Chapter One: The Sound of Rain
The first drop fell just as Aahil closed the café for the night. He froze, hand still on the key, listening to the faint patter against the glass windows. Within minutes, the drizzle turned steady, filling the streets with the familiar earthy scent of wet soil.
The first rain of the season.
Most people rushed indoors, but Aahil lingered by the door. Rain always made him feel something — a tug deep in his chest, a memory he couldn’t quite shake.
You’ll miss it if you stay inside, Aahil! A boy’s voice, bright and teasing, echoed in his mind. Come on, it’s the first rain. You have to make a wish.
That boy was Mikael. His childhood neighbor. His first best friend. His first… everything he’d never dared to say out loud.
It had been nearly ten years since Mikael left town. And yet, every first rain, Aahil remembered.
He sighed, pulling his jacket tighter — then stopped. Through the blur of rain, a figure appeared across the street. Tall. Familiar. The kind of familiar that made his heart stumble.
No. It couldn’t be.
But when the figure turned, rain slicking back dark hair, eyes locking with his—
It was.
“Mikael…” Aahil whispered.
---
Chapter Two: Reunion
Mikael hadn’t changed much. Broader shoulders, sharper jawline, but the same easy smile Aahil remembered from years ago.
“Aahil Rahman,” Mikael said, crossing the street with that careless stride. “Still standing in the rain like an idiot.”
Aahil’s throat went dry. “You—what are you doing here? I thought you moved abroad for good.”
“Came back last week,” Mikael said simply. “Business trip, family stuff. And… maybe to see if some people still remembered me.” His gaze softened. “Looks like they do.”
The years between them melted in an instant. Aahil laughed weakly, shaking his head. “You still show up with the rain, huh?”
“Always.” Mikael grinned. “Some things don’t change.”
They ducked back into the café, shutting out the storm outside. The place smelled of coffee and warm wood, cozy against the patter of rain.
“You run this place?” Mikael asked, looking around.
“Yeah. Opened it two years ago.”
Mikael smiled. “Figures. You always loved coffee. Used to steal sips from your dad’s cup and pretend you were grown up.”
Heat rushed to Aahil’s face. He hadn’t thought anyone remembered that.
They fell into conversation, hesitant at first, then flowing easier, like an old rhythm returning. Childhood mischief, old neighbors, late-night cricket matches on the street… and always, the rain.
Because rain had been their thing. Running barefoot in puddles. Making paper boats. Whispering secrets under umbrellas. The rain had carried them through every summer — until Mikael left.
---
Chapter Three: The Old Wound
As the night deepened, their laughter quieted. The air grew heavier, the way it does before saying things left unsaid for too long.
“You never wrote back,” Aahil said suddenly, surprising himself. “After you left, I sent letters. Emails. But nothing.”
Mikael’s smile faltered. “I know.”
“Why?”
Mikael looked down at his hands. “Because it hurt too much. Every letter from you reminded me of what I’d lost. And I… I didn’t know how to explain what I was feeling.”
Aahil’s chest tightened. “What were you feeling?”
Silence. Just the rain filling the space between them.
Finally, Mikael looked up, eyes raw. “Like I’d left behind the most important person in my life.”
The words hit harder than thunder. Aahil’s breath caught, his pulse racing. For years he’d buried the ache of Mikael’s absence, convincing himself it had been one-sided. Hearing this now—
“You idiot,” Aahil whispered, voice trembling. “Do you know how many first rains I spent waiting for you? Hoping you’d come back?”
Mikael’s jaw clenched. “Do you know how many first rains I spent wishing I was here with you?”
The storm outside raged louder, matching the storm in their chests.
---
Chapter Four: First Rain, Again
Mikael stood abruptly. “Come with me.”
“What?”
“Come on.”
Before Aahil could argue, Mikael tugged him outside into the downpour. They stood in the middle of the empty street, rain soaking through their clothes, puddles splashing around their shoes.
Aahil shivered. “You’re insane.”
Mikael smiled, that same reckless boy he’d known years ago. “It’s the first rain. You know the rule. You have to make a wish.”
