GRAMMAR DETAIL

〜と思いきや

contrary to expectations

Dramatically indicates that the actual outcome differed greatly from what the speaker or others firmly expected.

Examples

交渉は決裂するかとおもいきや、最後の提案で合意に達した。

We thought the negotiations would break down, but the final proposal led to an agreement.

雨が降ると思いきや、空は晴れた。

I thought it was going to rain, but the sky cleared.

簡単に終わると思いきや、作業は一日中続いた。

I thought it would be over quickly, but the work continued all day.

Structure: Use と思いきや to introduce an expectation and then an actual outcome that overturns it, emphasizing an unexpected turn.
Basic usage: 雨が降ると思いきや、空は晴れた。 means that rain was expected, but the sky unexpectedly cleared.

Tense of the expectation and the actual outcome
- 降る in 雨が降ると思いきや is the content of an expectation that rain would follow at that point. The later 晴れた states the actual outcome in the past.