Led by the Wind through the Sky

Capturing your Attention

It wasn't long before Rena had her chance.

It was a windy day when she was walking across campus and saw someone struggling. They were carrying multiple bags, as well as a model and rolls of paper. As she made her way over to them to help, one of the sheets of paper escaped in the breeze.

"Oh no!"

The figure stopped and faltered as they realised, they didn't have a spare hand to pick it up. Rena picked it up and walked up to the figure.

"Here you go. Do you want some help... Sky?"

She couldn't believe her luck. It was just the person she had been hoping to run into.

"Thank you... um, sorry, do I know you?"

"Oh, not really. Don't worry. I'm from a different department, but I have some friends in the architecture department."

"Oh."

"You're on the student committee, right? Your organisational skills are famous."

"What? Really?"

Sky tried to keep his face neutral, but Rena could tell that he was sceptical.

"Oh yeah. My department doesn't have someone like you. We're a bit scatter brained."

"What department are you from, ...?"

"Oh! I'm Rena, and I'm an art student."

She noticed his eyes light up at the word art. He smiled at her.

"Nice to meet you, Rena."

"Nice to meet you, too, officially."

Sky's eyes suddenly widen.

"I need to go. Thank you for helping me."

"Of course! Let me carry some of this for you."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to bother you. I can manage."

Sky's tone of voice told her that he was stubborn and independent. Rena wondered if that was what Prapai liked about him.

"I insist. Please. I know what it's like to work for hours on something. You don't want anything to happen to it now."

"Okay, thank you."

Rena grinned at her victory.

"My pleasure."

As she walked with Sky, she learnt some things about him. It was hard work. Although he was polite and friendly, he was also closed off. The most personal thing she learnt about was him that he loved food and while he disliked noodles, he would eat any dish with rice.

Rena felt lucky that they shared some common ground. While talking about school she discovered that Sky also enjoyed drawing and had the best concept drawings in the class.

"If you ever want to do some sketching, I'm always looking for someone to come out with me. I usually prefer landscapes, but I don't mind working on my architectural skills if it's for you."

She could've kicked herself when Sky looked taken aback. She had come on too strong and now there was a risk she had scared him away.

"I - umm..."

Rena quickly interrupted him, hoping to save the situation.

"What I mean is people are always coming up to me when I'm alone to see what I'm drawing, and I thought if someone was with me, I could actually get something done. My friends in my department just chat the whole time and then complain they have so much work to do... It was a silly idea. Sorry. You don't have to. Why would you want to hang out with me anyway -"

"I'm free this Saturday."

She looked at Sky in surprise. Rena hadn't meant to run off on a tangent like that, but something about Sky made her feel like she had known him forever, like she could tell him anything.

"Oh. Cool! I'll - I'll bring lunch!"

Sky's face lit up with a smile at the mention of food.

"Cool! See you then, Rena. Bye."

"Bye, Sky."

As he walked away, she tried not to think about what the way her heartbeat sped up when he smiled at her could mean.