The sky growled with thunder, its once light blue surrounded by an ocean of storm clouds. Darkness stretched across the sky. And then, the first drops fell. A drizzle at firstโgentle, almost hesitantโbefore the clouds roared loudly releasing a downpour that drenched the world in streaks.
Of all days, today was the one I forgot my umbrella.
It was ridiculous, really, the way universe was playing games with me. I always carried it, tucked neatly into my bag as if it were the same part of it. A habit that I never thought twice about it. But yesterday, for some reason, I had placed it back in the umbrella stand. A rare mistake, and now I was paying for it.
I let out a tired sigh, shifting my yellow backpack against my shoulders as I stared up at the weeping sky, annoyed. Just as I was about to take a step into the rain, a shadow fell over me. Or rather, something covered meโa shield against the rainfalls.
I turned my head in confusion.
My brow furrowed, the sight of him holding an umbrella over me entirely unexpected. He clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed, and before I could question it, he muttered,
"Tch. Donโt say anything. We live in the same block anyway."
For a second, I just stared. My eyes widened slightly before softening, a small, unspoken warmth surrounding me in my chest. The raindrops drummed against the umbrellaโs surface, drowning out the rapid beat of my heart.
We walked together in silence, our steps synchronized, the world around us fading into a blur of grey and muted colors. It feltโฆ surreal. Like a scene straight out of a clichรฉ romance movie. The kind where two characters share an umbrella under the rain, an invisible thread pulling them closer.
But the thing wasโKacchan hated the rain.
Back in middle school, he never stepped out into it, not even by accident. If it rained, heโd stay rooted inside, waiting for his parents to pick him up or for the storm to pass. It was an unspoken rule. An absolute truth.
And yet, here he was, walking beside me, unfazed.
Curiosity filled me, but I hesitated. Asking might ruin the moment. Still, the question slipped out before I could stop myself.
"You hate the rain, donโt you? So why did you bring an umbrella?"
He turned his head slightly, eyes flickering to the side as if debating whether to answer. For a moment, I thought heโd ignore me.
Then, in a quiet voice, he muttered,
"I saw the weather forecast. Thatโs why I brought it."
Simple. Straightforward. Logical.
In middle school, even if he knew it would rain, he never brought an umbrella. He never stepped into it.
I didn't press further, but as the rain continued to fall, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to his answer than he was letting on. The rain fell in relentless sheets, drumming against the pavement.
And yet, the storm outside wasnโt nearly as bad as the one brewing between us.
Kacchan walked beside me, his grip tight around the umbrella handle, his knuckles white like he was holding onto it just to keep himself grounded. He hadnโt spoken in minutes.
But I could feel itโthis thing lingering between us, thick and unspoken, pressing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
I stole a glance at him. His jaw was clenched, his shoulders tense, his entire body radiating frustration. But he wasnโt pushing me away. He wasnโt walking ahead like he usually did, leaving me to catch up.
And that was the part that didnโt make sense.
"You hate the rain." My voice barely carried over the storm, but I knew he heard me.
His grip on the umbrella twitched. "No shit."
"And yet, here you are," I continued, my gaze fixed on him. "With an umbrella. Sharing it with me."
Kacchan inhaled sharply through his nose, his lips pressing into a thin line. His eyes flickered to meโjust for a secondโbefore snapping forward again, like he was forcing himself not to look at me.
"You never bring an umbrella," I pushed, stepping just a little closer. "Even in middle school, you wouldnโt leave the school until the rain stopped. You hate walking in it. But today, youโ"
"Shut up," he muttered, his voice tight, his shoulders going rigid.
His head snapped toward me, eyes blazing. "What?"
"I said no." I met his glare head-on, my pulse pounding. "I want to know. Why today? Why now?"
The umbrella tilted slightly, rain slipping past the edge, hitting my cheek. I barely noticed.
Kacchan exhaled harshly through his nose, his fingers flexing like he was resisting the urge to do somethingโpunch something, yell, run.
Instead, his other hand curled into a fist at his side.
"Youโre so goddamn oblivious," he muttered, low and frustrated, like he was talking more to himself than to me.
His head snapped toward me again, and suddenly, he wasnโt just frustrated. He looked furious.
"You really donโt get it, do you?" His voice was sharp, almost desperate. "Why the hell do you think Iโm out here in this shitty weather, huh? Why do you think I brought the damn umbrella?!"
My heart stuttered in my chest. My breath caught.
He wasnโtโhe couldnโt beโ
I took a shaky step back. "Kacchanโ"
"BECUASE I CANT STAND YOU!" His voice cracked, his entire body tensed like he was barely holding himself together. "Itโs always been you! You piss me off, you never shut up, you always get in my goddamn wayโ" He exhaled sharply, his fingers digging into his palm. "And I canโt stand it."
The words hit me like a slap, knocking the air from my lungs.
I stared at him, my skin burning despite the cold. My pulse was roaring in my ears, my vision swimming with something I couldnโt name.
Kacchanโs chest was heaving, his breath shaky. He looked like he wanted to throw a punch or run, like he was seconds away from completely falling apart.
But because something inside me had snapped.
"WELL, I CANโT STAND YOU EITHER, KACCHAN!" The words ripped out of me before I could stop them, raw and desperate, just as loud, just as real. "You piss me off! Youโre mean, youโre rude, you never say what you actually mean, andโ" I sucked in a breath, my fists clenching at my sides. "And yet, Iโ!"
I stopped, my throat tight, my whole body trembling.
Kacchan was staring at me, his eyes wide, lips parted slightly like he hadnโt expected me to yell back.
The rain was still pouring. The umbrella had slipped lower, forgotten, rain dampening our shoulders.
"Goddamn it." Kacchan surged forward, his hand grabbing my collar, yanking me into him, and suddenly, I was right there, close enough to feel the heat of his breath against my skin.
His forehead pressed against mine, his fingers gripping my shirt like I was the only thing keeping him upright.
"Youโre such a goddamn problem," he muttered, voice rough, shaky.
I swallowed hard, my hands curling into his damp blazer, pulling him closer instead of pushing him away. "Then do something about it."
