Tomoe yawned and rubbed at his eyes as he walked down the street. He had slept through the whole rest of the school day. Tomoe lived with his uncle Mikage. He hoped that Mikage wouldn't notice that he was home later than usual. He didn't want to lie to Mikage, but he wasn't about to admit that he had skipped half of his classes.

The sky was dark with a storm, and Tomoe sped up his pace as droplets began to fall down. He hadn't brought an umbrella; it had seemed like a nice day before. He jogged past the park he passed every day. It was a cute park, however, he never saw any kids here. It was a shame.

He stopped short when he heard a sneeze. Tomoe looked into the park. Upon first inspection he didn't see anything. But, if he looked more closely he thought he could see a shadow inside of some jungle gym equipment.

Odd… thought Tomoe. Out of curiosity, he moved into the park to take a closer look. He peaked around from behind a tree into the jungle gym. That girl was sitting in there, that Nanami girl from his class. She had pressed herself into the corner with the fewest holes around it. She had a sweater overtop of her head, and another on top of her like a blanket.

Tomoe wondered if her father really had abandoned her. Unlike him, she seemed like a nice person. He didn't know why her dad would want to leave her.

He moved out from behind the tree and towards the jungle gym. He knocked on the wall of the plastic cube, which earned a startled scream from Nanami.

"You," Tomoe started, "what are you doing here?"

Nanami stared up at him, her big brown eyes full of shock. "I… I, um…" she stumbled over her words. "I was just… spending some time outdoors."

"In the rain?" He questioned. It really was starting to come down harder now. He was already soaked. He should just go home… but, Mikage would be so angry at him if he found out that Tomoe had left some girl abandoned alone outside.

"I, um, I don't mind the rain?" said Nanami, though it sounded more like a question.

"Uh huh. So the sweater over your head is a fashion statement then?"

"It's for warmth," mumbled Nanami. Her cheeks were tinged with blush.

Tomoe sighed. She was really being frustrating, making him drag the truth out of her. "Then why do you have a bag full of food?"

"I wanted to have a picnic outside." She announced stubbornly.

Tomoe gave her a little glare. "Right, a picnic in the rain, sounds wonderful." He sighed. "Look, I'm getting tired of this now. So I'm just going to ask, you don't have anywhere to go, do you?"

"I do too!" Nanami protested. She glared back at him, not backing down.

"Don't be stupid and lie!" he yelled. "Come on, get out of there and follow me."

"No!" Nanami yelled back.

Tomoe ground his teeth in annoyance. "I'll ask once more. Come out so I can take you somewhere warm."

"No!"

"Fine! Freeze outside in the rain all night for all I care!" Tomoe stormed away around the corner. He could almost feel fumes of anger coming off of him. He was trying to be nice, and he just goy yelled at. Fine, screw it. He didn't need to be nice. Whatever!

But, he still paused when he reached the corner of the park. Stupid girl… The rain was pounding down onto the ground in fat drops. She really would freeze outside in the rain all night, wouldn't she? What to do…

"Look, look, it's a girl!" He heard a man call.

"What a cutie," cooed another one.

Tomoe looked back into the park. Nanami stood outside of the jungle gym with two packed bags at her feet. It looked like she was going to leave for somewhere less wet after all.

Two sleazy men, probably in their late twenties were in front of her. They moved towards her like they were drunk.

"Hey! Don't!" Nanami called out as one grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her close. She struggled in his grip. "Let go!" The other man just laughed.

"I don't think I will," said the man holding her. "Don't you want to come somewhere warm with us?"

"No!" Nanami cried. "Let go!" Nanami tried to strike out at them, but the second man caught her hand. Together the two men started to drag Nanami away. She struggled and yelled out.

Tomoe ran out at them. "Let go of her!" He yelled.

"Eh? Who are-" Tomoe punched the guy who first grabbed Nanami in the face before he has a chance to finish his sentence.

