The Guy With The Umbrella

We just stood there…

Staring.

And no one was willing to speak first.

Two minutes passed by swiftly and our gaze was still interlocked.

And finally,

He spoke.

"Hi."

His voice was still as soft as mochi and calm like fresh water. A smile spread on my lips unconsciously.

Was I happy?

To see him again?

Alive?

°~°~°~°

He walked me towards the nearest building and we were going to stay there until the rain stopped its heavy downpour. I watched him fold his umbrella and couldn't help but notice his uniform was a lot damp.

He got rained on.

In my stead.

I looked at my uniform and it still looked as fresh as ever.

"Thank you." I quickly said to him and he stopped folding and slowly turned his attention to me and he gave me the look of;

For?

I twirled my finger a little hard and decided to say;

"For the umbrella and…"

"And?" He continued seemingly disrupting what I was about to say.

I was going to say 'the phone', but a thought crept into my mind like a bullet train.

What if he doesn't know me?

What if the first time he had seen me was that night?

Our first night?

What if I'm the only one who got this second chance?

What if I'm just a fragment of his past life?

I shook my head and gave him a nervous smile.

"It's nothing."

As if he didn't believe my words fully, he slowly nodded his head while still trying to grasp the word I was holding back and he continued folding his umbrella.

When he was done, he rested the umbrella against the wall and he also rested a little against the wall and he watched the rain drip from the roof onto the ground.

I couldn't help myself.

So,

I took glances at him.

And I noticed what he looked like for the first time.

Is this what he looked like when he was eighteen?

This fine?

I chuckled a little as if I had known him for long.

He is indeed handsome, but it was a little sad seeing him this way.

And then, he turned to look at me abruptly, sending a quick jolt through my body and I quickly looked away.

With nothing to do, I began to admire the droplet of rain hoping he would look away, but instinctively, I could feel him smile.

I wanted to see.

How bright it was.

But…

Hold on!

He is also a student in this school? How come I never ran into him ten years ago while I was still in high school?

Is this fate?

Bringing us together?

Or, is it just a coincidence?

And again, I found myself looking at him again.

His side profile was evenly shaped, his skin was white and glowing.

Just like cupid.

He came to me with an umbrella instead of an arrow.

He turned again and he caught me this time and funnily, I stood that way.

Looking at each other softly.

With rain dripping.

With the world silent.

I read every little detail of his face, his lashes were gracefully even like he has a makeover routine, his nose was pointed and sharp, his lips…

His lips…

I jolted out of my mundane thoughts shaking my head swiftly and without a second thought, I rushed out from the shield not minding the rain.

He couldn't call me back by my name.

He doesn't know my name.

I could hear him call; Hey!

I ran.

Away from him.

I finally made my way into the building that housed my classroom and I walked my way there without making any mistakes.

The route seems familiar enough.

Each corner,

Each notice board.

I remember everything.

And finally, I got to my classroom. It was buzzing as usual.

Girls gossiping about trending issues and boys talking about their latest hip hit.

I clutched my school bag tightly. It felt weird being in a classroom after ten years, but for some reasons, I loved it.

The little things that never mattered when I was once here, they all made sense now and I want to stay with them.

The chalkboard,

The teacher's stand,

The lockers behind the class,

The kids.

"Aera!" I heard Areum call from the third column and everyone stopped whatever they were doing and turned towards me. "Come sit next to me." She smiled, patting her hand on the seat that was next to her.

Twins.

Tch.

I walked into the classroom and headed off toward the sixth column which was the last and also the column next to the window. I took an empty seat and settled down.

I could hear Aruem call me, but I didn't come here for her.

This new life is not for twinning, at least.

I started to unpack my books and someone walked past me taking their seat behind me.

I could have sworn I had seen those pairs of sneakers before and without hesitation, I turned around to see who it was.

And gracefully seated behind me was him.

Him, him.

"Are you…"

"We are classmates. I hope you treat me well in the future." Were the words he said coldly and he looked away from me like I had offended him or something.

I sulked a little.

And turned back to my business.

Aruem adjusted her seat by swapping with the girl that was beside me and I scoffed a little.

She was happy.

I was not.

I continued to unpack my books and I knew this second chance must not go to a waste.

It is a miracle.

A second chance.

And I have to make good use of this.

Now that I have a new life, I have to drop my old highschool behavior.

I used to be a very full girl.

Not so dull at the very least, but I had never made straight A's.

But now, I have to prove myself worthy.

Lectures began and the first teacher that came in was for mathematics. I tried my best to focus, but everything seemed complex.

I should have listened to all the basics when I had the chance.

I bit the tip of my pen.

I was nervous.

I was mad.

Mad at myself for being stupid before I got a second chance. For not paying attention in class. For chasing the wind.

Still blaming myself in the labyrinth of my mind, someone suddenly poked me from behind and instantly knew it was him.

What does he want?

I turned a little and he nudged at me to look up front. I eyed him a little and turned.

"Aera, come and solve question two, please." The mathematics teacher said again. She has called me twice and I didn't hear any of her calls.

My eyes trailed to the chalkboard and I must confess,

I know nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

He poked me again and passed me a short note. Without asking what it was for, I grabbed it and read through.

He had carefully solved the equation.

For me.

I smiled and memorized the working and the answer within seconds and I confidently headed towards the front.

The teacher handed me a piece of chalk and I gracefully solved the equation and also earned a round of applause.

All thanks to him.

°~°~°~°

After school, I was swinging at a nearby park, waiting for the driver dad had promised to send in the morning. Aruem had volunteered to get some ice cream while we waited and I couldn't bother her not to go.

I don't even want her around me.

She was not evil yet.

Yet…

But

As I slowly swung myself back and forth with my eyes leveled down, I felt someone's presence behind me and to confirm me, the individual took a seat next to me on another swing.

"Uh?! What are you doing here?" I asked him as I was surprised to see him come around me again.

"I could ask you the same." He smiled back, readying himself to take a swing.

"Tch. I'm waiting for my driver and you?" I replied like a kid.

"Stalling."

We laughed a little and then there was silence.

The only sound that crept through was the constant honk of cars and the rustling sound the swing made as I pushed.

Silence.

And then, he began to draw something in the sand with his leg and said;

"How did I die?"

"What?!"