mottainai | h. sakura

六

Waiting for Madoka to finish up with band practice, Haruna decided to pass time inside a convenient store, sitting down on one of the high stools with a bottle of green tea. Elbow resting on top of the table and her cheek against her fingers, she was the rain pour down hard onto the ground, wondering when will it ever let up. She knew rain in spring is inevitable but she didn't quite expect to come this early in April. She took her phone out to see if there is any new messages for her, but alas, there is nothing. A soft sigh escapes her lips, putting her phone back inside the pocket of her bag; opening the cap of her green tea and then taking a sip.

The warmth of the hot green tea she had purchased made her feel relaxed. It is nice that she had found a comfortable seat inside the convenient store, as the rain poured harder by the second, soaking anyone who didn't bring their umbrella out. All the while she watches the rain pour out, she doesn't notice a man enters the convenient store, taking a quick glance at her before moving somewhere along inside.

By the time Madoka texted Haruna that she is finished, the rain had not yet let up. Nevertheless, Haruna gets off from the high stool, holding onto her half a bottle of hot green tea and was about to leave the convenient store when a hand clamps around her elbow, halting her from her tracks. Turning her head around, she sees a tall man with long, black curls wearing a flannel and matching black tank and pants.

"You dropped this." The man spoke to her, handing to her a yellow and white colored handkerchief.

Haruna's eyes widened and took the cloth from his hand, thanking him by smiling up at him.

"The rain's still pouring down hard, huh?" He continues speaking to her, his hand loosening around her elbow. "Do you got an umbrella with you?"

Haruna knows she should lie and nod her head yes, she didn't know who this man is after all. In her eyes, he didn't seem to be someone who is familiar to her. She knew the faces and names of almost everyone in Makochi due to being a part timer in Pothos.

As if he read her mind, the man begans shaking his head and clicking his tongue. "I'd hate it if you got sick because you walked under the rain." He says, handing to her his bottle of green tea, the same one as hers. "Can you hold this for me?"

Without any words, Haruna takes a hold of his drink with her free hand.

The man proceeds to take his flannel shirt off and the first thing that she notices is the amount of tattoos adorning his arms and shoulders. She couldn't get a good look on his upper chest since he was wearing a tank top. As she stood there watching him, the man hovers his flannel above their heads. "Let's go."

Together, the two of them exit the convenient store. Pitter patter sounds of rain hitting against the fabric of the flannel fills the silence between them. Although she didn't really like walking side by side with a stranger, she couldn't complain much since he is doing her a huge favor by allowing her to stay under his protection.

"Where were you headed, by the way?" He asks her, tilting his head to look at her.

Haruna responds by using her index finger to point at the visible building of Sacred Heart.

"That's a relief to know. I'm headed in that direction too." He says. Together, they walk side by side under the rain with his flannel shielding the top of their heads.

"You don't...really talk, do you?" He asks her.

The issue with how she doesn't speak with actual words and only saying what is on her mind with facial expressions has been anything but sensitive to her. She is grateful that there are people who understand her but there are also people who still push her in a forceful manner. Like opening closed wounds that took a long time to heal.