Thanks for the comments, and chapter 7 is here. This is where our story really takes off, yeah~!


The School Life of Len

Chapter 7 - Requiem of Rain

"And…" The whole class held their breaths as Mr. Takeoshi flipped through all the thick stacks of paper of the table.

"All of you have handed in your assignment." There was a general murmur of relief. Why did they have to worry when they knew they had handed in theirs? Well, everyone knew from past experience that Mr. Takeoshi could become mean, very mean when just a person didn't hand in the stuff on time. He didn't shout or scream like a bird; instead, he just asked the class to write a ten page essay on responsibility, due the next day. This was one of the reasons Len was kind of hated by his class.

But not today.

Len and Mr. Takeoshi exchanged looks for a moment; Len looked smug, while Mr. Takeoshi shot him half an approving look and half an evil leer. Len looked out of the window; the devilish gloom in the sky clearly signaled an imminent storm brewing in the distance. Today was a pretty neutral day. Mr. Takeoshi just wrote down some page numbers on the board for all of them to find in their textbooks and practice. Len just continued staring outside, knowing Takeoshi wasn't going to check. A light drizzle was already starting outside, and two birds were hopping for cover on a branch of the tree outside.

"Pit pit pit… pat pat pat…" Rain shot down on the asphalt road, like a constant stream of tears from the goddess above.

Some people thought rain was gloomy. Others, simply weather. Some loved rain; running in the train of constantly falling water, as if they were a blessing from God. Some hated rain; the worst enemy that made them late for school, only to get picked on for coming with their assignments wet and torn. Len didn't really care much; he could run in the sun without rain, and he could be late with his assignments half torn in a sunny day. Yet, as he looked outside…

Something was different about today. This rain. It was… fitting.

Lunch break came, and people started to file out of the classroom for their food. Len leaned back in his chair. Some peace alone, away from his classmates was never bad…

Except, he wasn't alone. Len nearly did a back flip when he realized that Rin was still beside him, looking at the wall of the room, her eyes not moving.

"Whoa, Rin. Why are you still here?"

Rin seemed startled; it was as if she didn't notice Len either.

"Huh…? Oh, uh, just didn't feel hungry and all…"

Something didn't feel right… the way she avoided his eyes, the way she tightened her lips. In fact, she seemed to be on the verge of… crying?

"…"

Len tried to shrug it off, but he couldn't help but feel curious. Obviously, he wasn't dumb enough to believe what she was saying; most of the people still went out even if they weren't hungry anyway, just for the sake of hanging out. He'd seen Rin with several friends or so since she was transferred not long ago.

"Hey… what are you staring at?" A blush made its way towards Rin's cheeks.

"Bah, bah." Len shook her off with a wave.

"Just can't look at my magazine of models, that's all…"

Rin's whole face was starting to get red.

"You… you… you pervert!" She looked unsure as to whether to hit Len or run away.

"I'm hungry. Want to go down?" Rin seemed to be taken aback at the sudden change of the conversation. She shrugged, and went out of the class with Len.

The two of them walked side by side through the corridors awkwardly; they had nothing to say to each other. They finally reached the crowded canteen, and both of them bought some buns and sat together at a seat. Len didn't even know how it even turned out like this; he wasn't really expecting Rin to really come down with him. Well, at least now he could know someone in the class better…

"Say, Rin."

"Mhmm?" Rin mumbled through her mouthful of bread.

"Why did you transfer here?" As far as Len knew, Rin had not told the class anything about where she came from and why she changed schools in the middle of the year. Unless she said something about it and Len wasn't just paying attention.

"Uh… my parents moved… And I just pretty much had to change schools, that's all." That wasn't a very confidence response. In fact, she was avoiding his eyes. Not that Len was paying much attention, though. He was squirming slightly in the seat; sweat was pouring down on his face. It was all so sudden. What the hell, man, what the hell.

He needed to excrete. A lot.

"Ugh, Rin… I need to pee. Wait for me here." Rin blushed a little at Len's outright usage of the word, but saw his face and concluded he probably wasn't joking. She nodded and continued to eat her food, although now there was a slightly disturbed expression on her face.

Several minutes later, Len walked out of the washroom. Man, that was quite intense. He walked back to the canteen area where Rin had been earlier, and saw…


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