (a potato? Hopefully not) before Yukari let out a loud huff that made Ken jump guiltily in his seat, quickly retracting his food back.
"It's not letting up, is it?" Yukari groaned as she leaned back and stared at the ceiling.
“Dammit, why did it have to be today of all days?” Junpei grumbled, making his way from behind the counter to land miserably on the armchair, finally joining the group.
A soft but exasperated sigh came from Fuuka as she typed away lightly on her laptop. “It’s been hot and sunny the entire week. They predicted it would last throughout the weekend, with only a small chance of rain…”
“So we jinxed it, huh?” Yukari slumped forward, hanging her head. “Bummer. I was really looking forward to karaoke night with you guys.”
That had been the plan for weeks now. Just the second years spending the evening together, with dinner at the strip mall and then karaoke at Mandragora until the late hours of the night, maybe even reaching sunrise. They couldn’t do it during weeknights of course, not just because of school and the ever-present fear of breaking Mitsuru’s set curfew, but because Hamuko was always working her various part-time jobs. When she was free on weekends, it was Yukari or Junpei who had plans, and sometimes even Minato, who usually preferred to stay home after dark, would occasionally visit Club Escapade until sometime before midnight.
Thinking about it now, maybe he could’ve sacrificed some of that time listening to the old monk talk and made way for his friends instead. But then again…
He felt Hamuko shift her head a bit, leaning into his shoulder even more. As gently as he could, he slid a hand underneath hers that rested right where their legs touched, and just as gently entwined their fingers.
“I know she was looking forward to it too,” he said, keeping his voice low.
All eyes turned to him as if surprised he had spoken, then went to the sleeping Hamuko and collectively relaxed.
“She was definitely the most excited about it,” Yukari smiled fondly. “She’d always feel so bad about us pushing it back because of her work, but I honestly never minded it. I just wanted her to have fun too.”
“And c’mon, Minato! Don’t act like you weren’t excited for it too,” Junpei gave a teasing grin. “Hamuko-chan was always telling us how badly you wanted to hangout with us. Ya didn’t have to be so shy, y’know!”
Minato couldn’t help the small smile forming on his face. Of course she would be the one to say something like that, though he didn’t recall ever coming up with those exact words.
“I do wanna hangout with you guys,” his gaze rested on the hand he was holding, “it just doesn't feel right without her along.”
A mechanical nod came from Aigis. “I agree. Hamuko-san wishes to hangout with all of you as well. It is only natural for her to be by his side, and I am by theirs.”
“It’s really sweet how you’re always looking out for each other,” Fuuka commented with a gentle look on her face.
“Well, those two are always together. And wherever they go, Aigis would follow. That’s the way it always is, right?” laughed Yukari, and then she paused, “But I guess it hasn’t been like that for a while now.”
“Yes. She has been incredibly busy, so I could not be with her as much as I would have liked,” Aigis frowned, glancing at her sleeping friend. “It seems she is only now feeling the exhaustion from the past few weeks.”
“I’ve been trying to get her to rest on weekends,” sighed Minato. “She kept insisting to hangout with us, but… I could tell she was just forcing herself again.”
“Hey, is that why you’d suddenly have plans to go to Escapade whenever the rest of us were free? So we couldn’t all go out together?” Junpei half-joked, but when Minato didn’t respond, his eyes widened in realization and he let out a quiet “oh”.
Casting a wistful look at the windows, Yukari gave a little smile. “Well, maybe it’s not such a bad thing it rained today after all.”
It really was strange, how things turned out. An hour ago, they were all distraught by the sudden downpour, having to consider postponing their weeks-ago plan yet again but at the same time not willing to give up just yet. Hamuko, ever the optimist, was the one who suggested waiting for the rain to let up. It made sense that out of all of them, she was the most determined to see this plan through no matter what. And so it also made sense, Minato figured, that she passed out comfortably on his shoulder within ten minutes, her days of working with little to no rest finally catching up to her.
Of course it took a heavy rain basically cancelling their outing to get her to sleep. It was just one of the many little things that made this a rather abnormal day.
