Chapter Text
The wooden eraser fragment struck the concrete edge with a heavy, dense sound.
White chalk dust blew and scattered in the air, before slowly falling down in a rush into the wooden groove beneath the board and the outer wall ledge like snow falling in silence.
The dusk atmosphere of Friday perceptibly pressed lower.
Dark, heavy clouds rolled and crept in to cover the view outside.
A strong gust of wind blew through the window opening, bringing with it the damp vapor and raw earth scent characteristic of a rainstorm to strike my cheeks.
That chilly dampness cut deep, sending goosebumps up the entire length of my arms.
I stood tapping the blackboard eraser against the concrete wall outside the window.
The remaining chalk dust drifted away with the strong gust of wind.
Shifting my gaze from the tap marks, I let my eyes sink into the dark, overcast sky.
I like the rainy season. The sound of rain beating down from the sky, the sound of the wind whipping the tree branches back and forth, and the rushing sound echoing across the area. It rings out, drowning out the chaotic confusion in my head into quiet calm.
Below the school building, other students were hurrying home.
Down beneath the school building, the sounds of footsteps, voices, and laughter from the other students gradually faded and receded.
They picked up their pace instinctively.
Everyone was heading back home—a warm and safe place before the major storm would rage down.
The silhouettes of the students below disappeared, obscured by the rain that began falling in lines, leaving behind only the quiet tranquility of the empty school building.
My house was not that far from here. Just a distance of a few hundred meters along the old concrete road. A bicycle ride of only a few minutes would reach the destination, but that meant I had to pass through this brief period along with the storm.
I stepped down from the building before pushing my trusted bicycle out into the open yard. The moment the iron wheels touched the soft, damp ground, ice-cold raindrops fell and struck the skin without restraint.
The roaring sound of pouring rain raged on.
The wind blew against the chest of my student uniform until it was soaked wet and clinging to my skin. I exerted force pedaling forward.
The bicycle wheels turned, splitting through the puddles that were starting to gather on the road surface, spraying water around me.
In the midst of the rain pouring down blindly, the outside world seemed to be reduced to merely a curtain of gray water and the sound of raindrops striking the roofs of houses along the way.
My body was cold and clammy; the wetness eroded all the way down to the skin, yet there was no rush in my heart.
The bicycle wheels came to a still stop on the damp concrete floor under the garage roof. I wheeled it into its usual corner with familiarity before stepping through the door into the house.
My hand pressed the light switch. A warm orange brightness instantly flashed on, drowning out the dark overcast outside and banishing the cold dampness brought in from the rain.
I picked up a dry towel to dab away the water droplets on my face, hair, and limbs amid the quiet tranquility of a house devoid of human voices.
When wiped dry enough, I sank down onto the sofa in the living room. The sound of rain outside still fell against the roof in a heavy rhythm.
Dad and Mom had traveled for a sweet, romantic getaway since yesterday. It would be three more days before they returned, so the entire house fell into being my completely private space.
I leaned back against the soft cushion, while my eyes looked out the water-soaked window. Wishing that this trip would be filled with happiness and go smoothly, hoping they would buy back the souvenirs as promised.
My eyes gradually grew heavy to the rhythm of the rain still raging outside. The warmth under the blanket pulled me deep into sleep.
But that night had not yet ended.
Empty, blurred, and directionless, I stood in a place.
In front of me were the figures of Dad and Mom standing far away.
Their faces were filled with exceptionally gentle smiles, yet strangely hidden with a deep, poignant longing.
They waved gently; whispered voices drifted along the silent wind, yet squeezed the heart to the point of aching. They were going on a long journey, to a far, far distant place—a place where there was no space for me, and from which they could never be brought back again.
I tried to step forward and run, tried to scream at the top of my lungs, but no sound escaped my throat. Their figures gradually faded away into the distant light, until only an icy emptiness remained.
I started awake in the middle of the night.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sound from the front door echoed through the rain that was still raging on. It jerked me out of the reverie of my dream. I sprang up and walked straight toward the thick wooden door.
"It's me, Y/n," a voice shouted in.
Just that, and I recognized him. I hurriedly opened the door. The sight before me was the tall, large figure of Kento Nanami—my father's best friend and my godfather. He stood there soaked, wearing pajamas and a wet sweater clinging to his body. The face that was always taut and composed now showed a trace of haste and an anguish that had never appeared before.
"Kento?..."
I quickly stepped aside, moving backward, inviting him inside immediately. Nanami stepped through the doorway. Water droplets from his body dripped onto the tile floor. I rushed to grab a new towel for guests and handed it to him, gesturing toward the long sofa I had just gotten up from.
"Is something wrong? Why come in the middle of a rainstorm like this—"
Strong arms stepped in close and gathered me into a tight embrace. It was a sudden and fierce hug. His wet and ice-cold clothes pressed against me until the moisture seeped through the fabric to touch my skin. Yet beneath that cold dampness, a certain warmth spread out—a warmth not coming from body temperature, but likely from a heart trembling inside his chest.
Nanami's signature clean scent mixed with the smell of rain. As if just realizing it, he pulled back. "Oh... I made you wet. I'm sorry, little one." His voice was deep and slightly trembling, different from the calm depth I was familiar with.
"It's alright. I can change my clothes later," I replied.
Nanami looked at my face for a moment before reaching out to take the dry towel I was holding out. He used it to dab away the water droplets on his face and the dark blonde hair that was wet and plastered to the frame of his face. His movements were slow and looked exhausted, as if every beat of motion was weighing down the weight of an agonizing truth.
He lowered the towel and let out a long, heavy sigh that made the surrounding air seem to instantly darken. Nanami met my eyes directly, his handsome eyes reflecting a deep pain that was difficult to express.
"Listen to me..." he spoke in a parched voice. "Your dad and mom's car... had an accident on the main road earlier this evening."
Just a few words escaped his mouth like a bolt of lightning plunging straight into the middle of my heart. The dream from just a moment ago flashed brightly in my thoughts instantly That warm touch and the voice in that curtain of fog were no longer a dream anymore.
"What did you say?..."
Those words slipped out of my mouth in a faint whisper. I knew very well that Kento Nanami was a serious, strict person who respected the truth more than anyone. He was not someone who liked to joke around, never used serious matters as a trick, and certainly would never use my parents' lives to make up a lie to tease me.
The whole world seemed to spin aimlessly and stop turning at the exact same time. Nanami looked at my face, his eyes aching with pain. He raised his hand to gently touch my shoulder, the weight of his hand trembling unmistakably.
"I wish so much that it were just a nightmare." He said
His confirmation echoed in my head over and over. The image from the dream moments ago—the image of Dad and Mom waving goodbye in the curtain of fog—flashed clearly in my memory instantly.
They were gone, to a place where I truly don’t existed.