Chapter 26

Kuruma wrapped his arms around Izumi as fast as he could, hoping to limit the damage to her as they fell. They stopped at the bottom, and she rolled out of his arms.

"Ow..." Izumi groaned and rolled over in the mud to check on Kuruma.

Crackle. Thunder rang through the sky.

"Ah!" Izumi yelled, covering her ears with her mud-caked hands.

"Izumi?" Kuruma groaned as he sat up and tried to wipe the rain and mud off his face.

"S-sorry," she muttered, her eyes sweeping over his roughed-up figure. Like her, parts of his clothes had snagged and ripped on the bushes, along with a small cut on his cheek.

"What are you sorry for? Hoshi's the one that pushed you." He got to his feet and held his hand out to her.

She took his hand, and he helped her stand, careful to hold on as her foot slipped in the mud.

"And I'm the one who failed to pull you back up." He gritted his teeth. "You were cursed by having me in your group."

Izumi frowned. "What are you talking about? I love that I got grouped with you." Way more than you'll even know.

He stared up at the rain as it poured down on him. "But if you were with Yanagi, he could've saved you."

"There's no way to know that for sure."

"Yes, there is! Because it's Yanagi. He's stronger, smarter, and faster than I am. He's better at everything—"

"I thought you were rivals that went back and forth in baseball?"

"We are... but... Seriously, he's better at almost everything, and I'm certain he could've saved you. Unlike my failed attempt..." Kuruma pointed up at the path above. "And now we're stuck down here in the middle of a thunderstorm. If he were here, you'd still be up there on the path."

"You don't—"

"Let's find some cover; there's no way we're climbing back up that, and they'll come looking once they take attendance."

Why don't you see how amazing you are? At least you tried to help; I've known people who would've given an extra push to make sure I fell...

Wanting to make sure they weren't separated, Kuruma took her hand and kept as close to the path as they could while looking for cover.

"I remember seeing... Ah, there it is." Kuruma pointed at a natural embankment with a slight overhang by a few large, flourishing trees, leaving a small dry spot to hide in. "We can wait here for now." He let go of her hand. "Sorry."

Izumi pouted, staring at her lonely hand. He really doesn't get it... Maybe I should tell him. Her heart rate spiked as she tried to steel herself. "K-Kuruma, I—"

"I'm sorry you're stuck here with me. I'm sure Yanagi could at least figure something to do." He pulled out his phone. "No signal... Of course, this is useless, too," he huffed.

Izumi's hand shook as she reached out for his. "I'm still glad you were on my team. T-thank you for trying to save me. You could've let go and let me fall on my own, but you kept hold of me, and even tried to take the worst of the fall. You didn't have to."

"Of course I did. What kind of..." Kuruma cleared his throat and pulled his hand away from her.

Oh... Her lip quivered.

"Friend would let go and prioritize themselves like that?"

She swallowed hard. "I... Uh... I wouldn't really know. Until now, I've never had any friends."

Kuruma froze, his brows furrowing. "What? How is that possible? Were you homeschooled?"

"No... though my mom might've preferred that." Oh gosh, am I really going to spill the beans? "People didn't like me." Izumi shrugged.

"How can that be? You're kind and cool, and... totally suited to Yanagi."

"What are you talking about?"

Crackle.

"Ah!" Izumi yelped, ducking down, wishing to hide from the thunder as she quivered.

Why'd there have to be thunder? I hate thunder. Ugh, and I'm looking pathetic in front of Kuruma of all people.

"Doubt this will help enough," Kuruma grumbled and knelt down beside her, holding his hands over her ears.

"Thank you..."

"They picked a great day for a nature hike," Shiori grumbled as she held her hand out into the cold rain, as all the students hid under the picnic area roof.

"Who knows if they checked the weather beforehand, but it can be wildly unpredictable at times," Yanagi said, looking around. "They're still not here?"

"Don't know when they set off, but it's been a while since a group showed up."

"Speaking of... there's another group running over. And one of the teachers... Do you think they stopped when the rain started? It's been a while now..." Shiori stared at the trail exit as if she could will Izumi's group to show up.

"Wait, wasn't Hoshi in their group?" Yanagi asked, motioning to the girl sitting on a picnic table with her friends.

"She was." Shiori gritted her teeth.

"Doesn't that mean they should be here? I should be able to spot them..."

"You're assuming she stayed with the group. Excuse me." She stomped up to Hoshi.

Yanagi grabbed her upper arm. "What are you doing?" he whispered.

"Finding out what happened."

"Please don't beat her up. There are too many witnesses here."

"Tch." She ripped her arm out of his grasp and approached Hoshi. "Where are Izumi and Kuruma?"

Hoshi turned to her, eyes narrowed as she gave her a look of disgust. "Why would I know where those losers are?"

"Because you were in their group. You're not supposed to leave them, remember?"

"Ha, like I care. Hashito was going too slow with her injured ankle or whatever, so I left them behind. I wasn't going to be caught in that storm because of her." She rolled her eyes and flicked her hair over her shoulder.

"Tch."

Yanagi gripped Shiori's shoulders, stopping her from lunging at Hoshi. "Hello, ladies." He smiled at them, looking over top of Shiori as he kept his grip firm. "Any chance you know where the rest of Hoshi's group is?"

"They were supposed to be ahead of my group, which kinda got caught in the rain, but we didn't pass them," one of the other girls at their table said.

"That so? Thanks." He pulled Shiori away from them. "So, they're still out there..."

"We have to go looking for them."

"Wait." Yanagi pulled her back. "Just like you told her the rules, you're also supposed to stay with your group." He pointed at himself. "And we should tell a teacher first. They can talk to the staff here and the teachers still on the other side."

"And then what? Wait for them?"

"That's what we're supposed to do..." Yanagi took her hand and dragged her over to Takumi, whose class was also participating.

"Hey, Yanagi." Takumi's eyes trailed down to their hands, and he smirked. "What's up? Tired of the bad weather? I warned them this might happen, but they wanted to try, anyway."

"Kuruma and Izumi are missing."

His expression flattened. "What? Are you sure? It's possible their group didn't get to go."

"The third person in their group is already here, after leaving them behind."

"Dammit," Takumi cursed under his breath. "Okay, I'll talk to the teachers and staff. I'm sure they're just hiding under a big tree from the rain—"

"Someone from the group after theirs is already here, and they said they didn't pass them."

"Okay, I'll handle it. You guys stay here and keep an eye out. Call me or one of the teachers if they contact you, or if you spot them." Takumi rushed off.

"You're not seriously expecting me to wait here, are you?" Shiori asked as thunder crackled again.

"Yes, because someone has to stay here with their eyes peeled, and it's not going to be me." With that, Yanagi took off running.

"Yanagi! What are you doing? Get back here!" Takumi yelled at him. "You, too?" His eyes widened as Shiori took off after him. "Damn it. We're going to get into so much trouble over this."