I do not own anything


F

I'm Fate Testarossa. I'm a 21-year-old college student. I live by myself.

Look at this rain… One day it was raining pretty hard. As I was walking alone…

"Huh?"

"..."

Uh…is she okay?

She's just sitting there…

She doesn't even have an umbrella.

Weird…

"Are you okay?"

She turned her head in the other direction.

"You're gonna catch a cold?"

I place my umbrella to shield her from the rain.

"None of your business!"- she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Oh, okay…"

Well, I guess everyone's got their story. Maybe she just wanted to be left alone. I set my knee down.

"Sigh…"

"What?" "Go away!" "I'll call the cops!"- she glared with her piercing sapphire eyes.

"I think you should…at least they'll take you somewhere warm"

"Ugh"- she groaned.

"You run away from home or something?"- she gave a shocked expression on her face. "Why today? It's pouring out"

"What? I…it just started raining all of a sudden"

Ah, right it was pretty sunny in the morning.

"You don't have money to buy an umbrella?"- I got up after she did.

"No…I just ran out of the house so…"- she huffed.

"So you did run away from home?"

"Shut up! So what?"- she narrowed her eyes.

"Where do you live? Your parents must be really worried?"- I said while looking around.

She laid a hand over her chest.

"Whatever, I'm 18. I'm not a kid anymore. I can go whatever I want. You can't stop me!"

Hmm…I guess she was right. But still, I couldn't just leave her out in the rain like this. I don't think she had anywhere to go…

"Uh, what's your name?"- I asked.

"You go first"

"Ugh… I'm Fate Testarossa"

"Nanoha…Nanoha Takamachi"

"Nanoha Takamachi…"- I repeated.

"What? I know it's a pretty rare name"

"No, that's not what I meant…"

She hugged her trembling body.

"Um…"- I pointed at my house.

"My house is right there, wanna stay there until the rain stops?"- I suggested.

"What?"- she glared. "Why would I go to your house? I don't even know you! I can't trust you!"- she yelled in anger. "Forget it, I'm not going into some stranger's house! No way!" "Achooo!" "Ugh…"

"..."

"Fine. But I'm leaving right after the rain stops"- she rubbed her arms to keep warm.

Fine by me…-

I place my umbrella over us. I lead the way.

"Get away from me"

"What? It's a small umbrella, deal with it"- I sigh.

She's so rude…

"Agh…Ah"- she faltered in her words.

"What?"- I raised a brow.

"Ah, nothing!"

"Uh…okay…we're almost there"

"Hurry up, I'm getting cold"

"That's your fault"

N

She's soaked…she had the umbrella on top of me the entire time. She seemed fine so I didn't notice- I stared at her back. Whatever, show-off. Still, that was kind of nice of her…

F

"We're here"

"Hurry! Turn on the heater!"- her teeth began to shake and she continued to rub her arms.

"Yeah, yeah…you sure you're okay?"- I turn on the heater. "Go and take a shower, I got some towels and clothes you can use"

"What?! Shower? Pervert!"- she shouted at the top of her lungs. "You're trying to do something to me aren't you?" "How dare you!"

"Look, if you wanna keep wearing that, that's fine but…you're soaking wet…"

"Ugh"

"Fine, just stay here then I'm gonna hop in the shower"- I walked to the bathroom.

"Wait!"

"Huh?"- I stop in my tracks and look back at the drenched copper girl.

"Fine Fine. I'll shower! Happy?"

"Uh…okay"

I handed her towels and clothes for her to borrow. I got on my phone and she showered.

"I'm finished"

"Oh okay, ah…"- I blushed a bit.

"What? What's wrong?"- she crooked her head in confusion.

"Oh nothing…"- I shifted my eyes.

I didn't notice it before but…she's pretty cute

"Stop staring at me like that! Don't get any idea! I'll…"

She protected her chest and the towel on her head almost fell off.

"Okay I'm gonna hop in the shower"- I got up from the couch and made my way to the bathroom.

"I…Huh?"

She's lucky that I was the one who found her. There are all kinds of weirdos out there, who knows what could've happened…

N

"What the…" "I guess she's really not interested in me… whatever"- I shrugged my shoulders.

F

"So, what now?"- she asked.

"What do you mean?"- I look at her. "You don't wanna go home right? Plus it's still pouring out so... Either way, you should probably stay until it stops"- I look out of the window.

"When is it gonna stop?"- she looked outside.

"I heard tomorrow morning"- I answered, looking back at my phone.

"Pervert! Screw you!"

"What?"- I furrowed my brows.

"You're telling me to spend the night here? No way! I don't feel safe here!"- she gave a scared face.

"I promise I won't do anything"- I said in a serious tone.

"Ugh…I don't trust you!"

"Sigh…whatever…here, eat this"

I handed her a plate with food.

