All of Me is Water and So Are You...

“No. That is something I cannot do.”

Tetsudo looked as serious as ever. He felt like a request like that was coming. He felt it in the air as Yai turned to him.

“But you promised…” Yai was in shock by Tetsudo’s rejection.

“Then that is a promise I cannot fulfill. I’m sorry.”

Yai was not expecting such a definitive rejection from Tetsudo. Probably because she was so used to him accepting her requests. She was standing, with the sun behind her, unable to process what had just happened.

Tetsudo started walking back and away from the station.

“Come on, let’s go. You have to get some sleep it seems.”

“I DON’T WANT TO!” Yai yelled with clenched fists. “I… I have nothing but a brother back home. What if he also turned his back on me? I’ll be all alone then! Please, come with me! You can’t… you can’t leave me alone just yet…”

Tears started rolling down her pink cheeks. Words were coming out in big chunks between her choked voice. Tetsudo looked back at her. His look was a regretful one, like he didn’t want to leave her alone, but he had to. He couldn’t shelter her anymore. He turned back around.

“Let’s go.”

Despite Yai and Tetsudo being at the station, it looked lonelier than ever. It so was quiet that the leaves decided to move and rustle a bit to break this death stillness. Both walked slowly towards home in silence. Yai sometimes would sniffle or sob quietly. Tetsudo couldn’t help but hear her. He tried his hardest to suppress his thoughts and senses. Maybe it was just him, but it looked like the rails were rustier than when they came up.

“The rails aren’t shining as much as they did earlier, do they?” He said out loud.

Yai looked at them through her moist eyes.

“No. They were always rusty; they were never shining.”

Tetsudo couldn’t help but turn around with a distrustful look on his face.

“What? I’m telling the truth!” Yai said confused.

He turned and continued to walk back home. The wires above him looked like they were going to fall down – all the sunlight was weighing them down. The poles hadn’t changed, except now they were cool, not warm. It was a worrying sign for Tetsudo. The forest looked calm as ever, but even more unwelcoming – even more worrying sign.

The two slowly made their way home. When they got there, the only thing they did was eat and then they went to bed on Tetsudo’s orders. It was clear that both were tired.

“I’m really leaving tomorrow? That isn’t right, I must do something… I can’t just let the only person that really cared for me leave…” Yai couldn’t close her eyes. She was laying on the bed, staring at the black pit that was the bedroom ceiling. The thoughts about leaving just wouldn’t go away.

The night was windy, and it didn’t look like it would be slowing down until morning. Heavy clouds could be seen approaching from behind the mountains, slowly moving into position.

“I hope it won’t rain tomorrow morning…” thought Tetsudo, while listening to the whistling wind outside. “I hope it won’t rain anymore…”

The clouds won’t listen to Tetsudo’s wishes, however. They would decide his fate on their blind judgement.

*

The morning came. Saturday. Yai’s last day had arrived. She was to go home by train today. At least that was the plan that Tetsudo arranged for her. She got changed into the clothes Tetsudo found her in and they set out for the actual train station in the center of town, not the rundown one they usually went to when walking together.

They eventually got there after 15 minutes of walking. Tetsudo bought her a ticket and said he’ll wait for the train to arrive. Yai looked at him with dead eyes.

“Don’t. Just go.”

“But it’d be better if I waited for you-”

“No. Just go.”

Tetsudo was confused by this.

“Are you sure?”

“I am.” Yai looked down. Her black hair covered her face.

Tetsudo then understood it was better to not press the issue.

“The train is at 12:35. It could be delayed however. Make sure you get something to eat after you arrive in Niigata.”

Yai only nodded. Tetsudo then realized he had to do something. So, he awkwardly reached and hugged her. It was a bad hug, but he had never hugged anyone before.

“Have a safe trip. Goodbye.”

He then walked out of the station without looking back. The streets in front of him looked as dead as they always do on weekends. No car would pass up or down, everyone stayed in their houses. The clouds had gathered and were ready to start the downpour. Tetsudo had to get home quickly.

Unfortunately, his luck would betray him, and it started raining as he was halfway to his house. He had to run until he was home. The smell of petrichor filled his lungs and he was struggling to breathe, but after a minute of intense running and even some slips on the pavement, he was home. Now he had to dry all his clothes. It looked like this weird passage of his school life was over. Summer was here and he had to do something.

“Maybe I should get a job or go on a road trip with Hiraya and Yamada… That would be fun…” he thought as he left his clothes on his chair to dry out, and got changed.

The rain wasn’t stopping soon, but it wasn’t so intense as it was at the beginning of the week. There weren’t thunderclaps or lightning in the sky, just and only the raindrops falling down. Tetsudo got changed and started to wonder what to do. It sure was boring without Yai… Was his life just as boring before Yai came by? He couldn’t recall anything before her arrival. Was his life this meaningless and empty, this full of neglect and indifference? If he didn’t have his friends Yamada and Hiraya, what would he really do?

As Tetsudo sat there lost in his thoughts, there was a knock on the door. He looked out – there was still rain.

“Who is this bonkers to go out in the rain?” Tetsudo got to the door and opened it.

A hand shoved some money into his face.

“The ticket money.” A familiar, calm and feminine voice reached Tetsudo’s ears. He took the money out of the wet hand and in front of him stood none other than…

“Yai?”