“Hey, if you kids wanna waste your time sulking, you probably shouldn’t do it with empty stomachs. You haven’t had dinner yet, right?” The second years all whipped their heads to the dining area at Shinjiro’s annoyed call. It looked like he was done with whatever he was doing in the kitchen and was just about to join the others at the table.
Akihiko looked up, beaming energetically. “Yeah, join us while there’s still some left! You don’t wanna miss out on the extraordinary Shinji’s cooking, do you?”
“Just shut up and eat your food,” muttered Shinjiro with a glare at Akihiko.
“He’s right! Shinjiro-san’s cooking is the best!” Ken exclaimed happily. Beside him, Koromaru gave an enthusiastic bark and licked his mouth, as Ken leaned over to give him scritches behind the ears. “Hehe, even Koromaru agrees! The curry tastes great, doesn’t it?”
Shinjiro rolled his eyes with a quiet grunt and looked away, before snapping his gaze back at the middle schooler. “Wait, how does Koro-chan know about my curry?”
Lowering a cup of tea from her lips, Mitsuru gave an amused chuckle. “It seems we’re all in agreement, then. There’s no point waiting for the rain to pass any longer. Wouldn’t it be worth your time to enjoy a homemade meal among friends?”
The second years exchanged glances of brief uncertainty with each other, before replacing it with warm smiles as they got up from their seats. Just like that, feelings of sadness and dismay were washed away in the rain, and in its place a comforting glow that reminded them of home. Despite many weeks of planning and anticipation, it all felt rather trivial now that there was something else they could still enjoy together.
“Ah, I guess it’s not a total loss that we didn’t get to eat outside. I’m always up for Shinjiro- senpai’s cooking!” said Yukari cheerfully as she stretched her arms in the air, making her way to the dining area.
“Dinner with the whole gang and senpai made the food? Sounds good to me!” Junpei chirped with his signature big grin.
Fuuka followed close behind, a hand stifling her giggle. “It really has been a while since all of us here ate together, hasn’t it? It’s almost like a family gathering.”
Though his cheeks were slightly pink, Shinjiro made a show to roll his eyes and pull an exaggerated frown. “It’s nothing like that at all. I didn’t make anything big or special ‘cause you guys were eating out and I figured it’d just be the four of us. Luckily I made extra portions, so there’s enough for everyone. Now sit down and eat before it gets cold.”
They were happy to oblige, chattering amongst each other excitedly as Minato watched from where he still sat at the lounge, hand still clasped with Hamuko’s and Aigis still hovering next to them. He allowed himself to smile at the colorful sight of his friends and the ever-present warmth beside him. Minato would typically avoid big social groups, but the members of SEES were quick to understand and never got upset with his lack of conversation. In fact, his curt and straightforward answers somehow made it easier for them to talk to him, which was both surprising and reassuring to know. Minato couldn’t quite place when he started indulging in their company, but he found that he didn’t mind if things were loud and annoying if it was with his friends.
A loud, hungry grumble was heard, and Minato instinctively put a hand on his stomach, though it took him a few long seconds to realize it hadn't come from him. He tilted his head to look at Hamuko, who was already drooling on his shoulder with a dreamy grin on her face.
"One more… special ramen bowl… for me please…" she whispered, still in deep sleep.
Minato sighed. “Aigis, you should join the others. I’ll wake her up.”
When she didn’t move immediately, Minato looked up at Aigis hesitantly glancing between them and the rest of the group. She frowned and lowered her head. “I… do not wish to leave your side. After all, since I do not require eating, I will not be of much use. It may be best I go into standby mode while I await everyone’s return.”
It was Minato’s turn to frown. “Aigis…”
“Hey Ai-chan! Over here!” The two of them looked over to the source of the voice to see Junpei waving enthusiastically. “Which part of the curry should I give to Koro-chan? He looks like he really wants some!”
“You idiot, I just said not to feed him this stuff!” growled Shinjiro.
