Chapter 11

- "Are you sure about that?" - the pinket raised her brow. - "Maybe we can wait until it's fixed before…" - she stared at the drawings her orange-haired friend proudly drew on… adding colours to the image.

The girl in questioned continued to hum to herself as she drew her "New interior design book" she planned to make a reality in her home… that was still under repairs.

They spent all afternoon at a small market where the girls exploited their bargain abilities with an almost scarry success. Orihime was the winner of the imaginary competition.

Their goal was simple.

Get each and every "essential" item or furniture that had to be replaced after that weird incident the night before. Now they had an overenthusiastic teenager placing drawings all along the small apartment showcasing her "interior designs".

To the pinkets eye, they looked like a spaceship.

But the girl was happy and that is all that matters.

That or Tatsuki will stare at you with those bizarre flames around her.

Scary…

- "What if we put everything away in a room? I don't want the dust and debris ruining them before we can paint and organize." - the pinket commented.

- "Good idea, I'm beat." - Michiru whined.

- "Yeah, I have to get home." - Ryō offered to move the small boxes first.

- "We will be back tomorrow anyways." - the girls agreed on their plans for Orihime's apartment. No one would let her deal with it on her own, even if she tried to.

Maybe because she knew we wouldn't let her paint the walls and furniture silver…

- "ugh!" - the pinket huffed in frustration. The rain was getting heavier by the minute as she scrambled to the bus stop. - "Why did it have to rain today?" - she whined.

Her steps had been very cautious up until she turned the corner and saw the bus at the corner. - "Hey!" - she shouted at the oblivious driver.

her steps more reckless as she sped up. Water splashing everywhere. Jumping from one side of the alley to the other as she avoided the deeper puddles. But then a gust of wind blew her umbrella up and away.

A gasp left her cold lips as her slippery hands tried and failed to hold onto her umbrella. Her stops halting on an uneven ground under her.

Her small shout was muffled by the splashing of swaying limbs desperately trying to hold onto anything to avoid hitting the rain covered floor.

- "…" - yes, she fell.

Legs and arms spread around her as she just stared at that gloomy grey sky. All stars and moonlight gone from her view as the rain fell even harder.

Not to the point of pain, but she was not happy…

- "Great." - her small sarcastic comment wasn't meant for anyone, just for herself.

- "How awful." - she heard a voice, a little overwhelmed by the intense rain for her to barely make it out.

She couldn't even hear their steps as they approached her laying (and defeated) form. - "Please, just let it be my imagination." - she wished upon a star she could not see.

- "I'm afraid not." - the voice answered. - "Are we enjoying the rain that much?" -

Her brows knitted in annoyance; but ended up letting it slide. She could take sarcasm, even if she was having a bad night.

Letting go a gulp of breath and turning just slightly to her side, there he was. Dressed in green and sandals… nice and dry.

"Wooden sandals? In this rain?"

- "What's wrong with my sandals?" - he answered to her thoughts that she apparently voiced out without noticing… ups. - "They are tall enough to keep my feet nice and dry." - he almost but sang.

The pinket tried to glance up at the man who was mocking her misfortune, only to be blasted by the rain. It was still dark and the street light's shinned from above as they casted shadows under his umbrella.

She could now hear the small click and clacks from his wooden footwear as he took closer steps until he covered her upper body from the rain and the light.

His eyes had a glimmer of something she could barely consider mischief or just curiosity. But they were so… enchanting.

Even as her body was cold, and she might look like a crazed woman; her mind was completely entranced by this man.

It was almost scary how she could not understand who she was looking at.

- "May this be yours?" - he asked as his other hand moved to show he held her school bag in front of her, finally distracting her mind to stare at anything but those eyes.

It was just a little wet by the rain. "Thank God"

Finally blinking her mind-fog away, the pinket sat up before feeling an electric pain coming from her ankle. Oh no.

The pinket flinched only slightly from the pain, but he noticed. - "That doesn't look good." - he commented to her ankle, which started to shiver from the pain and cold. - "Hmm." - he mumbled something under his breath while the rain blasted her ears with constant sound.

