Classes ended.But not the rain.


    Students were walking out of the building one by one.Opening their umbrellas. It was raining sincethismorning so nobody would forgot totakeumbrella with them as they came when it’s raining too.Some stay for the after school activity. As for me, Inormallywent straight home. I am a third year after all. I have to prepare for thefinal exam and University’s mock exam. I would just head back home, cooped in my room to study.


    I reached the main entrance.I changed into my outdoor shoesand went to the umbrellas slot.But then I found myself stunnedsearching for it.


    It’s gone


    Never have Iencountered such a problemin my life until now. I never thought that anyone would steal it. Or maybe someone mistook my umbrella for theirs. That’s what I decided to believe.


    Haah...I let out a long sigh. Though I loved the weather, Iam not fond of getting myself wet. Running through the rain seemed hurt. Raindrop falling in such a speedwhich no human eyes can seewould be hurt on contact if I sprintedout countering them.I don’t like that thought.


    I scanned through the umbrellas slot oncemore. Only to hit back by the truth.I looked around to see studentswalking out of the entranceone by one.Thinning out the school’s population.I could ask forhelp, to share an umbrella with the student that was heading to the train station.Then I can buy a new one to continue my way back home.


    That was when Kisaragi popped out of nowhere. Not from nowhere, It’s me who was shockedwhen looking around to found someonesuddenlystood close near the corner of my sight.Studentswalkedby, passing where we stood, there were sound of the rain and the umbrellasopening.I started tofeelcoldbecause ofthe rainy air seeping through the entrance.


    I calmed myself from the slightshock I just took.Looking back ather while stepping back to add some distances between us.For the first time, I saw her face from upclose.


    She is beautiful...


    That’s what popped up in my mind at the firstclose upencounter.She hasa high nose bridge,big pair of roundbrowneyesadorned withlong thick eyelashes. Her lips arefull with an attractive cupidshape on top.People would thoughtif she was amixed race girl for thatprofile of her.Too bad she covered part of that face with her messy front hair.


    I watched her closely as she pulled out something from her back. An umbrella.She stared at me as if she wasinvitingme to share with her. I nodded without thinking further. That’s how we shared anumbrella.


    “...what’syour...name?” she asked while we walked through the rain, under the shared umbrella. She got that nice voice. Soothing in the ear. Shelooked at me waiting for an answer.


    “Shiratsuki Yuu”


    Ianswered herwithout hesitation.Looking at her from the corner of my eyes while facing straight toward the road we were walking.She noddedand stay down looking at the steps she was taking.


    Silencestruckdown.We didn’t talkuntil we reached the train station. I thanked her for sharing the umbrellaand left her goingto the convenient storelocatedin the train station. I walked in to the 7-eleven store. Picked a black umbrella and brought it to the counter.I looked through the glass wall and found the familiarperson standing near the store.Kisaragi Kazue.


    What’s she doing standing there?Does she wait for me?


    I questioned myself.Curiosityhit me.I walked out after thepurchaseand she followed me on the back. So, she was waiting for me. Why?


    On the all wayback, even after I reached my station. Kisaragi followed me down to the road from the same station.I wondered if she lived around here too.We held our own umbrella so we didn’t stand close enough tobe able tohold a conversation. But she followed me closely, I could hear her footstepsamidstthe rainuntil I reached just a few blocks away from myhome.Thefootsteps, rain splashingsoundshe made while walkingstopped abruptly. I glanced back to found herrunningtoward theother way.


    Away from me.


    She always left me wonder.What an odd girl.


    Standingin frontof myhouse. I closed the umbrella. I shook the water out then Iopened the entrance.


    “I’m home...”


    I greeted as Iwalked in to my house.Afamiliar figure came out to greet me. It’s my Grandmother.


    “ah.. Yuu, your shoulder got so wet. Come on in and dry yourself” She looked concerned. Hurried back maybe to findtowel. I just realized after she stated it. It might be from the time when I shared one umbrella with Kisaragi.I wondered if she got her shoulder drenched too.


    I changed my cloth. Dry myself.Not having any appetite, Iskipped the dinner.Iwent straight to my room. I threw myself at the moment I saw my bed. Lying face downon my pillow, processing what happened recently.I turned my head to the side to catch a breath.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    As I closed my eyes, Kisaragi’sface flashedintomy mind.


    Thinking how unlucky she was to be in the same class as Sasaki. That Sasaki is anunreasonable girl who picked people out of nothing.Thinking for a while, Ifinallyfound afew commons of myself and Kisaragi. We both didn’t talkmuch and we both have a very pale skin.Maybethat’s what madeus looked weak, that’swhat madeSasaki chose us.I convinced myself to thinklike that. As the rain not showing anysign of halting. The rainfellat asteady pacefrom the morning. Not any stronger or weaker.It was a lullabyto my ears. Before long,I actually fell asleep.


    ***


    Morning came.