“C’mon, senpai! Look how happy he is seeing everyone here. I don’t want him to feel left out. Maybe he can have a piece of the chicken--”
“He’s gonna get sick if you feed him that! Just stop it.” A pause. “...Dammit, Koro-chan. Don’t give me those eyes…”
With a small smile, Minato turned back to Aigis who seemed to mirror his expression. She met his gaze and nodded, her posture relaxing. “Very well. I shall wait for you by Koromaru-san’s side, and allow myself to enjoy the company of friends while they feast.” With that, she made her way to the chaos at the dining table, a skip in her steps that Minato wondered if he had imagined.
Now alone with Hamuko, Minato closed his eyes and leaned back comfortably. He turned off his music player and took in the many mixtures of sounds around him; the rhythmic beat of the raindrops, the melodious clanking of spoons and plates, the noisy symphony of his friends’ laughter, and the quiet hum of Hamuko’s snoring close to his ear. All weirdly in tune with one another, an instrumental harmony that came so naturally for something that didn’t happen everyday. For some reason, Minato felt the urge to sing.
Another round of grumbling cut him off, this time coming from his own stomach. He sighed again and opened his eyes. While the moment of peace was fleeting, he was ready to play his part in it now, rather than sit by and listen.
He gave Hamuko’s hand a gentle squeeze and just slightly nudged his occupied shoulder. “Hamuko… wake up.”
She groaned a little, shifting her head and settling in again, before Minato nudged her again and she finally lifted her head, blinking awake. He watched as her scarlet eyes slowly took in her surroundings and came into focus.
“What… where is…? ...Ah!”
She sat up immediately, gaze flitting from the windows to the clock, her eyes now wide in shock. “D-Did I overslept? Did everyone leave without us? Even though it’s still raining--!”
“Calm down,” said Minato, rubbing his thumb in small circles over her hand until she looked back. “We're still here. We just decided to stay in today, since the rain isn't letting up.”
“Stay… in? Then the plan--”
“... Will have to make another time.”
Hamuko stared down at their interlocked hands. Her bangs casted her eyes in shadow, but Minato didn't need to see them to know how she felt. He tightened his hold. “It's not your fault.”
She didn't reply, so he pressed on. "You've been working yourself to the bone. It's okay to rest when you're tired, and not force yourself to make time for us."
“I…” she whispered faintly. “It's not fair… for you guys to wait for me all the time…”
Minato shook his head. “It wouldn't be fair for you to always put yourself second behind us, either. We never feel like you owe us anything or have to make it up to us. And no amount of cancelled plans will make us stop caring about you, so don’t worry about it.”
She looked up slowly, meeting his gaze. Minato fixated on the clouds of conflict and guilt swirling in her eyes, knowing full well it was never up to him to make her feel better, only to offer as much reassurance and love as he could in case she forgot. It pained him to see her so down, but emotions were complicated and it was impossible to feel a certain way without another. Neither of them were really great talkers, especially with each other, but simple words were good enough for two people with a bond as special as theirs.
It took him by surprise though, when she smiled big despite her sad eyes, and said, “You’re so sweet, Minato.”
His cheeks burned and he quickly broke eye contact. He started to pull his hand away, but this time it was Hamuko who tightened her grip, strong and unrelenting. She leaned into him until their heads touched and let out the softest, happiest giggle. “Thanks for caring about me… I’m so glad.”
Minato smiled, leaning into her warmth.
A chorus of laughter from the other room and the insistent growls from their stomachs had them pull away from each other, now simultaneously feeling hunger and the need to join their lively friends. They both stood up, still hand-in-hand, and took two steps towards the dining area before Hamuko stopped, face scrunched in confusion as her free hand wiped her mouth.
“I… drooled on you again, didn’t I?” she asked sheepishly. Minato just chuckled, and she delivered a light punch to his arm. “ Stop , you should be used to it by now! Geez. If I ever catch you drooling in your sleep one of these days, I won’t let you live it down!” And with that, she stormed into the girl’s bathroom.
