Corruptions Are Best Exposed In The Autumn!

Chapter 23 - The One With The Other 30

Before I could answer Eleanor's proposal with a defeated sigh, a slight tug on my shirt from behind caused me to stop.

Huh?! What's this pulling sensation I'm feeling?

Swinging my head back to see who it was, I was left more confused than ever as no one was in sight from behind except the sight of Febai Park, the various honking vehicles on the road, and rain-filled potholes.

"Hmm?" Eleanor tilted her head sideways. "What are you doing, Kai? There's nothing behind you."

"R-Right..." I mumbled, but that shirt-pulling sensation certainly brought fond memories from almost a year back when Rin and I were still seeing each other. I could still recollect her words of admiration like they were spoken yesterday:

"Kai, I admire how strong-willed you are. Even with the world against your back, you're still able to keep trudging along. It makes someone like me want to stick to your side."

Rin... I guess I gotta live up to expectations, don't I?

I unclenched my teeth and turned back around away from her, gulping my temptations down. Perhaps it was her strength, even if we aren't together anymore, that held me back just one more time.

"I'm sorry, Eleanor. I must still refuse that offer. If you'll excuse me, I have a bus to catch!"

Without batting an eye, I dashed past her to the bus stop just down the block while the rain continued pouring over me. Another bus had just pulled up next to the stop near the park, and I had to run like my life depended on it to catch it. Thanks to my waving, the driver saw me in his mirror before taking off, and I hopped on at the last minute.

Phew...

Thanks to the wind blasting against my face earlier, not a single inch of sweat covered it. I grasped my knees next to the bus driver, trying to catch my breath.

Jeez, I'm so bad at rejecting people...

I pulled my red scarf over my mouth to hide my face. Even though it's been about a year since my father was arrested, I still caught occasional glares in public. The bus ride, as always, was bumpy and slow, and my hand grasped the handrail as if my life depended on it. Crowds of people were hitching a ride home from work, and the bus driver had to begin shooing away folks in the bus stops ahead of us. Every time a pothole made the vehicle bounce, everyone slammed into one another like a pack of bowling pins; it was an absolute shitshow.

Soon, it was my turn to bump into someone standing behind me. Their hood was up, but there was barely any room to turn around and apologize formally.

"Whoops, sorry!" I blurted out.

"K-Kai?!"

Removing her hood slightly was all it took for me to recognize that burgundy hair and those chestnut eyes, along with her silky-smooth skin.

"R-Rin?!"

Of all the people I could've bumped into, it was the girl whom I momentarily just had her voice in my mind. She still wore that large brown coat while carrying a backpack from behind. I tried pivoting around to face her, but to my surprise -

"Please excuse me!"

The ride was so loud that I could barely hear her response. Without batting an eye, Rin snuck her way to the door, just when the bus slowed down at its next stop. I looked on with my mouth half open but with a million questions screaming within my head.

Why is she avoiding me...?

"Wait!" I cried, but it was no use - Rin Miya hopped off the bus before I could even get a step closer to the door. All I could do afterward was sulk with my back hunched over and count the number of stops left until it was my turn to leave. I glanced up at the transit map which was stitched at the top of the wall next to the advertisements, pretending to read it to distract my mind.