06: Umbrella — Nanase Haruka
Now that it's raining more than ever.

Sticking a note that read 'Kiss My Ass' on your boring Trigonometry teacher's back hadn't exactly been your idea.

But you were somehow cursed with the inability to contain your laughter since birth, and so your snickers gave you away in a sea of straight faces.

That earned you a one-way ticket to hell - in the form of staying after to school to clean the classroom. "Young lady, if I see so much as a single speck of dust first thing tomorrow morning, you'll be in much bigger trouble!"

Capisce, you had muttered, idleness coating your tone. There was no use arguing. Besides, you didn't have much to do later anyway.

Lady Luck didn't seem to favor you today, for as soon as you finished cleaning up, it began to pour. Heavily. And despite having heard the forecast that morning, the thought of bringing an umbrella slipped your mind. It was roughly an hour since school let out, too, so your chances of getting to share an umbrella with a fellow student were slim to none.

Once you slipped into a pair of well-worn loafers, you slammed your shoe locker door shut and gazed out into the dark, crying skies. Cliche? Yes.

You shouldered your book bag. Your arms were numb from all the scrubbing and the last thing you wanted to do was run all the way home, soaked, but you had no other choice.

You broke into a run from the locker aisle and braced for the impact of the heavy rain, but it never came. You were forcefully yanked back indoors by the collar.

"Wha-?" You gaped up at the figure roughly half a ruler taller than you. His left brow was raised, and his azure orbs were trained on you questioningly, causing you to laugh sheepishly. "A-ah, Haruka-senpai..."

Wordlessly, he snapped an umbrella open, and steered you with him out the door. You were taken aback by his actions. I mean, you were a classmate and close friend of Gou's, and you occasionally dropped by after school to watch how she handled the swim club, and Haruka spared you nothing more than a glance. Which you often returned with a curt nod of acknowledgement. Sometimes you'd hand him a towel, but he'd grunt a thanks.

That was Haruka to everyone. Stoic. You barely knew each other.

You both ambled down the streets with a splosh in every step. His body, flush against yours, provided you warmth, which was making its way to your cheeks and slowly staining it red. You were sore from cleaning, and you barely registered the fact that he had an arm around you, and that you subconsciously rested your head in the crook of his neck.

He nudged you, albeit gently, once you came to a stop at the station. You suddenly became conscious of your close proximity and practically scrambled off him. How he knew you took the train going home was beyond you. "Um, how did you-"

"Gou." Was he a psychic or something?

"Oh...uh, thanks for, you know. I'll get going now. Bye, Haruka-senpai!" Your body then acted on its own accord, and you tiptoed to plant a kiss on his cheek. His eyes widened and he looked away, cheeks burning. You giggled at this.

"...bye, [name]-san." He turned and walked away, disappearing in the rain.

Your lips stretched into a faint smile.

That's the first time you've ever heard him say your name.

A/N:

I do realize this isn't exactly a drabble anymore, but screw it.

And to all the writers/readers out there who think Haru gives off a lazy vibe, he does NOT! He is simply aloof, stoic, and blank; not necessarily lazy.

... no one noticed that Samezuka's an all-boy's school, so the 'Goggles' chapter should have been invalid. Oh well. I'm breaking canon, just once. Or twice.

Thanks for all the lovely reviews! And to some of you lurkers and/or ghost readers, why so shy?

=Cafe Lolita