Jupiter

Chapter 5

It starts to rain, once I get off the bus. I look up at the sky, can't help writing in my notebook, 'second time I step on Chiba's ground and it rains!'

I look at the lawn around the station, like they've been rained every day, they are greenly pristine. I think to myself, who the hell watered them and plants despite of that intense water scarcity? It cannot be said, a verdict cannot be passed upon something you haven't done the comparison before. I remember the umbrella man, the dried grass adjoined the stationery store. I remember that time my SD card was crushed and I photographed with my phone. Bringing up the photo, the lawn were dry and drenched of rain. I look around, walking for the cabs ready to move down the line. Wend to one,

"Excuse me, where in this city can I find an umbrella?"

The driver's wearing a cap and having a white jacket upon his dimgray vest,

"Uhm there was an umbrella shop hereabouts, they closed it down for a while due to –"

"No no, I wanna buy an umbrella from a stationery store!"

The man's eyebrows raised.

"A stationery store near Hotel Hiroki!" I continue.

He moves his head from side to side, "I don't know a stationery store thereabouts!" the gross drops of rain outspread on his white cap.

"Okay, so please just take me to the hotel."

*

I dashed to the hotel's doorway, and right there a naked tree from head to toe, from the branch of which a fresh little leaf is escaped, detains me. A leaf in November...

I get back to my room, looking for the pocket my new umbrella had been packed in, to be able to find the store's address. I push my foot on the trash can's pedal, and I face to a throughout neat plastic. Dammit!

It thunders. I get out of my room.

When I'm leading my way through the reception hall, the news saying, 'The recent rains have intensified the flow of water in the power plants and increased surface water.'

I turn around to the receptionist having a white shirt and black vest on, as I'm walking out,

"How don't you notice the things happen in front of your eyes?!"

The receptionist lifts her head and her eyebrows raises under her neat bangs.

I get out of the hotel. By toughening my arms around my overcoat I try to protect myself from the soggy cold air. But just some steps ahead, the huge drops has totally glued my hair to my head and wiped them away from my forehead, and my lashes are so watery that when I blink, the drop clutching it, slips on my cheek. The sound of rain thrashing the pavement can be heard louder than some moments ago. I pass by the digital store, I exactly know where I'm going.