Friday. Finally! The day me, Aoi, Makoto-kun, Mei (Mikoshiba-chan) and Fubuki-kun are going to cycle around in the mountains! We have planned this day in details throughout the past week and we're ready to go.
As the bell rang I slung my rucksack on my shoulder and darted out of the classroom, bidding a meek wave good-bye to Rei and Nagisa, who were too busy to join us at the outing. I stormed into Makoto and Haruka's classroom and ran up to the two neighbouring desks where the boys sat.
I greeted them and asked Makoto is he had rung up Aoi and the others, for we were going to head out as soon as possible. In other words, right after school.
I returned home to leave my schoolbag and change into my sportswear. We were going to cycle till night and then watch stars from the highest peek we could find. My sportswear consisted of a pair of knee length magenta trousers, a white sleeveless top and a crimson cap topping my pate. The bicycle I rented for the occasion was red and I loved it, because I love everything red, like blood of my enemies.
We all met up at the gate in front of Samezuka and of course, Rin was there, about to wander off to visit the cemetery with his family.
"Take care and call me if something happens." He gave me a kiss on the forehead and excused himself away. Makoto and I stood waiting for the others and soon they all turned up, walking out of the school building. We followed our route from the forest up the hill and over the mountains until we'd reach an old shrine, from there we'd watch the stars.
Everything seemed to be going great as we raced our bikes over the steep and mossy roads under the thick leaf covers of the trees above our heads. The weather was beautiful and so was the view exposing in front of our eyes. We felt alive. It was something beyond good; relaxing and calming and at the same time fun, for were were all together. Except for.. I felt rather lonely since there was no Rin with us. But I wouldn't let that bother others.
The evening drew closer and as we drove up the mountain where the shrine was, we started to feel droplets of rain dripping down on us.
"Please don't rain, please don't rain, please don't rain, please don't rain." Fubuki squinted his eyes and crossed his fingers.
"Fubuki! The steer, airhead!" Mei shouted at him when suddenly his front wheel cranked to the left and he fell off his bike. Grunting under his breath, he carefully stood up and limped to get his vehicle when the heavy downpour busted us. It rained down on us like we've just been showered. We all sighed in defeat, the earth under us started to mud and we had to get off our bikes.
"How could we have failed so badly with the damn weather.." I cursed under my breath.
"Do you think we could ask someone from those houses to shelter us for a while?" Aoi wondered, pointing at the houses not far from the shrine.
"I never knew anyone lived there." Fubuki mused.
"Well, since there's a shrine here, why not." Mei shrugged and we rushed over to the porch of the house we spotted.
I knocked on the door and waited for magic. Once someone very familiar opened the door, I froze in spot, about to crumble into pieces. In front of me stood no one but Arata Mihoshi, my mother's cousin. "Miho-san?" My jaw hung open.
"Kyoko-chan?" She smiled.
"W-what are you doing here?" I wondered while my friends all exchanged whispers behind me, probably thinking how I could know this person.
"I wanted to ask the same." The woman laughed weakly, stepping aside from the doorway. "Are those your friends? Please come in, it's such a heavy rain outside." She stated matter-of-factly and we all went in.
