Episode 10 – taking shelter from rain

Lunch break was over, classes were finished, and it was after school. I was on day duty and was about to hand in my journal to my homeroom teacher in the staff room.

“I’ve been staying at Runa’s house for three days now. ……”

I never went home, never saw my sisters, and was with Runa all morning, noon, and night.

–It was fun.

That is my honest impression.

I helped pull out the grass, and the barley tea we drank together while sitting side by side on the porch and taking a break was delicious.

Free time to play games, take naps, and do nothing tied down. After dark, we realized that we had nothing to prepare for dinner, so we enjoyed a cup of ramen noodles that we had bought.　

It is a given that two people are brighter and more fun than when you are alone in your room. Such a normal thing has been missing from my life for a while.

“O, O-ttoo”

At a turn in the hallway, I receive a slight shock to my body and almost fall. I was thinking and realized it too late.

The opponent is also stepping up to keep from falling.

“I-I’m sorry!”

Before I could apologize, the girl in front of me apologized.

“I’m the one who’s in a daze. ……Ah”
“Eh? Ah…..”

We looked at each other and checked each other’s faces. The one who bumped into me was my younger sister, Sumika. In her hand was a journal. It seemed that she was also on day duty.

“……”
“…..”

It was the first time we had seen each other in three days. We are both silent.

“…….”

I thought that, but she left as if she was running away.

Me and Sumika have a cold, brother-sister relationship everywhere. …… Well, this is how it is.

Runa has a part-time job and Take is late for a committee meeting. Yoshida went away when I noticed ……. So I was alone on my way home after a long time.

“I’ve got nothing to do at home anyway, so I’ll just buy a book and go home.”

“A new novel ……. Too many new romantic comedies lately, not enough money.”

I walk around looking at my empty wallet with 3,000 yen missing.

Pots and pokes
Cold drops fell from the sky.

Oh, by the way, they said it might rain in the evening. ……

I unfolded my umbrella, glad I had watched the weather forecast. It began to rain heavily on the way, and as I was running down the road at a quick pace, I met her.

“…… is that Sumika?”

A fashionable general store that I normally would not have stopped by. She was sheltering from the rain under its roof.

It would be quicker to put her under my umbrella and go home with her, but I’m going anyway.

Despite these thoughts – for some reason, my feet moved toward my younger sister.

Pasha Pasha

A shallow puddle of water that I didn’t get into when I got home. A little water soaks into my shoes.

I wasn’t sure what to say to her, but in the end, she remained silent and stood in front of me.

The younger sister’s face as she looked up at me was a look of heartfelt surprise.

◇◆

(Sumika POV)

I hate rain. It reminds me of the old days.
It was raining on my way home that day when I was teased for being a “brocon”

[Sumika, get under the umbrella or you’ll get wet, okay?]
[…..]
[Sumika, look, umbrella!]
[No need!]

Pashats

I flicked the umbrella that was handed to me.
This was the beginning of distancing.

“The rain, it won’t stop. ……”

Having forgotten my umbrella, I took shelter from the rain in a nearby covered building. Looking up at the dark clouds, I see the rain falling in torrents. It looks like it would stop for a while.

Ahead of me, I see people rushing home with umbrellas in their hands.

If I go home today and my brother is not there anyway. A house where the family is not together is a …… I guess I caused that.

Pashak pashak

The sound of walking through a puddle.
Someone must have passed by.

But the sound came closer and closer to me, and then stopped.

“Eh…..”
“….”

I looked up and saw my brother.