Three weeks had passed.

The once blazing motivation of mine has long gone. I barely gathered my willpower just to attend the school. I felt incapable. I ran out of the pocket money I got for three months' worth, only to buy the destroyed shoes, umbrellas as the weather not compromising, books that was teared apart, and etc.

Last evening, the owner of the orphanage came to me. He was concerned for my condition. Sometimes, I came back drenched without an umbrella which I definitely brought with at the morning. Sometimes, I came back barefooted. Then, my uniform was cut and sewn in many places. He asked if I was bullied at the school. But, I quickly denied.

I didn't want to bring trouble for him. I didn't want to move into another neighbourhood again. I didn't know why but this area I currently live and along the way to the school. It gave me a peculiar feeling. It was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable. It gave me a peace of mind.

It was a normal rainy day that day.

I went to school like usual. The troubles Sasaki caused no longer surprised me. I felt numb.

But, it was a bit different today.

She normally went out eating at her private room in the school building during the lunch break. But, she stayed in the class for today. I hope she won't bother me. I wished to at least have a peaceful lunch.

I peered through the window, the weather was especially murky today. I pulled a plastic wrapped bread out of my bag. I unwrapped the bread and started munching on it. It has been a week since I stopped going to the canteen. I didn't eat anything else than the bread for the lunch. The expenses I spent on the result of bullying cost me a lot, so I needed to ration them. Maybe, tomorrow, I will visit the canteen.

I peeked on Sasaki, Mika and Aya respectively. They sat in a circle, talking about their other victims they have messed with. Apparently, I wasn't the only one being bullied. But, I was one of the most bullied person.

Ten minutes passed, the bread I was eating disappeared into my stomach. I'd grown genuinely bored of the bread. I really had to eat something else tomorrow.

“What took you so long!!” Sasaki yelled as she saw a person she knew moving into the classroom with a tray of food held on his hand.

That feminine looking person, who was a guy obviously, as he wore a male uniform unless she was a crossdresser.

He gave my little heart a shock.

I drew a deep, shuddering breath. What was this feeling?

I felt oddly agitated as I saw him. I couldn't take my eyes off him.

He gave out a mysterious ambience around him, as if I could see the aura he emitted. It was faint but I was not mistaken about what I saw and felt.

I was captivated by that person.

Thus reminded me of the letter my father left me ten years ago.

At first, I thought it was a nonsense. But now, I was almost convinced by the content of the letter. Piece by piece of the mystery starting to gather together. There was one last thing I only had to make sure to be able to completely trust what's written in the letter.

Before I could move out from my train of thought, a hand suddenly clutched on my jaw by force and snapped me out of it.

“Who said you can stare!!” She yelled as she forced me facing her. Mika glared at me in disdain.

Then, she pushed me by the jaw so hard that I lost my balance and fell to the ground.

That was when I realized that the pendant I was wearing glowed as it dangled on my neck and emitted the same aura I sensed from that guy. As if they resonate with each other. The pendant quivered.

I held it close to my chest and felt it's warmth. I raised my head up, once again, I looked at him straight into his black beautiful eyes.

When I saw him reacted and responded by looking back at me.

As if a flash of light shone through my mind. My thoughts were cleared. Instinct told me that he was the person my father mentioned in the letter.

I watched him as he slowly walked away, toward the door.

I have found you

**

The class ended.

I hastily ran downstairs to the main entrance. To prove what I guessed. I scanned throughout the umbrellas slot. I squinted my eyes as I looked at them one by one. I moved closer to the umbrellas and... I was right.

It was faint, but I could feel some sort of presence emitted from one of the umbrella. It grew stronger as I focused. It was a black normal umbrella tagged with braided red string on the holder probably to help him identify his umbrella.

It felt weird to have that kind of perception, as if my sixth sense was activated. It felt surreal.

Thinking back, I’ve been feeling it since the day I came to this neighbourhood. Even strong when in the school. But, I only came to realize by now. The mysterious feeling that I’d experienced for the past few weeks. It was him.

I picked up his umbrella together with mine and leapt to the corner of the shoe lockers hall. I slid his umbrella into the small space between the back of the locker and the wall. Nobody will discover it unless they pushed the locker away.

That strange feeling again.

The more I gained conscious about his existence, the more powerful my perception became.

I hid behind the second row of the locker. I peeked at him, looking confused finding his umbrella.

I was ninety percent sure at that moment.

I slowly placed my steps until I reached his side.

I stood for a while before he suddenly jolted back as he noticed me.

His eyes widen, his breathe was unruly for a while before he calmed down. He stared at me.

Then he took a step back from me.

Seeing him up close filled me with so much unexplained excitement.

Before I started to creep him out, I took out my umbrella. My plan was to get him share the same umbrella as we walked. I wanted to know more about him and about where he lived. Maybe I will find some clues about it there.

Before I could even speak, he nodded as if he understood my intention.

