Ichika Amasawa: One-shots, Snippets, and Drabbles, etc.

Two Umbrellas

The land was wet. The rainfall has been unceasing since hours. Standing here, my eyes flickered amidst the veil of rain guarding away the buildings, the people, the short shrubs, the tall trees. Some were outside, some were inside.

Outside was me. Huddled beneath my umbrella. I moved strands of my hair behind my ear. Wet. Found it slightly soaked due to my carelessness in covering.

A bother, it is. Having to handle such trifling tresses.

Water collected beneath my feet splashed, as I idly spun them in circles.

Dull; it is different yet dull. Not white, but the novelty isn't much interesting. There's no danger at present time behind my back however. ... it's, at the very least, a novelty I can appreciate.

I moved, spun around on my heels as if in a rush. They clacked loudly, echoing in the silent streets awash with water.

To the right, to the left, to my back, to my front; I am alone. Right here, no other living being is present. A smile on my lips — it reflected off the water at my feet. Kicking it away, I turned my gaze out of the cover of my umbrella. Only a bit, however.

The rain drops poured onto my face. Cold. It was cold, and... fresh. The smell of barren concrete and the grime of city assailed me.

The cold is different from the showers in that place. There is a serenity here that is absent in that colourless world. This world, its colours presently diminished by the shower, it's grey. The clock had dulled, time slowed to a slumbering grey.

A soft sigh escaped me. The water droplets from the torrent, its taste blank and crystal-like, rolled down my cheeks. My fingers made its way up, right before it could fall of, and the water sifted, soaking sleeve and arm.

My fingers splayed, throwing off the residual rainwater. But it was soaked, too, and I let it be for further attempts would be in vain.

A moment's pause. I tilted my umbrella a fraction of a degree. From the tips of my right hand, the rainwater crawled down, this time, like a mountaineer descending down a high summit.

It was getting colder. Such an irrelevant observation. The temperature had dropped off to a few degrees, where one might easily catch cold.

Spinning my umbrella, the rainwater collected on it raining in all direction, like some archaic dance, I strode forward. Hop; hop; hop. Little hops brought me out of the the solitary companion that was rain. To another person.

"Nanase-chann~" I whispered into her ear. Sneaked behind perfectly; no error, as ever.

"Awasawa-san!" She turned on her heel. When it seemed she would slip on the wet ground, she regained balance. Good for her. "You— It's not a good thing to surprise people like that. In this rain, their feet could easily slip."

"Eh? You didn't slip though? If someone is that clumsy, isn't it like their own fault? Such a shameful thing that is." Head cocked and hand on my chin, I said from under the cover of her umbrella.

"It's not like that. People aren't constantly on guard to be immune from surprises—"

"Their fault then." I cut her off, smiling. There are exceptions to such people.

She sighed. "No matter, please don't pull such tricks again. I would be glad if I don't have to repeat this request the next time too."

"Let's go meet senpai, Nanase-chan~" Opening my umbrella again, I stepped out of her peach coloured umbrella.

"Awasawa-san, he might be busy!"

"Only amateurs wait for the correct time. Senpai will make time~" We walked, together, leaving the rain alone in the vast noise of silence of people.

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Words: 626
Published: March 29th, 2022