Chapter 1: That Dark world and the encounter that brings light

This was a season in which I knew the sky turned gray, and suddenly, I could hear the drops on the window. It was pouring hard, yet I could only stand at the entrance. Why? Because I have no umbrella with me. I walked about 1300 from the train station to school, counted for 900 seconds to reach the stop, and walked about 500 steps home every day. I can do it because I memorized it; the only thing I can't do is I can't possibly know the weather; I can only feel it.

"Ohh~ Aki-chan~" She called.

I can detect where the sound came from and see in that direction 

"Hana," I replied, and she put her hands wrapped around my neck.

"You don't have an umbrella?" She asked, and I just nodded to her in answer

"I also don't have one, but I just live nearby, so I might just have to run," she said while accompanying me to the entrance.

"What should you do now?" she asked me.

"I called my brother, and he said he would be here soon. I just have to wait," I replied and smiled.

"Aki~ I really, really ~ love your eyes; it's so refreshing," Hana told me, but I could feel it; what she feels is pity, not friendship.

"You can go home now; I can just wait for my brother or until the rain stops," I replied, holding her shoulder.

"Okay then, I will go now~ See you tomorrow, Aki~," she said, and that's when I heard her running; it was evident because of the splashes.

The rain was not stopping, and my brother was still not here. If only Ren (Yamamoto) had been here; he was in the hospital now, so he couldn't have helped me.

I sighed and looked at the sky.

"Excuse me," someone said, but I don't know if she's talking to me.

"I am a transfer student, so I don't know where the school head's office is. Can I ask for directions?" She said again, but her voice was closed this time, so I knew she was talking to me.

"I also don't know where the school head's office is exactly," I told her, and she might have thought I was rude, but I was telling the truth.

"The school head's office is that way; I can draw it to a paper and just follow it," A guy from behind said. His voice was deep and soothing.

He saved me.

"Thank you very much," she replied, and I could feel a chill down my spine as if she was glaring at me in the distance.

"Ohh~ Don't you have an umbrella with you?" he asked, but I couldn't seem to answer him because we were not that close, to begin with. 

"You can have mine," he replied, but I am not that thick-skinned to accept anything from a stranger without asking for anything in return.

I suddenly felt the air brushing my cheeks, and it was apparent what he was doing.

"Stop waving your hands through and through," I told him.

"Oh? Did you see that? I thought you couldn't see me, that's why," He replied calmly.

I really can't see you.

He then suddenly grabbed my hand and gave me his umbrella. I could smell his scent; it was like the scent of spring. I was flustered when his voice was close; it was more like his face was invading my personal space.

"You have gorgeous eyes," he said, and my heart was beating like crazy; it was like I was having a heart attack at that moment.

I then felt his hand caressing my hair, which made me explode like a volcano; he said, "There was a leaf stuck in your hair," I felt my heart lighter, and I could imagine his smile even in my dark world.

I had never felt anything like this before; my cheeks were burning hot.

"Well then, I will go now. You can bring me back my umbrella any time," he said, and that's when I heard his footsteps slowly fading away with the rain.

"Aki!!!" A familiar voice appeared, and I was happy to hear him, but I couldn't keep my heart calm.

"Keizo-onichan," I called and waited for him here.

"Ohh~ You lied! You have an umbrella with you," he said, smacking my forehead.

Oh right! I forgot, and I don't even know his name. I only knew that his hands were a warm, deep, and calming voice and a scent of spring. 

"I don't have an umbrella; someone gave it to me and left," I replied

"Okay then. Let's go and buy some hot chocolate first!" he cheered and took my bag for him to carry. He then put my hand on his arm to guide me to the café.

"I'm impressed that you are not using that stick," he said 

If I use it, then people will pity me. Instead of making a real friend, they act as a sign of pity.

"I am using a very tall guide, aren't I?" I smirked, and he found it revolting.

"So I am just an object like that stick to guide you?" he was upset

"What are you expecting? You want to leave your blind sister alone?" I told him, and now he was flustered about that sudden counterattack.

"You can use me all you want. I will be a shield to protect you, a sword to fight for you, and I can even be a stick just for you," my brother said, and in fact, I can imagine him raising his head high.

"Stop being over dramatic," I told him, and we laughed.

My brother and I applied to different schools; I am a 2nd-year high school student at Nagoya Minami High School, while my brother Yamashiru Keizo is a 3rd high school student at Daisuke High School, about 2 stops on a train.

There's a place my brother loves to visit when he comes here sometimes. It was a café near school; we loved the desserts, especially the hot chocolate beverage. Whenever we are with each other, it feels like many people are looking at us and talking about us.

They were like, "Wahh~ so handsome~" or "Are they a couple?" a lot like that, and some comments were on my eyes. I don't know why they love my eyes, but I grew up hating them.