Raising the Wind, Calling the Blessed Rain | [Short Story]

This is a venue for RaM-style stories and creative fiction.

Although it is currently the Creative Awards season, this is a wandering, aimless work, so there is no need to read it too seriously.

Please enjoy it as a palate cleanser for your busy daily life. ☕✨

Synopsis

A cafe called "🍀nanohanacafe🍀" stands in a certain back alley.

One day, I notice a rainstorm battering the cafe windows. The black cat who is becoming the shop's poster girl also seems a bit scared; she curls her already small body even tighter, making herself look even smaller.

I have a premonition that this temporary storm will bring someone here. Just as I start preparing a little early, the bell announcing a customer rings.
From here, what kind of encounter will unfold?

Raising the Wind, Calling the Blessed Rain

It had been raining all day long. The sky was gloomy and dark, and the pouring rain showed no signs of stopping.

In the evening, as the rain began to intensify, there was a sudden sound of rain, carried by a strong wind, hitting the outer wall hard. Along with that sound, I had a certain premonition. It seemed that Mi-chan, the black cat who is the shop's mascot, felt the same. Our eyes met, and I was convinced of it.

“You have a feeling too, don't you? I have a strange feeling that person might come. I'm going to go out and run some errands before the rain gets any worse. You... you'll stay here, right? I'll close the shop, and with this weather, I don't think anyone will come, but just in case someone does, please keep them company for a little while.”

The black cat gave a small “meow” and lowered her eyes. I wondered if it was a slight act of defiance, but I pretended not to notice and left the shop.

Even so, it was a heavy downpour. Raindrops carried by the strong wind slipped past my umbrella, reaching me and soaking my jacket.

I run a cafe called “🍀nanohanacafe🍀” in a back alley that no one notices.

Other than inviting customers in through word-of-mouth—or rather, cat-of-mouth—hardly any new customers ever come.

While I think I should gradually expand my reach to the outside world, I harbor a faint hope that if I prioritize what I want to do, someone will find me someday.

The premonition I felt this time also concerns Mi-chan, the black cat who has now become such an important presence that the cafe could not even operate without her.

While harboring complex feelings, it is best to make preparations in advance so that I won't be troubled even if this premonition becomes reality.

Having decided that, I came out to shop while it was raining.

By the time I had stopped by my favorite confectionery shop and a store that stocks stylish ingredients—which I have taken the liberty of considering a regular customer—and acquired the items, the sound of the rain had weakened slightly.

When I returned to the shop, the black cat was in the same spot as before I left. It seems there were no visitors while I was away.

"If there are no customers while I'm preparing for tomorrow's opening, I'll close the shop early."

Once that was decided, things moved quickly.
I immediately started the preparations for tomorrow and finished in about an hour.

The rain kept starting and stopping, and there were no signs that the weather would recover.

I closed the shop at 6:00 PM and decided to rest in preparation for the next day.

It was a morning where I woke up feeling better than I expected.

Because I had slept so deeply, I jumped out of bed in a panic, thinking I might have overslept, but when I looked at the clock on my smartphone, it was five minutes earlier than my usual time.

I finished getting ready and had a quick breakfast.
When I headed toward the shop, the guide cat, Mi-chan the black cat, had already started her day.
I fed her and began preparing to open.

Although the rain had stopped, there was an incredible gale. When I stepped outside the shop, black clouds were being blown in from the west.

In an instant, a strong, lukewarm gust of wind blew. Thinking that it might start raining, I hurried inside the shop. Immediately after, the rain began to fall.

"Mi-chan. It looks like that premonition might come true after all."

Speaking to the black cat who cannot talk as if it were only natural, I returned to the shop's kitchen and began to boil water.

Just then, clink-clank—the door bell rings, announcing a visitor.

"Hello."

Hearing a familiar woman's voice, I turned my eyes toward the door and replied.

"Welcome. I had a feeling you might come. Please, take any seat you like. I'll bring you some water in a moment."

"Thank you. In that case, I'll take that one today."

The woman walked toward the table by the window.

Just like that day, her long skirt was fluttering. Perhaps it was because the rain had just stopped, or maybe she had walked carefully to avoid the puddles, but the hem of her skirt was completely clean.

"Hehe. Your coat is in good condition, too. You must be living in a pretty good environment, aren't you? I'm glad."

I heard the woman talking to the shop's cat.

As I brought out the water and a wet towel, I responded to her conversation with the black cat.

"This little one has become a guide cat who brings customers in. Did he have that habit back when you were with him? And they're almost always people who seem to be looking for this place. I think it's an amazing ability."

"I wonder... how was he? Of course, he was such a good boy that I thought very seriously about leaving him behind. I had prepared myself for it, too."

At this moment, the black cat approached and let out a meow.

He had an expression as if to say, 'Are you still talking about that?'

Thinking I couldn't keep the conversation going like this, I quickly changed the subject and, with a hint of pride, handed her the menu.

"We have more items on the menu than when you visited before. For the sets, the dishes are chef's choice. We also have alcohol available; would you like some?"

"I would love to enjoy it in style, but it is only 10 o'clock. I have another appointment after this, so I really shouldn't be letting the alcohol get the better of me. Could I have this afternoon tea set, please?"

"As expected, you have excellent taste. Certainly. You may choose your drink from this menu. By the way, those who order the afternoon tea set get unlimited refills. Today's tea is a cold-brewed citrus tea. What would you like to start with?"

"You even made a menu...! I think I'll start with an Earl Grey."

"Yes. Please wait a moment."