Still with a lingering smile on his face, Minato made his way to the dinner table and was greeted by the rest of his dorm mates. He took in the delicious smell of food as he sat down beside Junpei, exchanging a nod with Aigis, who stood on the other side next to Ken. Koromaru rounded the table and perched next to him, standing on his hindlegs and resting his front paws and head on Minato’s lap. Feeling ticklish, Minato laughed and used one hand to pet the dog’s head and the other to scoop some rice onto his plate.
“Hehe, Koro-chan’s full of energy tonight huh? He’s really having fun with the whole gang here!” grinned Junpei as he reached out to scratch Koromaru’s ear, resulting in the latter’s tail-wagging to intensify. “Speaking of, Hamuko-chan’s gonna join us later, right? Is she gonna be okay?”
“Yeah, she’ll join us in a bit,” Minato nodded, choosing not to answer the second question. He didn’t like speaking in her place, even though he understood her more than anyone else they ever knew. While their connection was unlike any other, they still wanted to be seen as having their own hearts and feelings.
Hamuko came up to the group a few minutes later. She let out an excited gasp and stared with wide, sparkling eyes. “Oh, this smells so good! I can’t believe we’ve been blessed with senpai’s legendary cooking on such a stormy night! Shinjiro-senpai, you really are the sweetest and the best!”
They all watched as Shinjiro stuttered, struggling to get words out as he turned redder and redder. Eventually he crossed his arms and looked away with the biggest pout on his face (though he would vehemently deny any of this later), prompting everyone to laugh at his reaction.
“You’re just in time, Hamuko-chan. I think Akihiko-senpai was considering a fourth helping!” teased Yukari, as Hamuko sat on the vacant seat between her and Minato.
“Don’t worry, I made sure there’s still enough for you guys too,” Akihiko chuckled. “I can’t help it, I wanna get stronger. And something about Shinji’s cooking always gives me strength that I can’t find anywhere else, so I take as much of it as I can.”
“Oh, is there a secret ingredient that makes his meals so special? I want to learn it too!” Fuuka’s eyes lit up passionately, turning to Shinjiro who was sitting beside her. “Senpai, please keep teaching me so I can provide strength with my cooking too!”
Shinjiro let out a tired groan and slumped lower in his seat. “It’s just curry, goddammit… but fine, I’ll teach you how to make it next time.”
“This is amazing! I really do feel stronger now!” exclaimed Hamuko with her mouth still full. “I’m gonna beat your record Akihiko-senpai, and go for five plates! Minato, team up with me!”
Minato smiled in determination. “Okay.”
Seeing this, Ken immediately straightened up. “I- I want another helping to! I can keep going!”
“My, at this rate, it seems we won’t be having any leftovers tonight,” Mitsuru sighed, a hand at her temple.
“Man, it sure is nice to have the whole gang here, huh?” Junpei had the most relaxed expression as he leaned back, stretched his arms in the air and landed one behind Minato’s chair. “I can’t even remember the last time we’ve gathered around like this. Hey, we should totally do this more often!”
At that, Minato saw Hamuko pause mid-scoop, her eyes clouded once again. She slowly lowered her spoon and took a deep breath to brace herself. Knowing exactly what she wanted to let out, Minato gently placed his hand over hers on her lap, calmly stroking the back of her knuckles. She looked up and gave him a smile that was both nervous and thankful, to which he returned with his own understanding one.
“I…” she started, lifting her head to address her friends. “I’m thinking of taking leave from some of my jobs. I’ll just be working one part-time job at a time, and it’ll only be on weekdays. I’ll make sure of it.”
Everyone at the table stared at her in surprise. It was obvious they also had questions but weren’t sure who should go first. Hamuko’s gaze remained unwavering, but Minato felt her hand twitching restlessly beneath his, so he continued calmly stroking across her palm.
In the end, it was Aigis who broke the silence, in the most humanly kind voice they’d ever heard from her. “Hamuko-san, if that is what you feel is best for you, then I am in full support of your decision.”
Hamuko breathed out in relief and smiled gratefully at her friend. “Thanks, Aigis.”
“If that's the case, I fully respect your decision as well. However,” Mitsuru's gaze softened into genuine concern. “Arisato-san, would it be alright to tell us what prompted you to come to this conclusion? I'm sure the others were wondering the same thing.”
