Super Sentai Couple Pairings One-shot Collection

Naga/Hammie (Kyuranger) AU: Times Like This

"Times like this, I always close my eyes and there you are, smiling..." ~From the Japanese song "Dearest" by Hamasaki Ayumi

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It's raining even though it's summer. But for Hammie, she doesn't consider that weird. In fact, she already expects it. The sky was already showing signs that it was about to rain since that morning. Even still, she continue practicing her spikings so that she'll be ready for the volleyball tournament that the team will participate into by next week.

She's really wet and the ground is starting to become slippery but she still continues practicing. She can't stop now or she'll never be able to perfect it. Not that she actually cares about perfection, though. But things haven't been on her favor lately, especially when she's busy thinking of something else as the practice went on hours earlier.

When Hammie can finally feel her muscles aching, that's when she decides to stop. The rain keeps pouring in torrent and each drop hits her skin like bullets. It hurts, she admits that. The same way she's hurt by the fact that someone's making her do all this effort to do her best so that he'll somehow notice her.

But that's like asking for the impossible, right?

The rain keeps pouring even more but she just stays there in the middle of the court. She sits on the ground and embraces her knees. She looks up, closes her eyes and allows the raindrops to hit her tired face. She's been through a lot for that day and she's hoping that the rain can somehow calm her mind in whatever way possible.

It did calm her, but only for a few moments. Hammie's frown soon deepens as she feels someone watching her. She can't tell if that person has an ill motive for her but there's something weird about that. Before she can even create a conclusive reason in her mind, she abruptly stands up and raises her right hand with her palm facing the direction where she can sense that mysterious person.

However, she freezes to her spot as her eyes widen when she sees someone standing just a few feet away from her position. She literally can't move because of shock.

What is he doing in this place in the middle of the rain? He has an umbrella with him, of course. But still...

Okay, even though Naga is just standing there watching her, his expression is still the same as ever-emotionless. Even still, that emotionless expression isn't enough to stop her heart from beating this fast. She turns around and as inconspicously as she can, she takes a deep breath to calm herself.

Of all days she has to see him...

"You shouldn't stay in the rain for too long," she hears him say.

Undoubtedly, it gives her a surprise but she chooses not to blurt it out. Is he really talking to her?

"It's okay. I'm not going to get sick even if I stay under the rain for a few more hours," she replies without turning to face him.

No words follow after that. It does makes her a bit disappointed. This is her chance, and yet she's not saying anything that will make her talk to him more.

"Then... I guess it's okay with you if I stay here, as well," Naga says soon after.

That makes her face him this time without even bothering to hide the surprise that etches on her face. "You'll what?"

"I'll stay here. At least, I have to make sure you're not going to faint after a few hours of staying under the rain."

This guy is definitely joking now, right? Well, she can't really tell if he's still sporting that emotionless look on his face. But then, why does she have a feeling that something might have made him like this?