"Huh? What's this?"

"Dinner, you must be hungry"

"Thanks…smells weird…"- she had an odd face.

"It's tuna and banana"

"What the hell? That's disgusting! I'd…"- she took a bite. "This is good!"

"Right?" "Never tried before? Try it, trust me"

We ate and before I knew it, it was night.

"Um…"

"Huh?"

"You sleeping on the floor?"- she asked with a hint of concern.

"Why not? I got a blanket, it's fine"- I said with my eyes closed.

"That's not what I mean…"

"Come on, go to sleep"

"Wait!"

"Good night!" "ZZZ"

N

She fell asleep…she didn't even try to touch me…

"ZZZZZ"

"Good night…thanks"

I laid my head on the soft pillow and fell fast to sleep.

F

I open my right eye.

"You're welcome"

Morning came, I got up and walked to the living room. I yawned and scratched my head.

"Good morning"- she was sitting on the couch.

"Good morning"

I thought she'd be gone by now, but she was still there when I woke up. It was really nice out. I guess she'll be leaving now.

"You're not going home?"

She brushed her hair and tied it in a lopsided ponytail on the left side.

"No"

"But look, it's so nice out"- I pointed out the window.

"I wanna stay here for a little longer"

"Uh…"

"What?"- she questioned.

"Nothing…here, breakfast"- I place a bowl of food.

"What is all this?"

"Beans with tomato"

"Eww! What? What the…wow, this is good!"

"Told ya"- I gave a thumbs up and winked.

Some soy sauce and vinegar add a nice twist too

I look at my phone.

"..."

"..."

"Hey"

"Yeah?"- I place my phone on the table.

"Why aren't you asking me anything?" "Aren't you curious why I ran away from home? Why I don't wanna go back?"- she questioned curiously.

"Sure I am"

"But then…"

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to"- I scratched the back of my head and lightly blushed. "Where you go, what you do is up to you so. It's none of my business I'm just helping you cuz I feel like it"

"..."

"You're 18 right? You're an adult now so…you're free to do whatever you want"

"Hehe"- she laughed warmly as she blushed.

"What?"- I blushed.

"You're pretty nice"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah"- she smiled.

Not sure about that…

And after I told her that she was free to do whatever, she started acting out.

"Hey"

"What the?"

Nanoha had pounced on me that I almost dropped my phone.

"I'm bored, let's go out!"

"Fine, just get off me!"

She kept poking my red cheek.

"Yay!"

"Get off!"- I felt my face get hot.

She was all over me now…and she wasn't going home anytime soon. How long is she gonna stay here?

"Lalala~"- she sang when I arrived at the kitchen.

"What are you doing?"

She had on my red apron.

"Oh hey, I was making you some dinner!"- she smiled softly.

"Oh, you shouldn't have"

"I don't wanna be a total leech you know? I can do things around the house"

"Wait, how long are you gonna stay here for?"- I raised a brow.

"?"- she gave an innocent face.

"I asked you a question"- I closed my eyes. "It's been 2 weeks! Your parents must be worried sick, they didn't call you?"- I open my eyes after crossing my arms over my chest.

"They did actually I told them I was with a friend"- she continued to sing her tune.

"What if they call one of your friends? They'll find out"

"No worries, I got no friends so…"- she said it in a normal manner.

That sounds…sad- concern was writing in my eyes.

I set the table and she placed the food.

"Let's eat!"

"Okay"- I grabbed a spoon.

"How is it?" "It's good, thanks"- I nodded in approval.

"Nyaha yay!"- she smiled cheerfully.

*BA-THUMP* I blushed and looked down at my plate.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing"

No…I think she's growing on me…she's beautiful and cute. It's been 3 weeks since I broke up with my girlfriend and left home…I thought living alone would be awesome but…

"But you're a better cook than me maybe I'll throw in some weird stuff next time"

She had the spoon placed in the corner of her mouth.

"Weird stuff? No, it's science!"- I defended myself.

"What? I thought you just throw some random food together and got lucky"

"No, you know how long it took for me to find all that? It took a lot of work!"

"Still, seems pretty random to me"- she giggled.

I enjoyed having her around. Spending time with someone else wasn't all bad. I never realized that…

"You should sleep in your own bed"- she said sitting on the bed wearing only a single long pink shirt.

"It's a single bed"- I said under the floor.

"You can squeeze in"

"No, we're not a couple"

"A couple…?"

I heard her say it in a sad tone.

She was just a roommate. I was the landlord and she was the resident. Nothing more, nothing less at least for now…

She turned her back on me while hugging the pillow. I placed my arms on the back of my head.

