"Do you like the rain?"
I could remember those words, as if I only heard them yesterday. She really loved the rain. When she was depressed, she felt like the rain was crying for her. When she was angry, the rain washed away her hidden intentions. When she was happy, the rain hummed for her, a beautiful melody.
I hated the rain. It reminded me of memories I wanted to forget. I was never allowed to. Every time the loud pattering rain resounded around me, those words return, as if to haunt me…
Years have passed... Not even for a whole season have I not thought about those words. Not even for a month have I been spared from remembering her voice. Not even for a week have I not thought of her.
"Do you like the rain?" she asks me.
It’s been four and a half years since she went overseas to study. Hitori and Yumi kept insisting that I move on. But, as much as I would like to, I couldn’t get myself to just forget everything. I guess the reason is that a part of me believed that Miya would still come back. And when that time comes, I wanted to be there waiting for her.
“Kyosei-san! You’re free today, right? Meet me at the park around 1pm!” Yumi called to tell me this morning. She hung up before I could even reply.
After wasting away the whole Saturday morning, I decided to go to the park to meet up with Yumi. Upon arriving, I saw Hitori waiting at our usual meeting spot.
“Yo!” he called with a grin.
I was about to greet him back a couple of hands suddenly covered my eyes. “Yopo! Guess who~” an energetic voice called.
“Kaa-san!” I answered, before I was bopped on the head.
“I told you to stop calling me that!” Kaya exclaimed.
Kaya, or Kaa-san, as I’d like to call her just to tease her, is Hitori’s girlfriend. After graduating, Hitori got employed as a hotel clerk. After eleven months, he decided to look for a more interesting job and eventually got employed as a head waiter in a family restaurant. Kaya is the owner of that family restaurant and she began working last year. Apparently, meeting Hitori in the restaurant almost every day brought the two of them closer. I don’t really know when the two of them started going out with each other. All I know is that they’ve been a couple for more than 8 months now.
“I guess Yumi invited the two of you as well, huh?” I asked them.
“Actually, I was the one she invited,” Hitori answered. “She just came along for kicks,” he added, pointing to Kaya.
“I thought Hito-kun might get lonely without me,” Kaya said in rebuttal.
“Sorry I made you wait!” another voice called out.
I turned around to see Yumi, who was running with a purse around her shoulder. She stopped just in front of me, panting.
“You didn’t have to hurry. It’s not like we’ll miss anything, right?” I told her.
“Oh… right,” she answered, smiling at me, still catching her breath.
“Yopo!” Kaya called out to Yumi.
“Yo!” Hitori followed.
“Hi hi!” Yumi waved to the two.
“So, did you have plans for today, or do we just waste the day away?” I asked Yumi.
“Ehehe,” Yumi laughed nervously, playing with her fingers. “I was thinking that we could go to a movie. It’ll be a double date!”
“Like!” Hitori and Kaya replied at the same time.
And so that was the plan. Unfortunately, Yumi didn’t even check the movie listing and we couldn’t decide on anything to watch. Everything looked either boring or ugly. And so we decided to just stroll around. After wasting a couple of hours, Hitori and Kaya decided to split since Kaya suddenly felt like shopping.
“Ne, Kyosei-san,” Yumi whispered as we waved goodbye to the two.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Do you want to go visit the school?” she asked, turning to me with a little smile.
“Why not?” I answered.
As alumni, we were allowed to go inside the school. We arrived at the school’s rooftop at around 4pm.
“Wow, exactly at dismissal time,” Yumi said, looking at her watch.
“Kinda makes you feel nostalgic, doesn’t it?” I asked, remembering her again.
Yumi looked at me with concern. “I guess it was a bad idea coming here, huh?”
I didn’t feel like answering her. I walked to the spot I used to stand on when I was still with her, looking at the scenery.
“Hey, Kyosei-san!” I heard Yumi call.
I turned around to find her holding up a familiar object; the necklace. “Tadaa!” she exclaimed.
I told all about the necklace to Yumi as I gave it to her on her graduation, explaining to her that it might have been what made her attracted to me. I expected her to think I was joking. Her reaction was not as I had expected.
“Then I’m thankful for it,” she smiled, looking at the necklace. “After all, it gave me the strength I needed to find great friends. And my happiness just started from there.”
Hearing her say that made me think it was really a perfect graduation gift to her. I had expected her to just keep it as a treasure. I didn’t think I would ever see it again.
“You don’t plan to use it, do you?” I asked her.
“If I did, then you’d fall for me, right?” she asked.
