The Rainbow

Chapter 07 – The Rainbow

I am sharing an umbrella with Nijima Koharu again. She had given her umbrella to her friend, so she came to me. But thinking about it for a moment, they could've shared hers instead.

So why has she purposely done this?

C-could it be that she likes me!?

My head keeps thinking about these things when our shoulders suddenly touch. She doesn't need to stick that close since my umbrella has enough space for two, but she does, nonetheless. With each passing moment, I can't help but have thoughts that wander on the idea that she likes me back.

The person herself is smiling as we go on, looking as if she is enjoying my inner turmoil. Yes, I think she’s definitely teasing me. But they say that girls like teasing those they are interested in, right?

…it’s too soon to rush into conclusions.

The two of us fall quiet as I walk wordlessly. Eventually, Koharu’s smile also disappears and she wears a complicated expression.

The rain keeps pouring down. The rhythmic thumping sounds of the water droplets against the umbrella are all that I can hear. My shoes step into a small puddle of water, creating an insignificant splash, and then I step with my other feet again, repeating the same process.

Koharu's steps, matching mine—as I match hers—are different from mine. Her strides are small, and she walks a little bit faster, unlike my lanky long strides. Her white shoes are dirtied with mud and her black socks, as far as I can see, have no mud on them yet.

Her unblemished legs—

“Why are you staring at my legs, pervert.”

“S-sorry! I-I didn’t mean to!”

In my sudden movements, I unconsciously move the umbrella away from her. She immediately reacts and she reaches out for the handle of the umbrella.

“H-hey—"

Her word is cut short as her hand touches mine.

Our eyes meet…

We stare at each other for a moment, unable to speak a word. I can feel the warmth transmitting from her fingers, and her gaze is soft, like a strawberry-flavored ice cream that will melt once I touch it.

She blinks, and she reflexively pulls her hand back.

“S-sorry,” I say, positioning the umbrella above us again.

“It’s okay,” she says, but she looks down and refuses to face me.

The rain envelops us in its silent folds again and we both simply walk. There are no other people around and there are no other sounds aside from my heartbeat, the rain, and our unsteady footsteps.

It’s awkward…

I am uneasy about what to say or how I am supposed to act. At the same time, a drummer is beating my heart intensely as if he is in a concert right now. I can't stabilize my heart rate, I can't control my breathing, and my body temperature keeps rising.

It’s awkward, I look lame and it’s embarrassing…

I glance at her profile: she is still looking down. Then she pursed her lips—that alone made my heart skip a beat.

If a chance like this will never come again… No. What I must do isn’t going to change either way.

A lone cherry tree nearby is coming into our sight, and it signals the imminent corner. This is the tree where I always have stopped as I watch her figure go away in the corner. My mind goes frenzy, my chest tightens from the anxiety. I step firm, and I step no more.

I stand under the cherry tree.

“Nijima-san—”

“Amemiya-kun—”

Our voice overlaps.

She says my name at the exact moment and now we stare at each other. Her face turns red and then we both turn away.

My thoughts and my momentum are all thrown off and I certainly lose the guts to say that I like her. I look around, searching for something to speak out but it is no use. We stand on the sidewalk, for seconds, dozens of seconds, and then into a minute.

I am getting impatient with myself. I want to do something immediately, but I don’t what I should do.

It is then when a visible change occurs, not to both of us but in the rain.

The drop of water starts to hit less against the umbrella until it becomes nonexistent. The dim light that surrounds us before is now brighter. I regain my thoughts and calm myself.

I lift the red canopy and peeks.

“…Rainbow," Nijima Koharu softly mutters.

What spread out between the clearing clouds is the vast orange sky. The scattered clouds are no longer dark. From the gaps between them, there lays a set of arches of different colors, lain atop the others. The colors they sport are bright and clear. I can even say they are lively.

Nijima Koharu also gazes in the spectacle.

As I hold my breath, looking at Koharu, I realize how much I have been watching her all this time.

When she didn't do good on her exams, I saw her become even more determined. When our class lost a competition, she smiled despite putting in more effort than anybody. I remember the time when I saw her cry on the way home due to frustration. It was probably that time when my interest in her became love.

I didn’t even say anything to her, but she smiled as she said to me nonetheless, “I’ll do better next time. Wish me luck. I wish you luck too, Amemiya-kun.”

After facing the things that came to her and overcoming them, Nijima Koharu returned stronger and more vibrant.

Almost, like a rainbow.

“Nijima-san, I like you.”

Her shoulders jump and she turns at me slowly. Her moist eyes gaze at me intently, her cheeks turn red as she smiles at me cheerily. She is more beautiful than I ever witnessed before.

I hold my breath.

“I know,” she says quietly, in a whisper. Her hands gingerly clasps mine as she brings them over her chest. “Or more like, you were pretty obvious.”

“Eh…” I turn stiff. “Y-yeah.”

I think anxiously of her reply, as my heart rages again in its beating.

Koharu tiptoes and slowly brings her face closer until her lips almost touch my cheek. Her perfume's smell makes my heart jump in response, and my face grows hot when her breath caresses my ears.

In a warm, soft voice, she whispers.

“I like you too, Amemiya-kun.”

My body jolts as she pulls back.

“T-that means…”

“Yes… Uhm... We…are now dating...I guess," she says as she looks down, embarrassed.

My mind is processing slowly as I wonder if this is still a dream. My heart is beating like crazy, and it doesn’t just feel real.

“…A-are you sure about me?” I ask again.

“Geez. Even though I already said it…” she pauses. “Yes.”

“I-I see. Thanks.”

Our eyes meet again, and we immediately turn away.

“Good... Now let’s go home,” Koharu initiates, seemingly embarrassed.

However, it’s also the same for me. I am still frozen stiff due to all the things that happened in an instant. At the same time, I am restless with the fuzzy feelings inside me. I don’t know how to act around a girlfriend.

Even so, I muster up my courage once more and gently clasp her hand, which she is visibly surprised by but gingerly receives it.

I look up at the sky and the rainbow above us, as I hold hands with her for the first time.