Aahil’s breath caught. He remembered. The game they’d made as kids — first rain, first wish. Always together.
“Go on,” Mikael said softly. “What’s your wish?”
Aahil looked at him, really looked at him — the boy he’d loved, the man he’d missed, the reason no one else had ever felt enough.
“I wish,” Aahil whispered, rain dripping into his eyes, “that you’d stay this time.”
Mikael’s expression broke open, raw and tender. Slowly, he stepped closer until their foreheads touched.
“My wish,” Mikael murmured, “is that you’ll let me.”
And then, as the rain fell around them like blessing, Mikael kissed him.
It was nothing like the clumsy fantasies Aahil had carried all these years. It was real — wet, desperate, filled with every unsaid word, every lonely night, every longing glance. It was home.
When they finally broke apart, Mikael laughed breathlessly. “Guess our wishes finally match.”
Aahil smiled through tears, pulling him back in. “Guess they do.”
---
Chapter Five: After the Rain
The storm cleared by dawn. The streets shimmered, washed clean, the sky pale with morning light.
Inside the café, Aahil brewed two steaming cups of coffee while Mikael sat at the counter, hair still damp, smile lazy and content.
“So,” Mikael said, wrapping his hands around the mug. “Think you can forgive me for disappearing all those years?”
Aahil gave him a look. “We’ll see. Might take a lot of coffee dates.”
“Good thing you own the place.”
They laughed, the sound light and new.
Outside, the world smelled of wet earth and new beginnings.
And for the first time in years, Aahil didn’t feel the ache of waiting for the rain. Because Mikael was here. And this time, he was staying.
---
Chapter Six: Promises in the Rain
It had been a week since the first rain, and Mikael had kept his promise — he stayed.
The café had never felt so alive. Mikael would drop by almost every evening, sometimes helping behind the counter, sometimes just sitting with a book until Aahil’s shift ended. Customers quickly grew used to seeing him there, teasing Aahil about his “new assistant,” much to Aahil’s embarrassment.
One evening, as another drizzle tapped against the windows, Mikael leaned over the counter with a mischievous grin.
“Close up early.”
Aahil raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
“Because it’s raining again.”
Aahil laughed. “You can’t expect me to run outside every time it rains.”
“Yes, I can.” Mikael’s voice was playful, but his gaze was serious. “The rain brought us back together. We can’t waste it.”
With a dramatic sigh, Aahil flipped the café sign to Closed. “You’re impossible.”
“And you love it,” Mikael shot back, tugging him out into the gentle drizzle.
They walked down the quiet street, sharing one umbrella this time. The rain wasn’t heavy, just enough to paint the world silver. Mikael slipped his hand into Aahil’s, their fingers lacing naturally.
“You know,” Mikael said softly, “every time I was away, I thought of this. Walking in the rain with you. Not as kids, not as memories — but like this. Grown, together, real.”
Aahil’s heart squeezed. He tightened his grip. “Then don’t ever leave again.”
Mikael stopped walking, turning to face him fully. The umbrella tilted, drops pattering against their shoulders.
“I won’t,” Mikael said firmly. “Not this time. Not ever. You’re my first wish, Aahil. And my last.”
The words hit Aahil with the same intensity as that first kiss. He swallowed hard, then smiled. “Good. Because I’m done wishing. I already have what I want.”
Mikael kissed him again, soft and lingering, the rain falling around them like a promise.
And as the world blurred in silver drops, Aahil knew one thing for certain — the first rain had given him back the love he thought he’d lost forever.
This time, it was for keeps.
---
Chapter Seven: Familiar Faces
The following Sunday, Aahil found himself walking back into his childhood neighborhood with Mikael at his side. It had been years since Mikael had stepped through those old streets, but nothing had changed — the same kids playing cricket, the same aunties gossiping by the gates.
When they reached Aahil’s house, his mother spotted them immediately.
“Mikael?” she gasped, dropping the vegetables she was sorting. “Ya Allah, look at you! All grown up!”
Mikael grinned sheepishly, bowing his head for her blessing. “Aunty, I’ve missed your cooking more than anything.”