“Well…” Hamuko played with a strand from her ponytail, a nervous habit. “The reason I picked up so many jobs was to fill up my time, because being busy just made me feel better. But when I had to skip out on club practices or student council duties or even plans with my friends, it started feeling pretty terrible. I… just think it's not worth having so much on my hands now, not when there's more important things I want to make time for.”
She turned to Minato, and though no words were exchanged, the resolution in her eyes conveyed her message perfectly. Thanks for making me realize that.
“You know, I think that's a great plan! I'm happy for you, Hamuko-chan,” Yukari beamed. “I bet that'll make a big difference. Actually, I think I'm gonna clear out all my weekends too. No plans or practice with anyone else, just some quality time with everyone here!”
Hamuko blinked at her in surprise. “Yukari…”
“Yeah, me too!” Junpei perked up, striking a pose. “I'll have to formally apologize to all the ladies out there who want a piece of Junpei Time, but from now on, my weekends are off limits! Guess you can consider yourself lucky, eh Minato?” He winked, pulling the other boy close.
Face beet red, Minato scowled as best as he could while buried in Junpei's arms. “I'm… not one of your ladies.”
“Hey, if everyone’s gonna have free time on weekends, maybe I can work my schedule to have you guys on my morning runs,” Akihiko puffed out his chest proudly.
“I don’t know about that…” Fuuka looked slightly anxious, but then she smiled. “I’m usually just here on the weekends though, so you can all find me available at any time.”
“We can all go out and take Koromaru on walks around town! You’d like that, right boy?” Ken leaned over to ask Koromaru, who responded with joyful barks and running around in circles.
Mitsuru let out a thoughtful hum, a hand beneath her chin. Then her face broke into a fond, carefree expression as she regarded her friends. “Very well, then. I will also set aside any work and appointments during the weekends to make time for you all. I believe it will benefit us greatly to be able to rejuvenate after a busy week and strengthen our bonds with one another. Perhaps Arisato-san has just reminded us of what’s truly important, and that we should cherish them while we can.”
Jolting up in surprise, Hamuko was at a loss for words. “Huh? M-Me? But… you guys really didn’t have to--”
Minato took her hand once more, and when she turned to him, he poured all of his true feelings into his eyes and smile, propelling his message through layers of doubt to reach her heart. When he spoke, his voice was soft but more confident than ever. “Hamuko, don’t forget you’re important to us too. You’re always giving us a reason to smile and be happy. Let’s spend more time together, so we can be yours too.”
He watched as tears built up in the corners of her eyes, but instead of wiping them away or letting them fall, Hamuko shook them off, laughing and smiling brightly the way she always did. For a moment it felt like the rain disappeared and the world was once again bathed in sunlight. Minato hadn’t seen her radiance in what felt like so long.
“Thank you… all of you!” she cried, more cheerful than ever.
“Now there’s a smile I hadn’t seen in a while,” Yukari giggled, though she seemed on the verge of tears too. “I’m really glad we decided to do this, even though we had other plans for tonight. But I’d say things still turned out pretty good, so I’m totally fine with this.”
“Oh, actually, about that…” all eyes turned to Fuuka when she spoke up, who seemed pretty excited. “I was thinking… how about we have our own karaoke session here? I’ve got some speakers we can connect to my laptop, and a couple microphones too. I can even try displaying the screen on the TV!”
“Woah, wait, can we really?” Junpei was already on his feet, a grin slowly spreading on his face.
“Hold on a minute,” interrupted Mitsuru with a frown. “Yamagishi, while I am not opposed to the idea, I am a little wary of consuming too much electricity during a storm like this. It might damage your devices should a lightning strike.”
Fuuka shook her head with a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, there won’t be any extra wires involved. I know a way to connect my laptop screen to the TV without them, and the speakers are all portable. They’re fully charged to last about three hours.”