    I went to school like usual.I brought my umbrellaas the sky was clouded. A sign of rain. My instinct proven to be true as it actually started rainingafter Iwalkedpassbythe school’s gate. I ran a bit before the rainactuallycaught mewetinto the building.As I didn’t get my umbrella’s wet so Idon’tneed toplaceit in the umbrella’s holder.My umbrella will be safer that way.


    When I was changing into the indoor shoes, I noticed Sasaki walked inas proudly as usual, flaunting her silkybrown medium long hair. Her followers stick closely to her. Their names areMika andAya as I peeked on their name tag. Mika isthe most evil one. Sheoccasionally used her hand to shove me and hit me. I don’t like girlsthat useviolence.I can tolerate bad mouthing but not physical abuse. I don’t like the feeling of pain.


    Justwhen I closedmy locker,ahandsuddenly brushed throughthesideofmy face and bumped on the locker so hard that it produced a large banging sound.I rolled my eyes to only see Sasaki’sface close to mine. Her brows lay so low and her lips shut tight with corner curled downward. Then she leaned forward until her mouth just an inch away from my ear.So close that I could hear her breathing.


    “I heard from Mika... that you were gettingchummy with that Kisaragi” she whispered with a low mocking voice.“Did you two go out or something?” She added again while leaning backward. Then she grinned, looking down at me as if shestood higher than me.I looked at her but not showing any reaction. She was pissed off and bit her lip.


    “Interesting...” She turned around and walked away from me whilelaughing as if she was plotting something bad.Then I walked in toattend classes like usual.


    ***


    Lunch break’s bellrang. Class dismissed.


    It was time for Sasaki’s daily arrogant orders.I sat on my seat, taking out mylunch. Grandma made me abento.I unwrapped the cloth around it and opened the box. The foods were arranged neat and tidy with lots ofvegetablecolours. Grandma always made sure to prepare healthy foodfor meto eat.She put more food than she normally doestoday. MaybecausedI skipped the dinner last night. Igotto eathurry as Sasaki would came anytime soon to demand this and that.


    When I was about to take my firstbite. A commotion suddenly started outside the classroom.


    “That was awful...”


    “Let’s go watch it!”


    The murmurs caught my attention. The students seemed to gather and heading to other place hastily. Then I heardone student said. “Woah... first year students are scary” before she exited the class.


    Which made me think, who could it bebeside that Sasaki.Icouldn’t think of anyone else. Well, that’s great. Means I can eat my lunch peacefully for today. I took another bite from my bento.Then someone suddenly flashed into my mind.


    Kisaragi...


    I took the third bite of my food, chewing and running my minddeep. Thinkingaboutwhat Sasaki said in themorning. It could beher. It could be someone else. Sasaki bullied quite a lot of people. But...


    I put down the spoon I held. Closing the bento box. Stood up from my seat and walked away from the classroom.


    Ihate this feeling. I tried my best to not mingle with anyone. But knowinghow people suffered all because of me. Annoyingly affected me.I steadily walked toward the commotion. Listened to some bypass student saying it happened in thecanteen and followed those busystudents toward the same destination.


    I entered the canteen. There were crowd of students circling a few people in thecentre.The canteen lady seemed concerned but she did nothing. Because theculpritwas Sasaki. Her household held a big sum of sharesout of this school. Not even the principal dare to provoke her.


    Iweaved through the crowd ofstudents.With Sasaki’s back facing me. I leaned sideway to see who was the victim.Just like what my hunch told me. It was Kisaragi.


    She wasdrenched.Herlong hair flatten as it soaked in the water. Heruniform stained dark brown by the water. It smelled like coffee. So it was coffee.Kisaragi glared at Sasaki with her big roundeyes.She looked like about to fight back.I never saw her getting so agitated before.I thought she is the type of person whoget bullied and do nothing. But instead,she showed Sasaki an intimidatingglare, grit her teethand clenched her fist.


    “Ahh... you don’t like coffee?Maybe..... shouldIget you some milk?” Sasaki rolled her eyes to Mikagiving her a sign. Mika nodded andpickeda glass of milk from a random table. She handed it to Sasaki.


    Kisaragi was ontheseat, while Sasaki stood right beside her. She tilted the glass. Slowly pouring down the milkon her head.As the milk ran down throughKisaragi’sface. She didn’t move an inch from her seat and kept glaring at Sasaki.


    “Coffee..... Milk! It is a coffee milk!!Hahahahah!”She laughed satisfyinglyfollowed by Mika and Aya.


    Canteen was dead silent. But,whispers can be vaguely heard once a while. Everyone hooked their eyes toward the scene.But, nobodygoing to help Kisaragi. Howcold.


    “Oh!! Do you likedessert?” Sasaki continued her arrogant speech and picked a puddingfromKisaragi’stable. Sheswung around the pudding.A few seconds before she flew her hand with pudding towardKisaragi’sface.


    Splasshhhh!!


    Isplasheda glass of waterIjust picked,straight toSasakifrom head down to her back. She whinedandstopped whatever she’sgoing to dothen sheturned around.She was shocked to see me. The crowds startingto get noisy. Everyone beside me put some distancesfromme, all eyes shifted tome.


    I immediatelyregretted.