Convenience Store

September 1st:

Kanehara Kaede, heading home after an exhausting day at work. The rain started to fall.

It was beginning to pour, and he, Kaede without an umbrella ran to the front of the convenience store to take shelter from the rain while walking home.

Kaede is a 23-year-old new employee and a new member of society. Kaede had begun his adult life soon after graduating from college full of enthusiasm and excitement, he soon quickly changed after realizing that being an adult is not an easy task and full of responsibilities.

That's where his bad habits start to begin.

The pitter-pattering sound remained calm and gentle. It somehow felt relaxing, the sound of the rain it is.

"Ah, I forgot to bring my umbrella today"

As the rain poured harder, Kaede wore a worried-looking face. Wondering if he could even get home dry during this bad weather.

"It's really coming down huh?"

Kaede said with an exhausted look. 

Beside him, he looked. He had noticed this high school girl seated just to the right of him.

As he looked at her. She was a beautiful girl with straight long black hair, eyelashes that were long and sooty, and pink lips that looked soft, cute, and puffy.

She's pretty. Kaede thought while having blush red cheeks.

She resembled the image of a princess without a crown. But that princess instead was wearing a distressed look. As if something was bothering her.

She was good at sports and was always ranked 1 at their school. Despite having a beautiful face, She was kind, humble, and confident. That's how she was referred to as the princess of the school. Of course, it was just a Metaphor for being good at everything.

What is she doing there? he thought, does she not have an umbrella?

As he saw her with such a pained look, he wondered. What happened?

The other students that passed by heading home, had an umbrella although she was the only one who doesn't have one.

I wondered what could've happened, he thought, did he break up with her boyfriend, Family problems? it's not like I have any interest in wanting to know.

Her name was Shinamori Shion. A 17-year-old female High school student was seated right in front of the convenience store.

"...Are you alright?"

Kaede spoke to her with a calm voice, showing that he had no ulterior motives. She wiped her watery eyes and looked up at him.

Kaede never intended to get involved with a high school girl since she was a minor. But seeing her beautiful face with such a pained look he was bothered and ends up asking her instead.

It was rather her pained look with watery eyes, that were hinting him something else.

Am I bothering her? he thought.

Even though she was crying, her beauty was unhindered, as if she still has a beautiful face even when crying.

Her enchanting eyes looked up towards him as their eyes meet. He quickly averted his from hers.

After meeting eyes with her. Kaede was a little flustered as he was captivated by the image of the princess.

It seemed like Shion knew that he had no ulterior motives, and wasn't trying to hit on her.

But her clear-blue enchanting eyes were still wary, after being spoken to by a complete stranger.

"Excuse me. is there anything you want from me Mr.?"

Shion replied as she wiped her tears.

Ah, so she thinks I'm trying to hit on her, he thought, but he was wondering why a beautiful princess-like high school girl was outside in the freezing rain crying in front of the convenience store.

Did something happen? It's not like I have any business wanting to know, he thought, while having a curious look on his face.

"Nothing, really. I was just wondering why a princess like you is crying in front of this convenience store."

Calling someone you barely even met a "Princess" was already weird in the situation itself.

Why did I call her that? Am I crazy? he thought.

It seemed she was uncomfortable about being called a princess; she still wore a slightly discomforting look.

Kaede then saw the bothered look on her face after calling her a princess. I shouldn't have asked. This is awkward, Kaede thought.

"Do you have any business in wanting to know?"

The voice was neither gentle nor wary, and while annoyed, her voice warned him not to get involved any further.

I see, I guess I shouldn’t pry any further.

As the rain was still pouring, Kaede went in and decided to buy the last umbrella in the convenience store.

As he came out, Kaede saw the beautiful girl still seated at the front of the convenience store.

Oh, she's still here? he wondered.

Since she was still crying. Kaede couldn't bear to see the girl cry. It felt like if he had left the girl, he wouldn't stop worrying about her until he got home.

Kaede approached her, and gently "pats" her head with a reassuring look, it's not like her problems are that hard, I think she's going to be alright.

"You should stop worrying and keep looking towards the path ahead."

"Always keep moving to the path forward, and don't ever look back."

He said with a smile and an enthusiastic look. 

Those were the words of a favorite book that he had read.

But those were the words that he couldn't say to he, himself. As if he has problems that he never shares nor wants to talk about.

Shion saw the enthusiastic look on his face with a smile. She had noticed that behind that smiling face, is a face that could barely even keep up with the everyday life of an adult.

The freezing rain poured even more, and the only thing that Kaede thought about was this pretty girl without an umbrella to cover herself from the wet and cold rain.

He didn't want her to get sick and catch a cold. So he gave her the last umbrella that he had bought at the convenience store.

"Here, the rain won't stop anytime soon."

"Why are yo-...?"

"You don't need to thank me."

As he hastily leaves while waving her goodbye, Kaede uses his business suit from work to cover his head to avoid getting wet.

Behind him, Shion called out.

The soft voice that called out to him, wasn't able to reach Kaede because of the rain.

Kaede quickly ran through the rain to get home to his apartment fast as possible.

He had merely hoped that she would get home safely and won't catch a cold when he gave her the umbrella. Perhaps it was the feeling that worries him, that if he left her, his conscience wouldn't let him sleep.

As she wiped her tears, she never got the chance to learn the name of the man who gave her the umbrella.

What he said earlier... What did that suppose to mean? Shion was confused about what the man said. As she was never able to interpret the meaning of those words.

That was what Shion thought, back then, as she arrived dry and safely at her apartment.