Like Clear Skies, Like Rain

At the end of May, the rain began pouring down in torrents. Almost every day, Kashiwagi had to get his shoes and trouser cuffs wet while going back and forth between the office and home.

To avoid the hassle, he started grabbing a quick lunch every day at a small restaurant downstairs from his office.

But as much as he hated the relentless rain, even harder to bear was the gaze coming from the cafe across the street.