100 Ways To Fall In Love

Bokuto Koutarou

FLIGHT: From Drops to Drizzle

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Bokuto falls in love like how a fledgling takes flight from the nest. A reckless action based on the belief of his newly formed wings. Perhaps not always the wisest action, but at least it is one made with no regrets.

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What had started off as a light drizzle eventually turned into a loud and pounding storm. Now, the weather wouldn't have mattered all too much to Bokuto on a normal day but he suddenly found himself outside on a day where he was supposed to be sequestered in the volleyball gym.

A leak in the gym roof led to everyone being kicked out of the gym; which is why Bokuto happened to spot an owl on the edge of the tree; and staring up at the owl had seemed to entranced him so much that he hadn't noticed when he had stepped out from under pavilion outside the gym and into the forest as he followed after the owl deeper into the woods. Of course he hadn't just randomly run into the forest, sticking to a gravel path, but he didn't exactly happen to know where that path went and how far it happened to go.

So, when the rain turned from drizzle to drops Bokuto suddenly found himself with nowhere to go. No where to take cover from the heavy rain except for perhaps beneath the large trees that had gotten him lost in the first place.

Sure, it wasn't very warm but Bokuto couldn't very well wander around and risk getting more lost - which may also eventually lead to him getting sick. Especially when they happen to have a very big game tomorrow.

He couldn't exactly wander back as the only place with good cover happened to be exactly where he was. And it wasn't like he really remembered which direction he had come from in the first place. He knew following the path would eventually lead him out of the forest (as both sides of the path looked equally traversed) but walking in the rain wasn't exactly a risk he wanted to take. While it wasn't the most comfortable spot beneath the tree canopy it was better than anywhere else near him.

So he'd have to wait.

And wait.

And wait.

And wait.

The rain would have to stop eventually, right? Right?

The owl was long gone now, likely scared off by the heavy rain. Bokuto had always liked owls; from their large eyes to their taloned feet. More than anything else though he liked their wings. Flying. Bokuto had wanted to learn to fly when he was younger. Wanted to be able to touch the stars and sleep amongst the clouds.

It had been a long time since he'd last thought about his youth, though one could argue that he was still young. What had been a long time was when he'd last dreamt of touching the clouds. A long time since he'd last dreamt of sleeping with the stars. There was always a certain feeling that would well up in him when he thought of those dreams. A certain kind of feeling that had been so common in his youth and was now slowly and certainly disappearing from his life. A certain kind of feeling that he couldn't quite place but came rushing back to his chest when his eyes first landed on you.

You, much like him, seemed to not have planned your journey alongside the weather very well. Running through the rain with your backpack tucked tight to your chest with one hand and poorly covering your head with the other. Bokuto might've even laughed if he hadn't been so concentrated on keeping a tight grasp on that certain feeling.

"Hey!" Bokuto called out.

You squinted, veering off towards the center of the path and towards him. You moved your lips in response but Bokuto couldn't hear your voice over the sound of the rain.