The Rain Planet

The Rain Planet

The sound of rain.

Kaizuka Inaho opened his eyes, blinking a few times. Then he gave a wry smile—he must have been half-asleep.

He didn’t like bitterness, but in moments like this, he found himself wishing for a cup of coffee without sugar. Or perhaps a very strong green tea. Things that now existed only in memory.

The bedroom had one window. Though covered, it had long since been left open. The lighting felt oddly bright—had he forgotten to dim it? Blinking slowly, Inaho let his gaze wander.

Rain… how long had it been?

Turning to the window on impulse, Inaho sat up with a sudden start at what he saw.

“Slaine? Hey, wake up.”

It wasn’t an illusion. The sound was real. He reached out and shook the shoulder beside him. A muffled breath escaped, and with a great yawn, the figure stirred.

“What is it…? Can’t you wake me more gently…?”

Rolling onto his back, Slaine rubbed his eyes. His hair flared out on the pillow, wild in all directions—he looked like a sleepy lion.

“I’ll do that next time. But look.”

Inaho slipped off the bed, pulling Slaine’s hand with him. Barefoot, they rushed to the window. Seeing the world beyond the circular triple-pane glass, Slaine exclaimed:

“It’s raining…!”

It wasn’t an illusion.

Beyond the glass, streaks of rain blurred into the sea and sky.

“It’s real,” Inaho said. “Real rain.”

“Yeah…”

“The sky’s not blue.”

“Maybe the atmosphere’s different from Earth’s.”

“Rayleigh scattering?”

“If we figure out the mechanism, maybe they’ll name it after us.”

“Hah…”

Slaine laughed softly, crumpling into the smile, then turned his gaze back to the sky. The planet’s light reflected off his face, shimmering with aurora-like hues.

“There’s air and water here.”

Placing both palms against the glass, he stared out in wonder.

Inaho watched his profile—absorbed, quiet, awash in light.