Suddenly she found herself staring at his hand holding the umbrella out for her. - "Your umbrella is long gone." -

- "Umm." - she was about to question him before he pushed the handle to her. Her small, shivering wet hands held on to it like a lifeline as she stared back in confusion.

His from loomed over her and closer, way closer. - "Wha-" -

- "Hold on." - he almost ordered as she found herself being carried by that man she didn't even know. - "Hold it better or we will both end up soaked." -

She could do that.

After she cleared her throat from a bubble of embarrassment and gratefulness, she thanked him. - "You don't have to." - she tried to wiggle herself down, but her shivers only jolted her awareness of that one ankle that was not going to let her go too far.

He just continued walking as he shrugged only slightly. - "Just hold on." - he was being careful with her as to avoid moving too much and hurting her. Only her ankle was in pain, but the bruises from the fall would eventually show.

It's not like she could do anything else. It was dark; her friends would be home and warm; and most importantly.

She felt safe.

So, she held onto the umbrella that protected them from the intensity of those fat droplets of rain as he took her somewhere safe. - "It's my shop. You can wait for the rain to calm down." - he assured her.

It was a well-hidden shop if you ask her. Between alleyways and tall walls, you could find the entrance of this spacious property with a singular old two-story building in the middle. Made of wood and those old traditional sliding doors she saw on very few occasions in this town.

A rarity. Like they just stepped into a different timeline as the smaller streetlamps barely disturbed the beautiful rain.

Sakura could only imagine the doors open with goods on wooden trunks and wheel barrels filled with drinks as the patriots in robes of brown, dark greys and off-white walking around on those wooden sandals her sarcastic saviour seemed fond of.

The lights turned on as a huge man slid the door open with care and glanced around. Narrow and square glasses adorned his masculine features that only he could pull off with that mustache. - "Owner!" - he spoke

The taller man stared them down before her feet landed on the warm tiles of the store. Careful not to put too much pressure on her injured ankle. - "Hello, sorry for the inconvenience." - the pinket bowed slightly, in respect. - "May I-" -

- "I'll get a towel." - her saviour interrupted as he left. From the glance she stole, she was able to make out his chin length blond locks that curved at the end. His handsome face was a contrast compared to what she saw in the dark.

Those searching eyes met her wide curious ones just briefly.

- "Please, hold on to me. Let's take you to a comfortable seat." - the taller man held his muscular arm that was nice and warm.

- "Sorry, I'll get all the rain on you." - the pinket joked, half shivering from the warm store and half from nervousness.

He helped her sit on a towel placed on the floor. No idea when that happened. But he quickly took a seat a few feet apart and placed a small box next to him. - "I have just the thing for your troubles!" - he offered.

Small ointments and bandages inside a beautifully carved wooden box. Did she suddenly travel to a different time?

- "Please remove you shoe and socks." - he was careful with his words as much as his actions while he waited for her permission.

With a small reassuring smile, the pinket gave this stranger the chance to care for the injured wet rat in their store.

How bizarre it was to feel comfortable and allow this with strangers and challenging with people she now considered her friends…

- "You have a lovely place." - the pinket glanced around the shop, it was well taken care of and packed with nicely rapped goods in what looked like paper, fabric and small boxes; all organized with their names and all.

Traditional walls matching the shelves and atmosphere.

It was lovely.

She barely heard the "thank you" of the flushed man taking care of her ankle. - "It will heal. Just be careful out there." - they both glanced at the open door, rain poured, and thunder started to light the sky above. - "Maybe in an hour." -

Her tired and now warm body sagged back into the futon she was given, her belly full of warm tea and soup that made her muscles more relaxed than she has ever been… in a while. She would have to leave as early as possible back home, change into a clean uniform and hope her for the best.

- "What I day." - she whispered to nothing. Lately she has been talking a little too much to herself. - "Maybe… maybe I should talk to someone." -

That's a problem for tomorrow.

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