Tomoe smashed the palm of his hand up into the nose of the second man. He felt a crunch and some blood ran down his hand. The man screamed in pain. The first man had gotten back up and was trying to run away. Tomoe grabbed his shirt and pulled him harshly back. He toppled to the ground, and Tomoe gave him a harsh kick in the stomach.

He had the other man in his hand and was going to punch him when Nanami called out "Tomoe, stop!" She lunged at him and grabbed his arm. "Tomoe, please, stop!"

Tomoe looked at her in surprise; he would've thought she would be too afraid of him to touch him. He frowned at her. "They were going to hurt you," he said. "Why should I stop?"

Nanami looked up at him with wide eyes brimmed with tears. "They did something bad," Nanami agreed. "But they don't deserve to be beaten so harshly!"

Tomoe looked away from her piercing gaze, it was too much. It made him feel guilty, as if he was the one who had done something wrong.

"Tomoe, please, just let them go," she pleaded gently.

"Fine," he relented. Tomoe let go of the man and he dropped to the floor. The two dirty men scurried off together in a fit of tears.

Tomoe wiped the bit of blood on his hand off onto his pants. He then moved towards Nanami's stuff. Her sweater had fallen off her head and onto the ground when she was grabbed. It was soaking wet and dirty now. Tomoe tied it around the handle of her duffel bag. He picked up her school bag and his as well, as he had thrown it on the ground in order to help her. He swung one over each of his shoulders. The duffel bag he took in his hand.

"Come on," said Tomoe to Nanami, who was looking at him in confusion.

"Come?" She questioned. "Where?"

"To my house. It's too wet and cold to stay outside tonight. You can sleep at my place," he told her.

She just stared at him and blinked. "Huh?"

He sighed, walked over to her, and grabbed her wrist gently. "Let's go."

"I, um, okay…" Nanami mumbled.

"Oh, wait," said Tomoe. He dug through his bag and pulled out a sweater. He handed it to her. "Put this on, and put up the hood."

"Oh," she paused. "Okay." She nervously slipped the sweater over her head. It was too long and big for her. But it would do for a walk home. "Why are you giving this to me?"

"Because I don't have an umbrella," he explained, as if it were obvious. He started to walk again, and Nanami followed of her own free will this time.

"No, that's not what I meant," she said. "I meant, why are you helping me?"

Of course it was natural for her to wonder that. He certainly didn't seem like the thoughtful, helping type of person. "My uncle would be mad if I didn't," he replied.

"Oh."

"And… you were all alone," he added in a quieter voice. He wasn't sure if she had heard him or not.

Tomoe wondered why she wasn't crying after what had happened. He took a glance at her. She didn't look happy, but she looked determined. They walked in silence for a while.

"Hey, Tomoe," started Nanami.

"Hm?"

"Thank you," she said. Tomoe looked at her, and she gave him a big smile. It was so full of feeling, life, and purity. He had to look away.

"It's not a big deal," he muttered.

"Do you live with your uncle?" Nanami asked.

Tomoe nodded. "Here, this is it."

"Wow!" Nanami gasped. "Your house is so big!"

"It's just a normal house, not that big," Tomoe disagreed. He lived in a two-storey traditional-style house. The roof was thatched and sloped; the walls were made of a rich red-brown wood and filled with plenty of windows.

"It's so pretty!" Nanami gushed. She jogged around to look at the garden. There was a little fountain filled with fish, some little trees, and lots of flowering bushes.

"Hey, it's still raining," Tomoe reminded her. "Let's go inside." What an odd girl, running around in the rain, he thought.

The pair entered the building. Tomoe shook off his shoes and Nanami followed suit. Tomoe put their bags down in the front hall.

"I'm home!" Tomoe called.

"Tomoe! I'm in the study!" his uncle called back.

"Let's go," said Tomoe. He started walking forwards.

Nanami hesitated. "Um, okay."

"It's okay," He reassured her. "Don't be nervous."

Nanami nodded and followed behind him. They walked through the hall past the dining room and the kitchen, and around the corner to the study. Tomoe slid open the door and stepped inside. Nanami stayed outside the door.