"The thing is…my parents already picked out a husband for me…"

"Oh"

"My parents decided everything without asking me and…I found out that I was supposed to marry some stranger when I turned 18…I had no idea…" "My parents were really strict and…I never really got to do anything I wanted to…so I always wanted to be free you know? Live on my own and…"

"I'm tired of my parents telling me what to do!"

"So that's why you ran away from home?"

"I'm not marrying some stranger I wanna marry someone I fall in love with"

"..."

"Nanoha…"

"?"

"You like someone?"

"Yeah"

"I see…"

Of course, she does, she's 18…classmates, people at work, who knows. And look at her, she's so pretty. I bet the guys are all over her.

I stretched my right hand out.

"Sigh…"

But she's right.

I clench my hand to a tight fist.

You gotta take control of your own life. You can't let someone else tell you what to do.

I sat up.

"Okay, I'll help you, Nanoha"

She raised her head and looked at me in surprise.

"Huh? Help me?"

"Yeah, I'll talk to your parents for you"

This is the right thing to do…- I nodded sternly.

"We're here"

"Come on"

"Hold on"

I stop when she stops. She placed her palms on her cheeks. I could see her nervousness in her eyes.

"What? You can't back down now, come on"

"I know but…"

"I got your back, don't worry"

"Yeah but…you sure?"

"?"- I raised a brow.

"I mean, I'm really grateful that you're here and I trust you too so…"

"Okay"- I felt happy with her saying those words.

"But why are you doing this for me? You said this was none of your business"

"Don't worry about that"- I walked ahead while having a shadow covering my eyes. " I'm doing this for myself too"

"?"

"Just trust me, come on"

"Okay"

*Ding Dong!*

"Yes? Ah!?"

An elderly tall man was the one who opened the door.

"Hey, Dad"

"Who is it dear?"

An elderly woman who looked a bit like Nanoha came behind him.

"Nanoha!"- her father answered.

"Nanoha! You're back!"

"..."- she stayed quiet.

"Where were you! We were worried sick!"- she exclaimed.

"Yeah, you can't just run away from things like that. You're an adult now, you gotta grow up"- he said in a serious tone.

"That's right dad. I'm an adult now"- her voice was stern. "So I'm not gonna do everything you tell me anymore! I'm gonna make my own decisions from now on!"

"What?! We only want what's best for you and-"

"Not true! I'll decide who I wanna marry! I'm not marrying some stranger you picked out for me mom and dad!" "Plus I already love someone else!"

"What?"- the parents had shocking faces.

"But listen…we made the decision years ago, think of the other family" - her father said. "We can't just cancel it because you like someone else"

"That's not the problem Sir!"

"Huh? Who are you?"- they look at me.

"Oh Dad, she's.."

"Her 'Fiancee'...she wants to cancel too so…"

"What?"

"Long time no see, Im Fate Testarossa. Well, you probably don't remember me, it's been 13 years ago.."

13 years ago…the Testarossas and Takamachis made a deal but I guess she didn't recognize me. I was the one she was supposed to marry when she turned 18. Me, Fate Testarossa…when I heard her name, I recognized her instantly. But I guess she didn't. We were in kindergarten back then, so I didn't blame her.

I let her stay at my house because I wanted to help her, but at the same time, I wanted to know what kind of person she was before I got married to her. I thought maybe I can actually fall in love with my future wife. But I shouldn't have…I wish I never fell in love with her.

"Fate, I-I had no idea…I understand"- Shiro nodded.

And I understand what Nanoha was going through. I always wanted to be free myself…so I gotta let her go, I wanna let her live her life "Thank you Sir. So please, let her marry whoever she wants" Nanoha, thank you for everything. I really enjoyed spending time with you…Goodbye- I hid my sad smile.

I was going to leave when Nanoha grabbed hold of my jacket. I stared at her. So did her parents.

"Um..actually…she's…"- she was blushing.

"Huh?"

"Um…she's the woman I was talking about…the woman I love"

"What?!"

"You seem happy"- I said with a smile.

She was clinging to my arm.

"Of course I am! I had no idea it was you!"

"Haha, I thought you weren't marrying someone your parents picked out for you?"

"I take that back! Hehe!"- she laughed warmly.

"Sigh"- I looked at her.

After that, I asked my parents about what happened 13 years ago. Nanoha and I lived in the same neighborhood as kids, but when she was 5, her family had to move away. But she didn't want to be separated from me. She cried and cried. I was 8 at the time and I was pretty upset too if I remember correctly…

So our parents decided to make a deal. Nanoha was really happy when her parents told her, but I guess she didn't remember any of it. But I did I was 8 at the time so…

"Fate-chan! When should we throw our wedding?!"

She got closer to me that our red cheeks touched.

"What? Relax, we're not even married yet"

"Tomorrow? The day after that? The day after that?"

"Sometime this year"


I'll try to upload the next chapter of Unknown. Fist bump everyone👊.