It’s pouring. The lively city of Japan echoed passively opposing the shrewd humid water droplets, busy street with vendors, students, businessmen, and all the humans that can cramp the town scattered around, filling my eyes and ears, although it’s driving rain everyone seems not to care.
The honk of cars resounded since its rush hour already it’s a stressful sound for anyone, but it’s a pleasing sensation for me. A ‘u’ curve in my lips, odd it may sound, but this is my favorite season, humming as I watch the rainfall. I stared at my shoes that were soaked, playing with my umbrella in my hands. I nip my lips.
“Hmmn... Mom would be sad. This is her gift.”
That’s when I decided to look for plastic, ‘till I found a ramen store.
“Hi! Good evening, ahhmn… do you mind if I ask for some plastic? I’ll pay for it.” I politely asked.
The middle-aged man eyed me with his soft gaze. He smiled and gave me a clean one.
“Here, young lady.” I smiled and bowed,
“Thank you so much, here.” He shook his head and gave me a nod as I tried to pay for the plastic.
“It’s alright, take care.” He reminds. I smile widely and wave a goodbye. He’s nice. I took off my pair of shoes when I found a nearby store to shelter.
I didn’t even mind if I froze to death as I left my feet bare, holding my umbrella between my neck and shoulder and carefully placing the shoes in my bag.
“You knew about it, didn’t you!? Why didn’t you tell me about it, Shinichiro?!” Someone’s fighting? I stood up and followed the screams that I heard.
It looks like it’s a boy, based on its solid and husky intonation. I peek behind the store and see two men having a conversation, one guy who’s fuming mad while the other is calm?
Tan skin, Argent locks, a Long earring that’s swaying harshly because of his action, and wearing a black long sleeve. Wow, he’s good-looking, although he’s mad. I eyed the next guy. He looks good too.
How did god just lead me to Eden? I shook my head—why am I thinking that right now?
“Ah, so you found out but does that even matter?” The jet-black-haired man asks. The silver-gray man looks back at him with a lot of pain in his eyes,
“What do you mean ‘Does it Matter?!’ This is something important, isn’t it?!” He shouted, full of betrayal and pain was visible on his big orbs,
“Come on, Izana blood related or not, nothing will change between us, alright?” The other man comfort, oww, so the silver guy is adopted?
“Shut up!!! Why did you even come to me?!” The argent hair guy shouted. I flinch at how vigorous the sound is.
For the first time in my life, I had never heard this kind of tone. It’s too much to handle like it carries a thousand of anguish, grief, and despair.
“I’ve endured this loneliness right from the beginning. Do you get it, Shinichiro? I thought I found the happiness that could take me away from that hell.” I look away and hold my mouth. The tears that he let out as he said those words were too deep.
It’s full of nothing but a well of emptiness and suffering. The silver hair guy walked away and left the jet-black-haired man.
I think his name is Shichiro? I secretly followed the silver-haired guy until he stopped in a secluded park. He sit there with nothing, just himself, as he damps in the middle of the rain.
Why do I feel sympathy for this unknown man? Out of my mind, I walk near him until I find myself standing beside him. I know he can feel me on his peripheral, but he ignores me.
Extending my hand out of the umbrella I tilt my head to peak on the cloudburst above me. It’s like it won’t stop up till tomorrow.
“Psst…” I called him, but he didn’t bulge nor give me a damn.
I exhaled, and walk 'till I’m in front of him after I check myself. My bag is not that saturated and I have my blazer with me. I squat in front of him and meet his eyes,
“Hi, please don’t push me away.” I said since there’s no saying how he would react if a stranger approach him.
“Here.” I impart the umbrella to him, he heft his eyes onto me, giving me a void leers. He didn’t take the umbrella,
“Leave while I’m being nice.”
He uttered drowsily, of course, I don’t want to piss him, not now that he feels that the world is against him.
I nod but I don’t want to leave him in this state, he’s not mentally alright I can see that he’s exhausted so a bit of kindness won’t hurt. I won’t risk the chance of him dying in hypothermia too.
I gather all the courage and bravery that I have in every fiber inside my body to pull out his empty hand, he look up at me emotionless,
“Take this, and remember I just let you borrow it, make sure to give it back.” I stated and made him hold the umbrella firmly before I run.
I didn’t turn around again and just keep on running till I reached my home.
“[Y/N!] You’re soaked!” My mom said as she attend to me. I smiled and pull my shoes out and check if it’s not that drenched.
“Where’s your umbrella? You always bring it around.” She asked, she’s busy drying my hair with a towel.
I smiled when I saw that my shoes still looks good and turn to her.