"Tomoe! You're home!" chirped his uncle Mikage. He was sitting down at his desk typing something on his laptop, probably for work. He was a young-looking man with shoulder-length blonde hair and compassionate brown eyes. He dressed in traditional Japanese robes when he was home. "And you're late!"

Tomoe sighed, so he did notice after all. "That's because I found this outside in the rain," Tomoe explained. He pulled Nanami through the door into the room.

"H-Hello!" She stuttered. "N-nice to meet you."

Mikage stared at her in shock. Tomoe never brought anyone home. Mikage was quite sure that Tomoe didn't have any friends, and he was right. "Nice to meet you too," he replied. "I'm Mikage, Tomoe's uncle." Mikage stood up and moved over to Nanami to shake her hand.

"My name's Nanami," she told him.

"We're classmates," Tomoe added.

"And… you found her in the rain?" asked Mikage.

Tomoe nodded. "She needs a place to stay." He offered no more of an explanation.

"Eh?" said Mikage in confusion. "You have nowhere to go?" he asked Nanami.

Nanami looked down at the ground, embarrassed. "No… my dad lost our property and all our belongings. And he disappeared," Nanami clarified. "My mom passed away when I was eight. So now I'm all alone, with nowhere to go."

"You were staying outside?"

"I found her in the park," Tomoe told Mikage. Nanami blushed scarlet, but nodded in confirmation.

Mikage fixed her with soft eyes. "Poor girl. You can stay here, of course."

"I, I'll only stay the night!" Nanami stated. "I'll leave tomorrow! I'm sorry to bother you!"

"If you leave tomorrow, where will you go?" Mikage asked.

"Um… outside?" whispered Nanami.

Mikage shook his head. "Stay here until you have somewhere to go."

"But!" Nanami protested. "I can't bother you for so long!"

Mikage smiled at her. "It's not a bother. We're happy to look after you. Aren't we, Tomoe?"

"Eh? I'm not looking after anyone," deadpanned Tomoe. "I already brought her here, I figured that was enough."

Nanami gaped at him. Mikage stared Tomoe down and gave him a smack on the side of the head. "We will look after her."

Tomoe glowered at him, but relented with a curt, "Fine."

"You can have the guest room, Nanami," Mikage offered.

"Thank you! I'll look for a job, and leave as soon as possible!" she said. "Thank you so much!" She bowed down to Mikage.

"Oh, you don't need to do that!" Mikage protested. "Tomoe, take her to the guest room, will you?"

"Fine." Tomoe exited the room with Nanami on his heels. He scooped up their bags from the hall and led Nanami upstairs.

There were three doors upstairs. Tomoe pointed out the bathroom – the room farthest from the stairs – followed by his room, and then Nanami's room.

Nanami's room was very nice. There was a closet, a low bed that almost looked like it was built into the floor, and a desk with a lamp. The walls were a warm beige, and the floor was made of rich brown wood.

"It's so nice," Nanami commented in awe.

Tomoe placed her bags down at the foot of the bed. "There's a washing machine in the bathroom," he told her. "Go have a warm shower now so you don't get sick. I don't want to be up all night listening to you sneeze."

Tomoe moved to leave the room.

"Wait, Tomoe!" Nanami called. Tomoe turned around to face her. "Thank you, again."

Tomoe shrugged, nothing more. He did his part already, now he just wanted to go to his room and be alone.

"I'll give your sweater back to you after I wash it!" she said.

"Don't bother. Just keep it, you don't have anything warm to wear," answered Tomoe.

"Oh, um, all right," agreed Nanami hesitantly. "Well, good night."

"Night." Tomoe left and padded towards his room. Once inside he stripped off his wet clothing, poured himself a cup of sake and laid down in bed. He had gotten himself into a potentially annoying scenario, hadn't he?

Second chapter done! I just realized that none of the barriers I made between scenes worked in the last chapter. Haha. I'll fix it now. Sorry for everyone who had to read it like that. It must have been confusing… Sorry!

Thanks for all the reviews! I hope you guys liked this chapter! I'll try to post again soon.
3