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─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
irony.returning something you've borrowed is important, even if it's from a stranger. however, if that stranger isn't the nicest, a little selfishness isn't the worst thing.
but for y/n, returning items immediately was second nature. raised with a strong sense of responsibility, she always made sure to give back what she borrowed as soon as she was done with it.
it was a matter of principle, instilled in her from a young age.
but she found herself in a bit of a problem. ever since the umbrella incident, the boy had occupied her thoughts incessantly.
she attempted to distract herself by cleaning her apartment, but even the sight of the umbrella she hadn't returned gnawed at her conscience.
she wrestled with the idea of returning it, fearing that any interaction might only intensify her feelings—feelings she was starting to suspect were more than just passing interest.
could it be... she wondered, that she had developed a crush on this mysterious stranger, whose name she didn't even know?
"uh, is she daydreaming again?" nao whispered to hanzo, both observing y/n with curiosity as she stared out the window, a faint smile on her face.
"and she's smiling like an idiot." hanzo, equally perplexed, decided to snap her out of it by waving his hand in front of her face.
y/n blinked, momentarily startled. "what?" she asked, her annoyance palpable at having her thoughts interrupted.
nao couldn't help but tease gently. "lost in thought?" y/n deadpanned, feeling caught. "maybe," she admitted sheepishly. "just thinking about stuff."
hanzo chuckled. "care to share with the class?" she shook her head, smiling but evasive. "nah, just zoning out. you know how it is."
nao raised an eyebrow, but decided not to push further. "alright, mysterious y/n. we'll leave you to your thoughts."
glancing out the classroom window, she sighed. to her surprise, she spotted him—the umbrella boy. he was walking down the hallway, his tall figure catching her eye immediately.
unconsciously, y/n found herself staring at him, watching as he effortlessly navigated through the crowd of students. her heart skipped a beat as she observed him, her thoughts drifting back to their brief interaction with the umbrella.
she wondered what he was like, what his name might be, and why he had been so kind to her that rainy day.
nao and hanzo continued chatting beside her, unaware of their friend's sudden distraction. she kept her gaze fixed on him until he disappeared around the corner, leaving her with a rush of mixed emotions.
"are you okay?" nao's voice broke through her reverie, and y/n blinked, realizing she had been lost in thought again.
"yeah, i'm fine." she replied quickly, trying to mask her surprise and excitement.
"you sure? you looked like you saw a ghost or something." hanzo asked. she chuckled nervously, shaking her head. "no, just... spacing out like i always do. my bad."
nao glanced at her knowingly but didn't press further. "well, if you say so."
y/n forced herself to focus on the conversation at hand, though her mind kept drifting back to the boy she had just seen.
she wondered if she would ever have the courage to return the umbrella and perhaps strike up a conversation with him.
————
"are you okay? you've been coughing for days now." kindaichi said to kunimi as they walked around the school grounds before their next class.
kunimi nodded weakly, rubbing his throat. "it's just a minor cough." kindaichi eyed him skeptically. "well, it sounds pretty bad. did you walk home without an umbrella again?"
he shook his head. "no, i'm okay. i just gave my umbrella to someone that day." kindaichi raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "someone? who?"
the first-year hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "i'm not sure who she was. she was about to steal it, but i didn't mind getting wet so i just handed it to her."
kindaichi nodded thoughtfully. "i mean, i guess that was nice of you." he shrugged, trying to downplay it. "it was nothing."
they continued walking, kunimi's occasional cough breaking the silence between them. kindaichi glanced at him again, concern in his eyes.
in kunimi's mind, he was beginning to regret his moment of chivalry—giving away his umbrella to a stranger who hadn't returned it yet.
he couldn't help but grumble inwardly as he sniffled through another sneeze, attributing his current state of sniffles and sore throat directly to that rainy encounter.
"great," he muttered to himself, "thanks a lot, random umbrella borrower." now, as he found himself getting subbed out more frequently during practice matches, he couldn't deny the irony.
sure, he didn't mind the extra breaks—the coach seemed to think it was for the best—but being sidelined with a box of tissues wasn't exactly his idea of a good volleyball season.
during one particularly sneezy timeout, kindaichi shot him a sympathetic look from the bench. "you really shouldn't have given away that umbrella." he teased gently, earning a glare from kunimi.
"yeah, yeah," kunimi grumbled back, reaching for another tissue. "next time, i'm keeping my rain gear to myself."
despite his struggle, kunimi couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. it seemed like a classic case of good intentions gone slightly wrong.
as he blew his nose for what felt like the hundredth time that day, he silently hoped that his umbrella would miraculously find its way back to him. preferably before he caught a cold the size of mt. fuji.
at the end of the day, he realized with a wry smile, sometimes the universe had a funny way of teaching you lessons about the importance of staying dry.
and maybe next time, he'd think twice before playing the hero in a downpour.
"finally, the sun." he sighed with relief as he stepped outside, eager to begin his walk home under clear skies.
the oppressive rain had finally begone, leaving behind a crisp freshness in the air that matched his slight optimism.
but just as he approached the edge of the school grounds, a familiar figure caught his eye—the girl who had his precious umbrella.
"oh? it's you." kunimi remarked casually, raising his index finger in mock accusation as their eyes met.
however, before he could say anything more, she bolted away like a startled deer, leaving kunimi standing there, confused and slightly amused by her sudden exit.
the encounter left a nagging thought in his mind. her quick departure seemed almost suspicious, fueling his imagination with doubts.
was she avoiding him on purpose? did she have any intention of returning his umbrella, or was it a one-way ticket to umbrella oblivion?
he sighed, resigning himself to the possibility that he might never see his umbrella again.
