A glass of clear liquid sits on a white table.

Is it water?

Not thinking, I pick up the glass and drink the liquid.

The room starts to spin and I close my eyes.

Splish-splash.

It sounds like rain hitting a pool. I open my eyes. I am standing in the gazebo of the secret garden. It is raining softly. The raindrops hit the pond, creating waves.

Far away, a voice begins to sing again. [Harari, Hirari by Sona]

[Note: English translations provided by animelyrics (dot) com]

Like a bud waiting to flower, now

A song of love starts to bloom

I want to send it straight to you

So you will find happiness

Drifting, drifting

Floating, floating

It’s easy to cry alone

Even if my heart hurts forever

I don’t mind, so somehow please

Try not to be sad

I’ve started to feel that way

Full of tender emotions

I came to realize that, more than anyone,

You are very dear to me

I pray to the sky

That stretches across a distant time

Even if we’re apart,

I want to feel the same things you do

Like a bud waiting to flower, just

Thinking of you, I sing

So that we will always be together

And we will find happiness

Drifting, drifting

The times when loneliness’ shadow falls,

I am frightened of the night’s darkness

Just one word is fine, tell me it’s all right

Somehow, please send a letter

In the dimming twilight, I arrive

In a mirage that reflects another land

I’m walking that hidden road so I can meet you

Drifting, drifting…

[Note: These are not the complete English translations.]

The rain is so very calm and gentle. I used to love watching the rain fall. In my mind, a picture of a journal appears. It seems very old. The pages are worn and very fragile. It is open to an entry about rain…

Have you ever just watched rain fall to the ground? Notice how it falls lightly and heavily at the same time? How it quickly transitions from gentle, light rain to sharp, heavy daggers? Sometimes you should just take a break from your fast-paced life, slow down, just for awhile, and just sit back and watch the rain, though if you live in the city, it is very hard to admire rain in its most natural form, with unnatural sounds distracting every minute, and who knows how polluted the air is.

I’ve always wanted to walk in the rain, without having to hurry to shelter, without the worries of catching a cold. I want to walk in the forest alone during rainfall, but also knowing that I am not truly alone, that I am not far from my loved ones. Rain brings out the tranquil side of one, for all they can do is sit and watch, helpless to change the weather to suit their needs. When you sit back and truly watch the rain, you notice that sliver of sunlight and blue sky peeking out from behind the dark clouds, and you know that there is always a brighter side. Then, before you know it, it is all gone, to be replaced by a clear blue sky, with the shining sun, singing birds, and a pale rainbow reflected in the sky, symbolizing hope and a new start. Sometimes, when it may not seem like it, rain can be a blessing.