She smacked his arm lightly. “Liar. You forgot all about us.”
But when she pulled him into a hug, Aahil saw the tears in her eyes.
Dinner that night was full of laughter and stories. Aahil’s mother kept teasing, “You two used to be inseparable — always running in the rain like little madmen. Who knew you’d still be glued together after all these years?”
Aahil nearly choked on his tea while Mikael just smiled knowingly. Their eyes met across the table, and for a fleeting moment, it felt like they were teenagers again — but with something more, something deeper, binding them now.
---
Chapter Eight: Old Promises, New Dreams
A week later, they visited Mikael’s family home. His father welcomed Aahil warmly, shaking his hand with pride. “So, you’re the one keeping my son grounded, hmm? Good. He needs it.”
But the most touching reunion was with Mikael’s grandmother. She cupped Aahil’s face, her hands wrinkled but strong.
“I prayed every year that the two of you would find each other again,” she whispered. “The first rain always brings blessings. This time, it brought you back.”
That night, as they sat on the rooftop, rain clouds gathering once more, Mikael turned to Aahil.
“Do you remember the promise we made when we were twelve?”
Aahil frowned. “Which one?”
“That we’d open a little bookshop-café together. A place where you could sketch and I could… well, eat cake all day.”
Aahil laughed. “I thought you forgot that childish dream.”
“I didn’t.” Mikael’s voice softened. “And maybe now… we can make it real. Together.”
For the first time, Aahil let himself imagine a shared future — not just stolen moments in the rain, but a life side by side. The idea terrified him, and yet it felt right.
---
Chapter Nine: The Storm Before Calm
Not everything was easy.
One evening, while closing the café, Aahil overheard two customers whispering.
“Did you see Aahil with Mikael? They’re too close.”
“Strange, isn’t it? After so many years?”
The words stung, though they weren’t cruel. Aahil had always feared what people might say, the way gossip spread like wildfire in their small community.
Later, he tried to push Mikael away.
“Maybe we should slow down. People are talking—”
Mikael cut him off sharply. “Let them talk. I’m not leaving you because of a few whispers.”
“But you don’t understand, Mikael. I’ve lived here all my life. These people—”
“Then let them see,” Mikael said firmly, taking his hand. “Let them see how much I love you. I’m not ashamed, Aahil. Are you?”
Aahil’s heart twisted. He wasn’t ashamed — he was afraid. But looking into Mikael’s steady gaze, he realized fear had already stolen enough years from them. He wouldn’t let it steal more.
So instead of pulling away, he pulled Mikael close, resting his forehead against his. “No. I’m not ashamed.”
Outside, thunder rolled, and then the skies opened. Another storm. But this time, Aahil didn’t hide. He stepped out into it with Mikael by his side, unafraid.
---
Final Chapter: Endless Rain
Months passed. The café thrived, with Mikael helping out more and more, until the locals stopped whispering and started smiling whenever they saw the two together.
One evening, the first monsoon rain arrived, heavier than any before. The café was full, laughter echoing, when Mikael suddenly stood up and clapped his hands.
“Everyone out!” he announced. “It’s tradition.”
Confused but amused, customers followed as Mikael dragged Aahil outside into the downpour. The street shimmered with silver drops, children splashing through puddles, couples laughing under umbrellas.
“What are you doing?” Aahil demanded, already soaked.
“Making it official.”
Before Aahil could respond, Mikael dropped to one knee right there in the rain, holding out a small silver ring. Gasps rose from the crowd.
“Aahil Rahman,” Mikael said, voice steady despite the storm, “you’ve been my first wish since we were kids. You’ve been my only wish through every first rain since. Will you let me make every rain, every day, every season of my life… yours?”
Aahil’s eyes blurred with tears, rain streaming down his face. He laughed, choked and breathless, as he pulled Mikael up into his arms.
“Yes,” he whispered fiercely. “Yes, a thousand times.”
The crowd cheered, the rain poured harder, and in that moment, under the endless sky, Aahil and Mikael sealed their forever with a kiss.
Because some loves weren’t fleeting like storms. Some loves — like the first rain — always came back.
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