Chapter 44
Sharing an Umbrella
“It’s raining…”
“Yeah… it is.”
It was after school one day.
The weather forecast had said it’d be sunny all day, but here we were — stuck in a downpour.
Tsukiyo and I had been getting ready for club activities when it suddenly started pouring. I thought it would stop quickly, but it kept going for over an hour.
The field was completely soaked, and since our advisor wasn’t around, club was canceled.
The rain would probably stop in another hour or two.
After changing clothes, Tsukiyo and I stood by the school entrance, staring up at the gray sky.
“Do you have an umbrella, Tsukiyo?”
“Yes, I brought a folding one.”
Ah… I see. In that case—
“Oh! I just remembered — I had something I needed to give to Seiya! I’ll go find him and chat for a bit, so go on ahead without me.”
“Eh? Oh… okay.”
I headed back inside, picked up my indoor shoes from the locker, and thought maybe I really should go kill some time.
But just as I thought that, someone grabbed my arm.
“Ta~iyou-san.”
“W-what is it?”
“I think I’ve started to understand how you think lately… You don’t have an umbrella, do you?”
“…”
She caught me.
I’d forgotten my folding umbrella at home. I didn’t want to make her wait, so I made up an excuse and pretended to go back inside — but she saw right through me.
“If you had something to give to my brother, you could’ve just given it to me. …You were just trying to be considerate, weren’t you?”
“Wow. Sharp as ever. You got me.”
“Geez!”
Tsukiyo pouted, clearly unhappy. The humidity made her chestnut-colored hair look soft and a little damp — she looked… different somehow.
“I’ve got an umbrella, so let’s just share it and go home. I often share with Umi-chan or Kinori, so it’s fine…”
“But if it’s you and me… wouldn’t that be, you know, sharing an umbrella?”
“…!”
Guess she hadn’t realized that part yet.
I had. I knew Tsukiyo would suggest it — she’s kind like that. But a tiny folding umbrella means we’d have to stand really close.
And that would be… dangerous for me.
“I–it’s fine! You’re important to me, so I don’t mind sharing!”
“‘Important to me’? I didn’t catch the rest of that.”
“…Pervert.”
“Don’t use ‘pervert’ to dodge the question!”
I couldn’t let her realize that just hearing her say that made my lower body react.
◇◇◇
This is bad. Really bad.
The umbrella was smaller than I thought.
I’m taller than Tsukiyo, so I had to hold it, but to keep her dry, we had to stand really close together.
Right now, I’m practically wrapping her up in my arms as we walk.
At this point, I could drop the umbrella and just hug her.
Even Tsukiyo looked embarrassed — her ears were red all the way to the tips.
I’d gotten used to her cuteness lately, since we’d been spending so much time together, but this level of closeness… this was on another level.
She gets flustered just from holding hands — there’s no way she can handle this.
“Tsukiyo… you’re not cold, are you?”
“N–no… actually, I feel kind of hot…”
…Same here.
Her soft, damp chestnut hair kept swaying in front of me, and all I wanted to do was touch it. Run my fingers through it, smooth it out…
I’ve got a bit of a hair fetish, honestly.
Long hair like Tsukiyo’s, or Mizusato-san’s, or Yumizuka-san’s, or Kudou-san’s — I love it.
Seiya’s surrounded by girls like that. Lucky guy.
Ah—!
I instinctively pulled Tsukiyo close with my right arm, wrapping her tightly against me.
“Kyah!”
A car zoomed past us, splashing through puddles. I thought it’d splash her, so I pulled her in — but turns out there wasn’t even a puddle here.
“Sorry, I thought water would splash on you.”
“It’s… it’s fine…”
Her face was bright red.
And my heart — it was pounding like crazy.
Why did I even do that!?
“Taiyou-san… is your heart beating fast?”
“Ha—!”
She could hear it!?
Since I didn’t want my blazer to get wet, I’d stuffed it in my bag — meaning I was only wearing my shirt.
There was no way I could let her hear my heartbeat like this.
I had to distract her. Make her back away somehow.
“…Your hair’s really pretty, you know.”
“—!”
I ran my fingers gently through her damp hair, stroking it from the bottom up like a comb.
Tsukiyo jumped back, not even caring that she got hit by the rain.
Her face tightened, eyes wide with shock, meeting mine.
“That’s unfair!”
“…You started it.”
And with that, the two of us walked silently under the tiny umbrella until we reached the Kannagi family’s apartment.
She went inside for a bit, then came back out with a clear vinyl umbrella.
“You can give it back tomorrow.”
“…”
She narrowed her eyes slightly, studying me.
Even though the umbrella had done its job, I was still pretty wet. I should probably go home and take a bath.
“…Is my hair really that pretty?”
It’s beautiful! I want to bury my face in it! I could play with it for hours!
“Y-yeah… I’d like to touch it again sometime.”
“Then…”
“Wait— you’ll let me!?”
“Not today! I haven’t even taken care of it, and it’s all messy from the rain!”
That’s exactly what makes it good though…
“Maybe… on our second date.”
O-oh!! She’s an angel!
Now I just want that next date to come as soon as possible! I’m so happy I could get a nosebleed!
“Taiyou-san…”
Seeing my overexcited face, Tsukiyo sighed.
“Before the next date, please study how to properly touch a girl’s hair. The way you did it just now gave me goosebumps. It was kinda gross.”
“Guh!”
Up high, then straight down.
Kannagi Tsukiyo — the terrifyingly cute girl.
Standing in the rain, I couldn’t even bring myself to move.