“Three hours... that’ll be until just before midnight. It’s perfect!” Hamuko leapt up from her seat, bouncing on her toes like she was ready to go. “Let’s do it, guys! The first order of business for our newly established ‘SEES Bonding Weekend’ programme starts right now with karaoke night! Time to get fired up!”
“Understood. I shall make preparations to get ‘fired up’,” Aigis nodded, calibrating her missile-launching arms and causing Ken beside her to jump in fright.
“A-Aigis-san, put that away! We won’t be needing it now!”
“Well, if our leader’s set on it, then count me in too,” Akihiko smirked as he made a determined fist. “Alright, Shinji. It’s a duel. Let’s see who runs out of breath first!”
Shinjiro huffed and stretched his hands until they popped. “Heh, this isn’t a sports match, you dumbass. But I won’t hold back.”
“So what do you say, Mitsuru-senpai? Can we do it?” asked Yukari, as everyone peered at the Kirijo heiress in growing anticipation. When Mitsuru looked up and fixed them with a playful, fiery gaze, they collectively felt their spirits light up and burn.
“Alright then. Let’s have a karaoke party!”
Cheers erupted, enveloping them in a warm flame that healed them from the chill of the rain outside.
They divided their tasks quickly-- Minato, Hamuko and Junpei helped Fuuka carry the speakers and microphones from her room, as well as getting an extra microphone from Yukari’s room; the third years cleared the table and washed the dishes, seeing as there were in fact no leftovers after dinner; and Yukari worked on downloading an app version of the common karaoke system on Fuuka’s laptop, which she remembered her friends mentioning. Meanwhile, Ken and Aigis, with Koromaru following them, made sure to switch off and unplug any unused electronics, as the telltale signs of thunder and lightning were beginning to flash outside.
Once they were done and everyone gathered at the lounge, they began to set everything up. They checked the speakers and microphones, making sure they worked fine and their voices came out perfectly. The app loaded up, and when Fuuka plugged a small bluetooth device at the side of the television, the screen immediately matched her laptop’s. The group let out gasps of excitement and awe, before crowding in front of the laptop to choose their songs.
“Wow, Yukari-chan… this app is amazing! There’s so many songs and frequent updates, and some cool features too!”
“You can geek out about the app later, Fuuka-chan. Oh, they have my favourite song! Let’s sing this together, and Mitsuru-senpai too!”
“Very well then, Yukari. Though I’m not too familiar with it so you’ll have to guide me.”
“W-What? They even have soundtracks from all the Featherman movies…?! I-It’s not because I’ve watched them a lot of times or anything…”
“Hey, what’re you so shy for, Ken-kun? How ‘bout we sing this one together, from the first movie? Ai-chan, I bet you can do the autotune vocals!”
“I have successfully installed a voice mixer designed for virtual singing. Perhaps I can imitate the style and pitch of a worldwide pop sensation.”
“I’ve seen you play this song on the radio a couple times, but you don’t strike me as someone who can rap. You wanna prove me wrong, Shinji?”
“You should worry about yourself here, Aki. Try and keep up!”
“Well, Minato?” he felt her hand slip into his, entwining their fingers. She smiled at him a smile that he always treasured, bursting with light and life and precious memories of home and newfound families. Pressed up close together, side-by-side, an ever-present constant in his world where two paths forged into one. “What kind of song does your heart want to sing?”
He closed his eyes, and wondered when had rainy days ever been so colorful the way it was now. He listened to the rich blend of music as they exploded from the speakers, changing palettes and splattering the walls with different tunes, different emotions. The familiar, comforting voices of his friends as they sang, always so loud and yet so vibrant, popping in the air like painted stars. The simple hues of warmth, in the touch of hands and feelings of joy and bonds between loved ones, in the act of coming together as a whole.
If this was a normal day, Minato would spend it in cold solitary with his headphones on, matching the music in his ears to the monotone beat of the raindrops and submerging himself in black and white. But while this wasn’t quite a normal day, it wasn’t in any way strange or disorienting. It was different and refreshing, yet fell into place just right. If there could be more days like this… he found that he wouldn’t mind it at all.
He opened his eyes and found his answer.
Brand New Days.