Chapter 5 Rain, Friendship, and a Worn-Out Roof

The sun was just starting to rise, casting a hazy orange over the city as he laced up his shoes, double-checked his pockets for the third time to make sure nothing was slipping out. Wallet deep in his front pocket. Phone zipped in the inside flap of his jacket. No distractions today. His steps had more intention now-eyes up, shoulders square, a little sharper around the edges. He'd learned.

He wasn't going to let himself get robbed again.

He moved through the crowd like he belonged, like he was watching everyone out the corner of his eye. It wasn't paranoia. It was survival.

The new job was nothing fancy-still manual labor, still long hours-but it paid better. One of the regulars at his last job had mentioned a place that paid better. Kai followed up, and it worked out.

Just like that. A small win. But in a place like this, small wins stacked up fast.

By noon, he'd finished his shift and gotten his first payment-cash in hand. Not a lot, but more than before. Enough for a decent meal.

He headed toward the now-familiar scent of char and spice.

Mei's cart was exactly where it always was, posted like a stubborn landmark at the edge of a busy intersection. The smoke curled around her like a crown, her hands working quickly over the grill.

She saw him coming and raised an eyebrow. "Back again?"

Kai grinned. "I figured it's time I properly paid for that skewer the other day."

He handed her the money before she could argue.

Mei hesitated, looking at the notes in her hand. "You don't have to-"

"I do," he interrupted. "I don't like feeling like I owe anyone."

Her expression flickered-something between stubbornness and surprise-before she took the cash and turned away. "Well. Good for you then."

"Yeah," he said, and leaned on the side of the cart.

She passed him a skewer, then motioned to the plastic bowl of noodles beside it. "You're lucky. I made extra today."

"Smells amazing," he said, digging in. "You know, people would pay way more for this."

"You volunteering to do my marketing?"

"Only if I get free samples."

Mei rolled her eyes. "Typical."

They ate in silence for a moment, but it wasn't awkward. Not anymore.

After a while, he said, "See? I'm not a scammer or a thief."

She looked at him sideways, then gave a short laugh. "You're still weird."

"Better than being boring."

From then on, it became a routine.

Each day after work, Kai would swing by. Some days he'd just wave. Other times, they'd trade a few words or a joke. Mei never admitted she looked forward to it, but she didn't roll her eyes quite as much anymore either.

He told her about the new job. She made fun of his bruised hands. He asked if she ever took a break. She pretended not to hear him. But somehow, they kept talking.

It wasn't deep. But it was easy.

The hostel was still cramped, still loud. But Kai didn't complain. Not when he had steady work and a hot meal most evenings. Still, he was saving-hoping for a place of his own. Some kind of upgrade, even if it was just a bed that didn't creak every time he breathed.

One evening, the sky started to turn before he could leave work. Heavy clouds rolled in fast, darker than the streetlights that blinked on early. Thunder rumbled in the distance, low and threatening.

By the time Kai clocked out, the first drops had already fallen-fat, warm, and fast.

He moved quickly, but halfway down the block, the sky opened up.

The downpour came like a slap-instant, aggressive, soaking through his jacket in seconds. Water pooled in the gutters and spilled over the sidewalks. People scattered for cover.

He turned a corner and saw Mei's cart.

She was already in motion, scrambling to cover her supplies. The small tarp she had wasn't enough-the rain was coming at an angle, driving sideways into her setup. She was trying to hold up a plastic sheet with one hand while dragging the box of skewers to safety with the other.

"Kai!" she shouted when she saw him.

He didn't hesitate. He sprinted through the flood forming on the street and ducked under the half-collapsing cover.

"Here," he said, grabbing the edge of the tarp. "You hold, I move."

They worked fast. He passed her the soaked napkins, then moved the propane tank to drier ground. She shoved skewers into a lidded container and wiped off the grill with a rag. The world around them blurred-nothing but sheets of rain and splashes of feet running past.

In minutes, they had most of it saved. Not perfect, but not ruined.

They stood under the shaky cover, soaked to the bone, panting.

Mei wiped her forehead with the back of her arm. "Thanks."

Kai nodded, dripping. "You okay?"

"Yeah." She looked at the street. "It wouldn't be nice of me to let you leave right now."

He glanced behind them. The rain hadn't slowed. If anything, it was worse.

"I'll wait it out," he said, though he didn't sound convinced.

She shook her head, like she was arguing with herself more than him. Then she muttered, "Come on."

He blinked. "What?"

"Just for the night," she said, already unhooking the cart wheels. "You can crash at my place. But this is not a rom-com, okay?."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

She gave him a hard look, but her lips twitched.

They pushed the covered cart a short distance to the side alley near her building. Mei unlocked a side door tucked between two buildings. It creaked open to a dim, tiny space.

Her apartment was barely more than a room. A mattress pushed to one side. A cracked window above a small table. A hanging bulb cast a yellow glow across the uneven walls.

It wasn't much. But it was dry.

Kai stood in the doorway, water dripping from his hair. "You sure?"

"No," she said flatly. "But you're already here."

He stepped inside, water dripping with every step.

She tossed him a towel. "You can take the mat."

"Thanks."

She changed into dry clothes behind a curtain while he dried off. When she came back out, he was sitting on the mat, still damp but no longer shivering.

She handed him a bowl of instant noodles.

"This will get me warmed up in a minute." he said, half-laughing. "Guess I'm getting spoiled for night."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't read into it."

He smiled. "Never."

The storm howled outside, wind rattling the window. Water dripped from the corners of the ceiling, but they were safe inside.

They ate in silence for a while. This time, the quiet felt heavier-but not in a bad way. Just... closer.

After they finished, Mei took the bowls and rinsed them in a corner sink.

Kai lay back on the mat, hands behind his head. "Not bad for a rain-soaked rescue mission."

She glanced at him. "If you snore, I'm throwing you out in the rain."

He grinned. "Noted."

She turned off the light.

The room went still.

Outside, the rain kept falling, steady now. Calmer.

In the dark, Kai said softly, "Thanks. For trusting me."

She didn't respond right away.

Then she responded "It's not trust. Just didn't feel like dragging a body out of a flood."

But her voice wasn't cold. Not really.

He smiled into the dark. "Goodnight, Mei."

A beat passed.

"Goodnight, Kai."