The woman took a book out of her bag and tried to read, but she seemed concerned about the black cat, as she kept following it with her eyes.

Whether the black cat noticed or not, it seemed restless, approaching and then moving away from the woman's table.

I prepared the food for the afternoon tea set in the kitchen.
It was worth the effort of sourcing these ingredients in yesterday's torrential rain. I arranged the finest sweets I could offer in this shop right now.

That said, since this is a cafe where not much profit is expected, there are fewer items than the afternoon tea served at a luxury hotel.

The bottom tier held a small selection of baked goods. Among these, the orange peel scones are my personal recommendation.

Then, the middle tier featured two types of highly aromatic chocolate truffles, a Basque cheesecake, and a small strawberry tart.

Thinking that something savory is occasionally needed with sweets, I prepared sandwiches using roast beef sourced from a regular supplier.
Mindful of the presentation, I finished it by placing a pintxo-style appetizer on the top tier, consisting of cherry tomatoes, pickles, and cubed cheese on a skewer.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Here is today's afternoon tea set. I'll leave the menu here. Please, take your time and enjoy."

"And... would you like me to bring you any other drinks?"

"Then, could I have a hot cafe latte, please?"

"Certainly. If you need any other drinks, please don't hesitate to ask."

I returned to the kitchen and, while pretending to tidy up, glanced toward where the woman was sitting. Her appearance didn't seem to have changed much since her last visit, but the impression she gave off felt different.

With every bite of the sweets she takes, her expression seems to soften just a little.

I had been planning to wait for the right moment to speak to the woman.

"How does it taste?"

"It's delicious, of course. You've improved your skills."

"Well, it's not really my own doing, though."

"Bringing out the best in the ingredients is also a test of one's skill."

While having that conversation, I took her order for cold-brew tea and stepped away to prepare it. As I headed back, I racked my brain on how best to ask about how she had been doing lately.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Here is the cold-brew citrus tea. I think it's the perfect drink to cleanse your palate. Please enjoy."

"Thank you very much."

The way she took a sip through the straw felt like something I had seen somewhere before, but I decided to focus on the present and stopped trying to recall the memory.

"How have you been?"

The woman looked at me, appearing startled. I wondered for a moment if I had asked something I shouldn't have, but I decided to wait for her reply.

"After parting ways with Mii-chanblack cat, my time alone really increased. I realized there were so many things I had been helped with, and that there is also pain in accepting change on one's own. As I let go, space opened up, and I became able to let new stimuli into myself as well."

After a pause, the woman brought the straw to her lips and took a sip.

Watching her drink through the straw, I heard the sound of a story beginning.

However, I probably hadn't reached the main point yet, and nothing was coming into view. I almost said the magic words, but since this story seemed important to her, I decided to listen until the end.

"I thought I had been living my life in my own way until now. But it seems I hadn't been able to see what was truly important within me. When a space opened up, what I saw was the question, 'Is it okay for me to keep living like this?' I don't think it's a bad thing to think of others, but somehow, I felt like I was being left behind. Come to think of it, it was raining on the day I was thinking about this, too."

"After I lost track of where I was, I fell ill more severely than ever before. I took some medicine just for peace of mind, but I could only lie there. It was raining outside, and I didn't feel like going to the hospital, so I just managed with the medicine I had. I was so lonely back then... It was when I had finally recovered a little after being so sick. There was a moment when my vision seemed to brighten, and I intuitively thought, 'Maybe this is the path I want to live!' It's like the saying 'after the rain, the earth hardens,' but while the old me certainly still existed within me, I felt like a new me had sprouted. From then on, my body felt lighter. It's strange, isn't it, even though my weight hasn't changed."

"You've been through a lot of changes. So, does it feel like you're able to do what you want to do lately?"

"Thanks to you, it feels that way."

"I'm glad to hear that. It turns out that bad weather and letting go of things can be surprisingly good. When it comes to letting go, there are times when you do it willingly and times when you have to do it unintentionally, aren't there? I think you can say anything with 'what ifs,' but results are only born from the facts you've accumulated over time. And since you don't always see those results right away, I think it's difficult to judge. Perhaps doing your best at the time or continuing with steady efforts will lead to a day when you can praise yourself."

"I think living as a person is not a bad thing. Of course, there are unpleasant things, but if you can look at it positively overall, I think life is clear skies. I don't think living together with someone like that is bad either."

The woman seemed to be speaking to the black cat.
Without me noticing, the black cat was lying at the woman's feet.

The day we talked about taking care of this black cat.
This woman had ordered an iced coffee. I felt even then that she was a person with a strong core, but being able to realize for oneself the good, natural qualities of this woman—the parts she wants to make the most of—might be a great light in life that guides that person.

The woman, who had stayed for about an hour, said she had errands to run and stood up to pay.

For some reason, I felt like I wouldn't see her for a while.

I told her the tea bag of iced tea and the scone were a gift to commemorate her visit, and handed them to her.

Perhaps sensing some kind of premonition, the black cat also saw her off to the exit of the shop.

On sunny days, rainy days, cloudy days, and stormy days.

Even though there are all kinds of days.

Each person is living their own life in their own place.

I learned that being able to think that way can sometimes give one hope for living.

Outside the shop, the sky has completely cleared up.
It doesn't look like it will rain for a while.

Raising the Wind and Calling for Blessed Rain
<<End>>

🍀nanohanacafe🍀, which opens once a month.

The stories so far are collected in the magazine below.

A collection of stories that take place in a mysterious cafe that quietly appeared in the town of note. The password to enter the shop is "#WhatIsThisStory".

Related stories are here.