Before the Rain Stops || Myoui Mina

Chapter 8

Five minutes had already passed with us in the locked shed. It was as if time purposely ticked slower. We clearly heard the rain hitting the roof.

Mina's sneeze broke the silence between us. "Are you okay?" I panic and take off my sweater. She stops me with her hand, "I'm fine." I was still worried, so I stood close. Though I wasn't looking, I heard her rub her arms. "You sure you don't need my sweater?-" "I said I'm fine. Don't worry about me," She sat down on the ground to warm herself.

A breeze blew in through the cracks and shriveled us up. The humidity made it feel sticky at the same time. A dripping noise occurred as random as ever. I look to the roof and my pupils wander to the nearest shelf. Drip, drip, and drip, there was a leak. I sigh, placing a bucket up the top shelf to catch the rain. Such more of a nuisance.

In the corner of my eye, I see Mina warming her hands with her breath. I clench my jaw and proceed to get down with her. I hook my arm around Mina's shoulder and look opposite of her. I didn't say anything and neither did she. It started getting less cold already. Body heat at its finest, right?

It was now my turn to sneeze. "ACHOO!" I rub my nose and shake my head. Having the worst timing, I started having a runny nose. I sniffed.  "Are you, um, are you fine?" Mina asks. I give a slight smile, "Yeah. It's just a coincidence, that's all."

I continued to sneeze two more times after I said that. "Jesus fucking christ," I sigh in frustration and embarrassment. Ah yes, what more of a coincidence. She furrows her eyebrows and looks away, "It's obvious you're not, dumbass." Her small voice didn't reach my frozen ears.

"How does the lock even work that it locks from the wind," I grumble to myself. Guessing Mina heard me, she answers, "The hinges of the doors must be hella rusted or something." I had a quiet tone, "Hehh..." How pathetic this feels...

Silence followed after—along with the sound of the leakage and rain of course.

"Is there any particular reason why you don't like me, Mina..?"

—•—

The doors swung open.

Wendy gasps and ran over to us both. She touches my clothes that are soaked. 'What happened?!' She mouths. Her hands went all around me to check for injuries. "Nothing," I grin towards her. I hold myself from the wind, "Nothing at all." Wendy hurries to guide me to the house.

Mina didn't move from where we were stuck.

After what seemed like an eternity, I enter the warmth that practically hugs me. Wendy hauls a towel at my head. She treats me like a child and dries my hair for me. "I can do it myself, Wendy.." I try taking hold of the towel but she snatches it away and ignores me.

I'm pushed up the stairs to the bathroom. Wendy disappeared for awhile then came back with clothes and a few towels in hand. "Ohhh.." She wants me to shower. I grin at her, "Thank you!" I close the door and set aside the dry clothes. "It's not your fault.. is it..?" I squint my eyes and held my chin.

Sighing, I stare at myself through the mirror—nose and ears red, and lips ombred white to purple that are chapped. I look absolutely horrible right now. I drop down to the ground, "Shit, it's cold as fuck." Has it ever been this cold even in the winter? "Ah- AH!- ACHOO!" I shake my head and groan.

I turn on the water and got myself ready to go in. "Haaa... that feels amazing.." I immediately smile the moment I get in the water. Ah, I forgot to turn on the fan. I'll just turn it on when I get out, that should be fine. I make the water temperature hotter since I'm freezing.

After I'm done washing myself, I open the curtains and got out to wrap the towel around me. I reach for it, but my vision messes with me, making me reach shorter than needed. I blink hard and reach for the towel again, succeeding this time.