I turned my attention to the ground to avert my eyes from her. “I would be attracted to you, if you wanted me to…” I answered.
“Then do you want me to wear it?” she asked.
I looked at her again, thinking of what to tell her.
“It would help you move on…” she said, holding the necklace against her chest. “If it’s what you want, I would wear it for you. I would help you forget her.”
I just stared at her. The whole time, I wasn’t the only one suffering. I never did know if she still had feelings for me. The way she acted was as if she already moved on. I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t know what to say. Would it be selfish if I accepted her offer or would it be if I decline?
I felt a drop on my head. Looking up, a couple of drops fell on my face. It started raining, but the two of us remained standing there. Yumi was ready to wear the necklace, only awaiting my reply. But her words appeared in my head, I heard them as if I heard those words from her own voice.
“If love is only held together by something, then it’s hardly love.” She told me in her letter.
“I can’t let you,” I finally answered. “It wouldn’t be fair for you if I love you only because of that necklace.” I added.
She looked disappointed, looking at the ground, her bangs covered her eyes. Her arms fell down to her side, her right hand gripping the thread of the necklace. She then looked back up at me with a grin. “Good answer!”
We bought a couple uniforms and umbrellas from the school, just to have something to change to. The storekeeper was quite surprised to see the two of us soaked like that. Both of us left the school afterwards.
Yumi led the way and I just followed. Passing by the bayside, I took a few glances at her face to find out how he was feeling. She looked quite content.
“Peeking at my face?” she asked me, laughing softly. “You don’t have to be so shy about it.”
“Stupid! I was only trying to find out if you were angry or something.”
She suddenly stopped walking and turned to me. “Is there something for me to be angry about?” she asked with a puzzled look.
Looking at her, I was convinced she meant it. I shook my head. Turning my attention to the bay behind her, a thought came to me. “Do you really want to keep that necklace?”
She balanced her umbrella on her neck and took the necklace from her purse. “Do with it as you desire,” she whispered, handing it to me, as if reading my mind.
I took the necklace from her hand. Holding the umbrella with my left hand and the necklace on my free hand, I wound up and threw the necklace as far as I could into the water.
“You sure you did the right thing?” Yumi asked me as we watched the necklace splash into the water.
“Too late to think about that now,” I answered, turning to her with a smile.
The rain poured down harder. Thinking it would be bad if our ways home get too flooded, we decide to go home. Of course, I offered to walk Yumi home, but she declined my offer.
“It’ll be troubling if you become unable to get to your house because you walked me home. I appreciate the offer though,” she told me.
And so, with a wave, we parted from each other. On my way home, I passed by a familiar bus stop. I remembered being there with her, waiting for the rain to stop. I shook off the memory and just kept walking. It wasn’t long until I arrived at our doorstep. I took my keys from my right pocket and opened the door.
“I'm home!” I called, as I left my shoes on the foyer and changed into my slippers.
“Welcome back, Kyosei-kun,” My mom greeted, while carrying the rice cooker to the dining area.
"Aah, let me carry that," I said as I ran to help her.
It was strange that she was using the rice cooker. We haven't used it in a long time since it was too big for just the two of us. We decided to just boil the rice in a small pot, which was more efficient.
"There's no need for that," she replied. "The dining room's close enough. It's more trouble to pass you the rice cooker."
She was right, of course. The dining area was just on the other side of the of the hallway from the kitchen. I ended up just watching her, afraid that she'll hurt herself while moving the thing.
"Rather than getting in my way here, why don't you go change in your room? You're not a student anymore, if you've forgotten." she added.
I looked at my clothes and just remembered that I was wearing a school uniform. "Okay..."
I opened the door to my room and saw her, hugging the bunny beanie her maid gave me when she left, while looking at the sky through the window. She then turned to me and gave me a warm smile. "I've been waiting for you, Kyosei-kun."
At first, I thought as if I was just dreaming. Seeing her appear so suddenly like that felt so unreal. My heart felt heavy and my chest seemed to tighten. "S-stupid! That's my line!" I said in a shaky voice as I wiped away a tear from my eye.
Miya looked at the bunny in her arms. "You're right," she softly responded. "What should I say then?"
I rushed to her and wrapped my arms around her tightly. I wanted to hug her as tightly as I could, feeling that I might lose her again if I ever let go. I found no time to think of words to say to her. No words could express how happy I've felt. Tears flowed from my eyes, as if I've forgotten how to hold them back.
I felt her arms wrap on my back, followed by a soft, angelic voice, “I'm back, Kyosei-kun.”
“Welcome back… Miya.”