“I led it to someone today.” I chew my buccal and stand up,
“And I’ll make sure to take it back.” I finished and run towards the bathroom jeez it's cold.
It’s been a week, and I’ll be lying if I tell that I’m not thinking about the man that I met that rainy night. After taking a bath I bid goodbye to my mother,
“Do your best baby!” She cheered. I bite the toast bread and smile,
“I will!”
Eyeing my wrist watch I take my time walking down to my school. I still have time to do random things
“Oi, give us your money, you told us the other day you’ll provide it.” I hear a low whimper on the near pastry shop that I passed.
My forehead form into irk when I saw a small boy being picked by a group of boys,
“Naoto, come on, lend us your money.” I sighed and look for a small rock, throwing it one by one to the bullies,
“Ow! What the fuck?! Did you do it?”
The big boy asks his friend that shook its head to answer him, doing the same thing I throw the second, third, and fourth rock at each of them.
“The hell!? Who’s throwing those rocks?!” The big boy howled, compressing my laugh I jump out to where I was hiding.
“Oh my gosh! The ones that throw those are getting away! I tried to stop them but they were too fast! Quickly!”
I panic and point to the darkest alley that I found, they instantly vanished in my sight following my given direction. I laugh for a moment and eyed the little guy,
“Yow, you good?” I asked, he just nod, still shivering. Helping him to stand I pat his head.
“You know.” I started as I fix his messy hair.
“You should stand for yourself, there’s no saying that next time someone will save you, so you should save yourself! Okay!?” I cheered and tap his shoulder.
He nod and say thank you with his innocent expression, aww he look too fragile, maybe that’s why he’s being bullied.
Waving goodbye to him I continue my walk downtown, wow what a good way to start my day, doing random good deeds is pleasant.
“I see. Kind to anyone.” I turn my head to the one who whispered in my ears, minty breath, and a scent that instantly clogged my olfactory sense.
“Ah!” I yelled, surprised by him. Holding my ear I gazed at the argent haired guy,
“Wow, you look good today.”
I compliment, his argent locks are flowing smoothly as the wind blew it, now that he’s standing near me I can clearly see his lavender orbs, what a jaw-dropping iris,
“Today?” He ask sternly, giving me a cold yet somehow welcoming stares.
I nod and smile, he’s wearing a plain white shirt and black jagger pants, with some accessory chain in his long fingers
“Yup, more good than the first time I saw you.”
I started to walk after I regain my startle. He walked beside me, and in sync, we took the long road.
“Why did you help him?” He started. I eyed him in my side and knit my lips,
“Well I guess it’s what you called human decency? Bet you do the same if you’re me.” I heard him scoffed rudely beside me,
“That’s why I’m not you.” He said with a wintry tone.
“Aww jeez, that’s bad.” I intone, he crackle and hold my wrist making me stop in a midway of trailing.
“I want that.” He stated, tilting my head I stare at him. I trace the warm palm that’s clasping my wrist,
“You want what?” I ask, with a lot of curiosity,
“That kindness, don’t be kind to others only to me.” With a jaw drop, I gave him a vague expression, eh?
“Wait, kindness is for everyone duh.”
I couldn’t stop my eyes from rolling because of his ridiculous ideas,
“I’ll buy it.” He comeback, leaning a bit I stared at his big plum orb.
“The what?” He grin and lean closer to me too.
“Your kindness.” Taken a back with his move I look away, he looks fine with that racy grin.
“Woah, drop that money, daddy.” I joked but he look at me humorless. I sneer, he doesn’t like jokes.
“But I can’t do that, if someone trip or a cat is stuck on a tree, if I help them, that’s a kindness already. If I greet you now, it’s considered as an act of kindness too.”
He lay his eyes on me but it feels like he’s glimpsing at my soul,
“You’re just too kind.” He stated, pulling my wrist I smile at him.
“Well, there’s no harm in being nice.”
Fixing my gaze from his head to toe I rest my palm to his face. I don’t even know why I’m so familiar with his being.
“That’s why you’re here now too, right? Because I lend you a hand before.”
I stated, continuing my walk. He look stiff but the way his eyes bloom I can say that he’s quite surprised with my remark. I didn’t wait for him, considering that I still have a school to attend.
I thought he leaves but he keeps on following me until I reach the school. I wave at him.
“Bye Idana-kun.” Irk form to his head but he later on give me a small smile, he nods and turn his back,
“Hope to see you again, Idana-chan.” I murmured to thin air.
“[Y/N]! Someone’s looking for you.”
I put my thumbs up and write faster, the thing is I love writing but I’m slow like a sloth whenever I write.
