Chapter 023 - Rain

"So, this is the new Class B who wants to join us?" I ask.

"Yes ma'am!"

I press my finger on my lower lip and scrutinize the man in front of me. He is taller than I am, has a good physique, and seems determined. He looks younger than his twenty years of age, though.

"And you want to become a hero because you idolize Sweet Mask?" I repeat.

He makes another vigorous shake of his head while his arms are on either side of him. However, if Sweet Mask is his idol, ain't he too… strait-laced? Too serious looking. He even has a military cut.

"What part of Sweet Mask do you like?" I cock my head to one side as I let my eyes do another round of looking at him.

"I want to become an idol hero!"

"Hmmm," I mutter. I sit on the red couch. I lean my head on my chin and raise my legs a bit. He blushes. His eyes glance at my legs. "You should change your looks then," I comment.

"Yes ma'am!"

"You also need to practice more."

"That is why I am here in city Z, ma'am."

"You also need to—"

"Hey, Fubuki!"

I sit straight from my couch and look at Saitama. He strides into the room without a care in the world. He looks at me and then at the young man in front of me.

"Are you busy? I thought you plan to go on a run with me?"

Right, the hero runs. I told him he needs to do it with me or else I won't pay the rent. Sometimes, it annoys me that I need to entice him with money.

I move my legs and I notice the young man leaning his head to his right so he can get a look inside my skirt. I smirk. If Saitama is like this, it will be too easy. Instead, when I look at Saitama, he just has a bored look on his face as he scrunches and waits for me.

Frustrated, I get up. I shift my attention to him and cross my arms on my chest. "Fine, let's go."

"Lily," I call. "Take care of the young man's documents."

Without waiting for an answer, I take my white fleece coat and walk outside the room. Saitama follows after me.

"Is that how you treat your new subordinates?" he asks while we are patrolling city Z.

"What's wrong with it?"

"Well, I just remember when you've done the same to me."

I also remember. I am with Mountain Ape and Eyelashes back then. "Should we do a grocery run? I don't see eggs in the apartment anymore," I say, changing the topic.

"I sense a couple of monsters," he says instead. Our conversation lately had been disjointed. I will talk about something, and he will talk about a different thing. It's aggravating.

I sigh. "Where?"

Lily says I need to win his heart, but the way things are going, I doubt it will ever happen in my lifetime. Most especially when he has said nothing about my confession. He also seems to forget that we kissed already.

On my right, I sense an incoming monster. It is a snake with a face of a man except for its yellow eyes which have a black slit. It is slithering along the houses and to us. Without a moment's delay, I activate my psychic and raise the snake off the ground. It's heavy, but not something that my psychic can't handle.

Seeing the monster hovering above the ground, I remember how my sister uses her psychic to enclose the monster inside a tornado. Maybe, with a human-sized monster like this, I can do it too.

And so, I place my palms together, call up my wind, and strain hard against it. There needs to be a swirling motion inside. I need to make it violent. I need to make it the same as my sister's.

When the monster cries out in pain, I smirk, and so, I strain even harder. I can do this. I can copy what my older sister is doing.

And so, with a quick movement of my wrist, I've given all my psychic energy to it. The wind roars, raising my hair and my clothes. And when the snake monster is twisted inside my very own tornado, I grin. I did it! Even if that had taken away my strength, I jumped for joy. I am so happy knowing that I can do a little of what my sister can do!

But Saitama! Did he see it?! Did he think I'm good enough of a hero? I turn towards him and see him clenching his fist. I grimace. He is looking down at the mutilated body of a monster. His fist is wet with its blood. He cocks his head at me, probably wondering why my mouth is agape as I look at him.

"Oh, you're done already?" he asks.

I flinch at his bored face, especially when his backdrop is not only a single monster, but a myriad of them!

"I-I'm d-done," I stutter. I am still very much outclassed. One monster and it almost depleted my stamina!

And so, I drop on the floor, feeling bad that I am already very happy by defeating a single monster.

"There are lesser monsters in this area now. So, your training of the other B-class heroes won't be as effective as you planned."

"Uh-uh," I say. Lesser, huh? If he does this on a daily basis, then the lack of monsters to defeat is not surprising.

He moves closer toward me while wiping his fist. "Ahm, are you okay?"

I look up at him and nod. My fists close on my lap. I need to steel myself.

"Ahm, Fubuki?"

"What is it now?!" I blurt out. "Are you going to insult my weakness?!" I ask, glaring at him.

"Ahm, no. I just want to ask if we should do the grocery run now?"

A smile almost appeared on my face, especially when he offers his hand to me. Is he, perhaps, treating me a little better? And so, I accept his hand and he pulls me up.

Outbalanced, I trip, but he supported my arm. I am about to complain about it when I realize that we are too close. I flush scarlet, but I can't make any move to step away from him. Instead, I watch his reactions, the way his facial muscles move, and even the way his bored eyes look at me. I imagine that it's looking at me with love instead.

My cheeks grow hotter. Maybe, because of that tornado that I mimicked from my sister, maybe… he can reward me with a kiss? I want a soft one this time. A kiss with consent. And so, I close my eyes, waiting for that reward.

I am still waiting for his lips to press against mine when liquid drops on my lips. Liquid? What is he doing? So, I let my eyes stay closed and move closer to him. But there's no kiss. I frown. I am about to open my eyes when I hear thunder instead.

My eyes flew open, and I jump in fright. Heavy rain falls around us. Saitama is still staring at my face.

"Rain!" I exclaim.

I look around and see a shade close to us. I run to it. Saitama follows after me. But instead of a bored look on his face, I find him pensive. Now, safe from the rain, I walk closer to him and peer at his face. I smirk. Am I starting to affect him?

"Why are you so silent?" I ask. A victorious smile appears on my face. Finally! His eyes refocus on me and a look of regret falls over him.

Is this regret for being unable to kiss me?! He suddenly takes hold of my shoulders and I squeal. I look at him, warmth creeping up my cheeks again. I close my eyes. This is it! I am finally able to stir him!

"I forgot. I lost count of time!" he blurts out while shaking my shoulders. "It's supposed to be a Wednesday sale, but it ended an hour ago!"

I grimace and my mouth hangs open again. I feel as if my energy is spewing out of me because of disappointment. The realization that the sale is more important to him than kissing me, has drenched me with more cold water than this f*ucking rain could ever do!