Lotus

Kai - 7: Brother (Protector, Protect Her)

 “The power to protect them was all that I wished for.”

     It was the week of Halloween. Rainstorms plagued the town during the entire week from Sunday through Thursday. Since it was Friday, Ren decided to stay home and rest. The dreary weather had drained out his energy, more specifically, the energy need for his immune system to function.

     Rina, rushed home from school. Her umbrella broke along her way back, so she was completely drenched from the rain. When she reached her house, she realized that she didn’t have her keys or even her phone. Rina decided to head over to Ren’s house to take shelter.

     It has been raining everyday in Kiiroibara. The dreary weather has drained the demon prince of his energy, but this sickly boy is my last ray of hope, she narrated in her head. Unfortunately, it’s either catch Ren’s cold, or contract pneumonia from standing out in the rain.

     Rina wobbled over a few houses down to Ren’s, praying that someone would let her inside. When she arrived at the front door, she rang the doorbell and waited for a minute. No answer. She rang it again and waiting for another minute. Still no answer. Desperate for a dry and warm place to stay, Rina started knocking and banging frantically on the door.

     “REN, I KNOW YOU’RE HOME, SO YOU BETTER OPEN THIS DOOR!” she yelled as she slammed her hand on the white, wooden door. “DON’T IGNORE ME! AND IF YOU’RE REALLY NOT HOME, I’M STILL GONNA GIVE YOU A BEATING ONCE YOU GET BACK—”

     The door swung open, causing Rina to fall into the doorway. Ren stared down at her with a lack of concern.

     “You’re so irritating,” he said to her. “Why can’t you be more pleasant to a sick person?”

     “Ren!” Rina shouted, picking herself up and lunging herself at him. She hugged him, feeling the nice warmth of his body. “I’m locked out of my house… and I’m drenched.”

     “Even when I’m sick, I still need to take care of you,” Ren sighed, patting Rina on the head. He picked her up and carried her tiny, sodden body under his arm.

     When they reached his room, Ren dropped Rina on his bed. She looked up at him. He looked like a mess. His black hair laid disheveled upon his pale, gray face. His nose was red from having blown his nose into a countless number of tissues the entire day.

     “Wear one of my shirts,” Ren said, opening a drawer and picking up one of his old T-shirts. He threw it at her face.

     “Is this your gym shirt from grade school? Even though you said you were short back then, this is still a loose fit for me,” Rina said, holding out the shirt.

     Ding-dong!

     “Ren, your friends are here!” shouted Ren’s aunt.

     Ren sighed and began to head out.

     “Hurry and get changed,” he said to Rina.

     “Right.”

     Rina was too tired to go through the hassle of unbuttoning buttons, undoing zippers, and pulling her clothes off. She just sat there on Ren’s bed for a moment, stretching out her legs so that only the tips of the toes touched the floor.

     “I suppose I should get changed before Ren comes back,” she said to herself. “Hopefully his friends don’t come up with him.”

     She pulled her sticky, wet hair up and tied it into a bun. Her bangs were a nuisance as well, so she pinned them up and away from her face.