The Umbrella

Monday, April 20th, 2026 — 6:00 a.m.

My alarm betrayed me once again.
Even after two weeks.
I had only been at this school for two weeks, and I had already started counting the days again. They all felt painfully similar.
The mirror said nothing.
It always won.
“Tch… Nothing’s changed.”
I got dressed and put on my stupid eyepatch.
Then I left my room and went downstairs for breakfast.
I had barely managed to eat anything when Mom appeared. I wasn’t in the mood to talk, so I hurried out of the house before I even heard the rest of her, “Good morning, sweetheart.”

As usual, I arrived at school early.
I was the first one there…
Actually, no.
The second.
She was already training in the courtyard.
Her blonde hair fluttered in the wind as her slender figure raced across the grounds, her footsteps the only sound in the morning silence.
I still couldn’t understand how anyone could willingly run at six in the morning…Not that I cared.
Our eyes met…What am I supposed to do?
She smiled and waved at me before going straight back to running.
Ridiculous…
We’re nothing alike.
You could never understand.

After that awkward little moment, I headed to the classroom.
I enjoyed the silence and solitude of the room at six in the morning. For once, I almost felt like I belonged there.
Unfortunately, it didn’t last long.
The classroom gradually filled with people and conversations.
Along with stares…And whispers.
Eventually, the teacher arrived, and class began.
As always, the lessons were ridiculously easy.
I stared out the window out of boredom. It was pretty much the only way I had to entertain myself.
I listened halfheartedly to my classmates’ conversations.
Not because I cared.
I just didn’t have anything better to do.
“Hey… Did you hear? There’s supposed to be a huge downpour later.”
What?
I didn’t have anything to keep me dry! Well… it probably wouldn’t last all day.
“Yeah, and apparently it won’t stop for hours.”
…Damn it.
I had a bad feeling about today.
First, Mikage had been staring at me for a while.
Now the rain.
The last thing I needed was for someone to come talk to me.

After eating lunch by myself, as usual, the rest of the day dragged on.
Slowly.
Far too slowly.
The exercises were easy.
The minutes were endless.
A violent noise against the windows made me look up.
Rain.
The first drops struck the glass.
No one seemed worried.
Everyone had an umbrella.
…
Except me.
I quickly searched through my bag, hoping an umbrella had somehow appeared out of nowhere.
…
Nothing.
Well… I could wait a little before going home.
It wasn’t like I was in a hurry to get anywhere.
A few students walked past the classroom while chatting.
Then the silence returned.
I watched the rain fall for a few more minutes.
…
Eventually, I rested my head on my desk.
Just five minutes.
…

When I woke up, the classroom was empty.
I had fallen asleep again.
No one was left.
I must have been out for a long time.
I hurried toward the entrance, only to remember that horrible rain.
So there I stood, staring at the thick curtain of water outside.
…
Well, I could run, right?
It wasn’t going to kill me.
It was only water, after all...
I was about to dash outside when a voice behind me made me jump.
“Akane-san? What are you still doing at school?”
Mikage?
I thought I was the last one here.
Why was she talking to me?
“I could ask you the same thing.”
“I had some class-representative work to hand in.”
Right.
Much more responsible and logical than using your desk as a bed.
“You’re not seriously planning to go out in the rain like that, are you?”
I sighed.
“That’s none of your business.”
“Akane-san—”
“Leave me alone, Miss Perfect Class Representative.”
I got ready to make another run for it, but a hand grabbed me and stopped me.
“I said stop. I’m coming with you. Do you live far away?”
Did she really think I was going to show her where I lived just like that?
Nice try.
“Yeah. Super far.”
There.
What are you going to do now?
“Okay… I’ll come with you.”
Seriously?!

In the end, I gave in and let her walk me home under her umbrella.
We had already been walking for a good five minutes without even looking at each other.
The silence was becoming painfully awkward.
“Akane-san?”
There it was again…That “-san” every time she spoke to me.
We barely knew each other, and that was perfectly fine.
“W-What now?”
“Have you chosen a club?”

“No. I’m not interested.”
“Are you sure? What about a sports club? You watch us pretty often, don’t you?”
What was she talking about?
I didn’t watch her.
She was completely imagining things.
“So I can run at six in the morning? No thanks.”
Mikage started laughing.
Why?
I had no idea.
Then another small, awkward silence settled between us.
…
“Hey, Akane-san…”
She turned toward me with a smile.
“Let’s be friends.”
…
…
…
Huh?
I froze on the spot.
“W-What did you just say?”
“I said, let’s be friends.”
She said it with a smile, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
What was the catch?
Being friends with me had at least a hundred disadvantages and not a single advantage.
No one would willingly agree to that.

“I see you alone a lot.”
…
“And it worries me.”
…
“Not because being alone is ‘bad’ or anything. It’s just…”
She lowered her eyes slightly.
“I don’t like seeing someone stay all by herself like that.”
…
“So even if you say no… I’ll probably keep coming over to bother you anyway.”
She held out her hand and gave me a small smile.
Her emerald-green eyes held no trace of mockery.
No hidden intention.
She was serious.
Why was she being so kind?
Why me?
It had been so long since anyone had spoken to me with that much warmth.
I had almost forgotten what it felt like.
My throat tightened.
Not now.
Especially not in front of her.
“Akane? Are you crying?”
I quickly hid my face.
“No! It’s the rain! You’re terrible at holding an umbrella, idiot!”
She laughed again, pulled out a tissue, and handed it to me.
…
I wiped away my tears…No…The rainwater on my face.
Then I quietly thanked her.
“Fine… It’s not like you’re giving me much of a choice.”
…
“So…”
I hesitated for a long moment before finally finishing.
“Okay.”
…
She looked at me teasingly, as if waiting for something.
As if saying, Okay, what?
She was already getting on my nerves.
…
“Okay…Mi-Mikage-san.”
She practically jumped on me.
“Yes! Thank you, Akane!”
Where did the “-san” go…?
Idiot.
Things were moving a little too fast for my liking.
And someone seriously needed to explain to her the concept of personal space to her.

The rain kept falling as we finally reached my house.
“This is it…”
“See? It wasn’t that far after all.”
“Grr… Yeah, yeah.”
She walked me all the way beneath the entrance so I wouldn’t get wet.
We stared at each other for several seconds.
Or maybe several years.
I couldn’t tell.
Her gentle gaze held me prisoner, and her emerald eyes seemed to be searching for something inside me.
Hey! Get a grip, Hitomi!
“There. You made it home without getting soaked.”
She chuckled.
“Yeah…”
“Have a good evening, Akane. See you in class tomorrow.”
She turned around and started walking away.
Her figure slowly disappeared behind the rain.
“Hey, Mikage-san!”
What am I doing?
She turned back, surprised.
“Thanks for sharing your umbrella with me!”
God, that sounded so stupid.
I could have thanked her tomorrow.
She smiled, gave me a small wink, and walked away.

“I’m home.”
Mom immediately rushed over to me.
“Hitomi! Who was that lovely girl with you?”
“No one…”
…
“I mean… she’s a friend.”
Ridiculous.
I wanted to disappear.
“She walked me home because I forgot my umbrella.”
What followed was a full-scale interrogation about Mikage.
Luckily, I managed to escape in time and hide in my room.
Later, once I was in bed, I looked at my eyepatch and thought back over the day.
“Hey, Akane-san… Let’s be friends.”
Well… why not?
…
Being friends with “Mikage-san,” huh?
No.
That still sounded way too weird.
…
A small laugh escaped me.
Ridiculous…
…I had really just laughed all by myself.