“Faster, faster, faster…” I rhythm, ‘till I reached the last sentence.
“Done!” I beamed and fixed all my things,
“Last sub. For today right?” I asked as I pony tailed my hair, one of my classmate nod,
“Bye y’all!” I beamed, they all chuckled and wave back at me.
“Careful, [Y/N]!”
They said but the moment I run out of the room I bumped into the big frame that occupied almost half of my path,
“Aww…” I mewled,
“Ahh, clumsy too.” I looked up and saw Idana standing, he didn’t help me to stand but I can manage.
“Idana-kun!” I twinkled, he tilt his head as he throw me his curious leers,
“Come with me.” He pulled me out of the school not giving me a chance to utter a single question. We stop in front of a bike.
“Ahmn… I don’t know how to ride a bike. Sorry.” I retract, fidgeting my fingers and tip-toeing.
“But I want to ride one.”
I added, for foremost I almost tumble when I heard him chuckle, it’s a low manly chortle.
“Honest too.” He added, why does it feels like he’s taking notes or what. He sit on the bike and lend his hand in front of me.
“I’ll take care of you, don’t worry.” He assured.
Slowly although I’m hesitant I reached his long tan fingers that are extended to me. As I sit behind him, he clung my arms on his waist. He makes sure that my hands are lock together as he taps it.
“Don’t let go.” I chortle, resting my face to his back I nod.
“You got it!”
Wind whistling, vehicles honking from left to right, the busy city of Japan gleam upon us. He led the way to the destination that only he knows.
The air that I’m inhaling attacks my lungs, the pollution that I’m welcoming is tolerable, with the touch of his scent the air become inevitable, that I want to change my oxygen and replace it with his scent. I shook my head what the hell am I saying?
“Wow.”
I whispered seeing the passing colorful light of buildings and vehicles as he drove, the ride lasted for two minutes after he stop at an amusement park that I instantly recognize.
He parks the motorbike and helps me get off the bike, saying my thanks he lead the way to the exact bench where I first talk to him. He didn’t take a sit so I did. I watched him stand in front of me.
“This is where I first met you.” I said, smiling to him widely, he stared at me.
“But you didn’t see me here first.”
He stated I stared at the sky when it start to get dark, it looks like it was going to rain.
“I didn’t tell you my name either.” He continue.
“So?”
“You first saw me with Shinichiro on the dark alleyway.”
The small drops of rain start to fall in. I nod he looks like he wants to confirm something.
“Do you know who am I, [Y/N]?”
I shock my head, he sigh in disbelief before he pull out an umbrella— no it’s my umbrella. He open it, harboring it to my head, but he didn’t shelter himself.
“Why…” I started as I gazed at him.
“Why did it take you a week before you meet me again?” I ask curiously, he look at me sternly with his void plum orbs.
“It takes me a week before realizing it.”
“Realizing what?”
“The moment you give me your umbrella, it’s not only my body that you’ve shelter but also my soul.”
My eyes dilated with his statement, no is this some confession? The darkness glimmer as the moon seek behind the cloudburst, the rain start to get heavy as he stares at me using his now fragile plum orbs.
Motionless on his stature he stand there soaking. I stand and pull the umbrella away from his hold.
“You smitten me using your umbrella and decency.”
He ended, overwhelmed, swamped, and pressured. That’s the foremost rush of emotion in my veins.
Closing the umbrella and joining him under the rain I tilt my head. He look outraged with my move,
“You fell with my bit of generosity towards you.”
I stated and handed him the closed umbrella.
“If someone is kind to you, you might be smitten by her, or may be he again.” Plainspoken with my hunch that I shared he listen to me,
“I’m sorry but this is so sudden, guess I’ll reject you today. Idana-kun.”
He stared back at me, he tilt his head before a ‘u’ curve formed in his lips, his usual big deranged mulberry orb scrunch in synchrony as he study me.
“Izana. Izana Kurokawa. It’s an adorable misname baby.”
My eyes bloom as he introduced himself, oh gracious I’ve been calling him Idana! And he actually found it cute?
“But, you need to remember my name, love.” I laugh at his cringed endearment but find it cute too.
“I’m really sorry for my idiocy Izana-kun. This time I’ll even make sure not to even misspell your name.”
I pardon he laugh with my gesture, now he’s laughing unlike earlier, the cloud thundered as we spend our time running around the park. He stop running and lend out both of his hand up to the sky, like he’s fetching water.
“Your rejection only makes me want to own you more, [Y/N].”
He marked and poured to me his hand that’s full of water playfully.
“Try me then. Izana.”