Chapter 1: Prologue M -ZERO-

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"Hm?"

I was in the middle of processing the paperwork for an urgent mission that had suddenly come down.

At the sound of something lightly tapping against the window—tap, patter—without any steady rhythm, I set down the documents and looked outside.

Tap, patter, tap.

Unlike before, the raindrops now tapped against the window with a rhythm of their own.

As I watched them, I finally realized that the room had grown dark.

'Had I been concentrating too hard?'

It should still have been broad daylight.

It was almost strange that I had not noticed the room growing this dark.

"Mmm~."

Crack.

Perhaps because I had been working in the same rigid position for far too long, my entire body ached as though it had knotted up.

I put down the documents, stretched, and slowly rose from my seat.

Moving too suddenly might startle my muscles and make them ache even more.

"Ow, ow..."

Starting with my arms, then my neck, waist, and legs, I slowly loosened up my body.

As my stiff body gradually relaxed, I finally began to feel lighter.

Patter-patter-patter.

Meanwhile, the sound of the rain was steadily growing fiercer.

Watching the heavy downpour, I slowly approached the window.

The rain was coming down so fiercely now that I could not see even an inch ahead.

I watched it for a while before absentmindedly placing a hand against the window.

Had the sight of the rain made me sentimental?

In a way, it was a memory that had become hazy now, like the dark clouds covering the sky.

And yet, strangely enough, whenever I tried to recall it, it came back as vividly as sunlight streaming down after the rain had cleared.

"...But it is a memory that no longer exists."

A memory that only I remembered now.

A story no one would believe, no matter whom I told.

But it was, without a doubt, a memory that had existed for me.

That day, too, had been a rainy day.

.

.

.

.

.

"...Ah."

Soaked by the pouring rain, I slowly lifted my head.

'What is this running down my face right now?'

'Is it rainwater?'

'Or... is it something else?'

Thinking that, I sat alone in a corner of the rooftop and pulled the lunch box in my arms closer against my chest.

Then, squeezing my eyes shut, I lowered my head.

No one cared about me anyway.

What did it matter if I was like this?

Even if I caught a cold like this.

Even if I came down with a raging fever.

No one would give me even the slightest bit of attention.

As I thought that, lightly biting my lower lip and sobbing, it happened.

"What are you doing? Why aren't you getting out of the rain?"

An unfamiliar voice came from in front of me.

"...Leave me alone."

I replied without lifting my face.

I assumed it was someone who had approached me without even properly looking at me.

And the person in front of me now would surely be the same.

The moment I lifted my face and they realized I was Raiden Mei, they would undoubtedly leave, just like everyone else.

"No, there's no way I can leave you alone when it's raining like this."

"?!"

It was then.

I felt something being placed over my head.

When I lifted my head in surprise, my gaze met that of a white-haired male student, soaked to the bone by the rain.

Clear, crystalline blue eyes visible beyond his glasses.

The moment I saw those eyes, I—

"...The sky."

Like an idiot, I blankly found myself captivated by those eyes.

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