Together, we walked through the rain sharing an umbrella. He was the one who held it. But, he held it far from his side and it caused his outer shoulder to be soaked in the rain. I peeked at him. Then, I realized that I didn’t know his name.

I asked him for his name and he answered me while facing forward. He didn’t seem to be interested in me at all. He did not ask me back about my name or did he know it already?

We arrived at the train station. He thanked me for sharing my umbrella and left me. He walked into a seven-eleven store.

B-But, my plan...

I thought that we will be sharing one until he got home. I didn’t think about the chance of him getting a new umbrella at the train station.

I sighed.

It’s okay. I will follow him and just made up a ‘Oh.. we both lived nearby!’ thing if he ever asked.

I decided on that thought.

I closely followed him after he purchased his new black umbrella.

He lived just one station away from me. Well, at least we were close enough.

I think he noticed me following him, but he didn’t ask me nor looked at me. He kept walking in a steady pace toward his way back home.

As I thought, the path which he took really reeks of his aura. It was getting stronger and stronger along the way.

Then.

I saw it.

A big pane of invisible wall just a few meters ahead of the road. The invisible wall radiated a very perturbing silver coloured aura unwavering in the rain. People walked through it as if it wasn’t there. The pendant on my chest quivered. It was the same unpleasant yet comfortable feeling I usually got around this neighbourhood. Unless, it was stronger this time.

I followed him steadily. Right before a few step to the wall. I slowly raised my hand and then I let my forefinger went through the wall.

A sharp, immense pain almost immediately shocked me through the end of my finger. I jolted back in astonishment as I glanced on it. There was no injury made, but I didn’t feel like going into the wall.

That must be ‘The Light’ my father mentioned in the letter.

Before I could feel any worse, I turned around and leapt away from that place. I dreadfully ran as fast as I could off that road, countering the rain and the wind caused by my swift movement. I didn't look back.

Fear was engraved from the moment I felt that sharp immense pain which I never experienced before. I could feel my forefinger twitching and my heart beat growing rapidly. I quivered at the thought that magic actually existed in this world. It wasn't a fairy tale. Does it mean that all the magical creatures also existed? But, if it was true then why do they never show up? How about me? About the incident that took place ten years ago, could it be related to him?

Did he know?

Dozens of questions filled my mind as I ran toward nowhere, as long as it was the opposite direction from that terrifying wall. I didn't care where I was heading. I sprinted with all my might, splashing as I marched through the rain water covered road. Until I ran out of my stamina, I finally stopped as I exhaled a short breath among the traffic of people with umbrellas.

Then I took a deep shuddering breath before tear rolled down on my cheek.

I wished that I never met him.

***

The next day.

With my puffy eyes, I went to the school out of obligation. To be honest, I didn't have the mood going to that place, he was there after all. I was drained. I needed rest. But, I didn't want to worry the orphanage's owner. So, I reluctantly grit my teeth and reached the school ground.

The weather was lighter than usual, it should be raining around this time, but It didn't. Despite that, I could see the dark cloud swirling slowly but steadily at the sky. It will rain again today, but much lighter, I predicted.

It was strange but none of my belonging were messed up today. I went to the class rather unexpectedly effortlessly. No rugged shoes, my locker was not broken in, nothing happened. Then, Sasaki came to the class rather normally. She ignored my existence and chattered with her followers like she usually does before class. I had a mixed feeling about this.

Half of a day have passed and the lunch break's bell rang.

I promised myself to get a proper lunch today. So, I stood up from my seat after tidying my tools. I walked pass by Sasaki and her bunch. Then she gave me a wicked smirk as I brushed pass her, she smiled as if she was plotting something evil. I hurriedly escape the class to avoid her.

The canteen was hectic like usual.

I scanned through the counter and locked myself to a shiny, sparkling, glossy looking small round blob of caramel topped pudding. My heart fluttered just by looking at it. The spark of happiness, temporarily hid the unpleasant mood I had.

I pointed at the pudding rather excitedly while looking back and forth between the canteen lady and the pudding. I have to get that blob. I would spend extra cash for that tiny little mood booster. Even if I had to eat bread for the rest of the month after this.

Happily walking to find an empty seat with a tray of delicious looking food, I hummed excitedly. I glanced at the pudding which wobbled in sync along with the step I took. I moved toward the empty nearby seat and sat comfortably as I placed down the tray.

Complete with a glass of warm coffee, I looked at the food while nodded satisfyingly.

The peace I was having, interrupted by a swift hand snatched my glass of coffee from my sight. I turned around as a reaction. The person who stood beside me was Sasaki. She held the glass of coffee in her hand while smirked at me.

“I didn’t know you have a mature taste” She said, with the glass on her hand.

She moved it to the top of my head and then tilted it down, water poured out and landed on my head. Then, it rolled down to my cheek and uniform.

Ahh... Just when I thought I was having a peaceful moment.