He had a "no way" kind of feeling.
He wondered if what just happened was just a coincidence.
But the warmth in his chest hadn't faded yet, and he couldn't just dismiss it as an unexpected piece of good luck.
In any case, he couldn't stop thinking about the senior girl, Ikoma Akira.
Curiosity got the better of him. He couldn't stay put, so Takumi decided to do some research on her.
He didn't have anyone to ask about an upperclassman girl. He didn't have any friends, period.
Even though he knew it was a simple approach, he hunched his back and went to the second-year classrooms on the floor above during the next break.
Fortunately, he found Akira right away.
She was in front of a bulletin board, putting up posters about school beautification and health news.
Another student was next to her, holding a similar poster.
It seemed she was helping out again.
And so, he continued to look for her and observe her during every break.
She was always helping out with something, whether it was carrying papers or bringing notebooks to the teachers' office with a teacher.
During class, he could also see her carrying pinnies to the field from outside the window.
After school, she would deliver documents to the student council room, hand over cardboard boxes of what looked like equipment to people in what seemed to be sports club jerseys, and teachers would even ask her for favors.
She seemed to be helping out all over the school, just like she did during lunchtime.
She didn't seem to belong to any specific committee or club.
Was it just her nature?
He could hear people around her saying things like, "Thank you, Ikoma-san!" and "You're always a big help!"
There were also boys with silly, infatuated smiles and girls who looked at her with adoring eyes.
—The Angel of Aid.
Akira was apparently so popular that people called her that. It was a fitting nickname, he had to admit.
He wanted to talk to her.
But he was well aware of how he was perceived by others.
Who knows what would happen if Takumi were to approach her?
He didn't want to be a bother.
Besides, she seemed so busy. Talking to her without a reason would just get in her way.
He also didn't know how to talk to her in the first place.
He hadn't realized how much time had passed.
The number of people left in the school had thinned out.
Just knowing about her existence and her character was a big win for today.
Thinking so, he decided to leave for the day and was changing his shoes at the school entrance when it happened.
"...Ugh."
He was caught in a sudden downpour. It was raining so hard he would hesitate to go out without an umbrella.
In front of the pouring rain, Takumi stood frozen.
He looked up at the sky, and thick, black clouds had spread out. It didn't look like the rain would stop anytime soon.
What should he do?
There were a few umbrellas in the stand, but he couldn't just use someone else's.
However, he couldn't just stand there forever.He had made up his mind to run to the station when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
"Well, well, you seem to be in trouble because of the sudden rain, junior."
"!? Ikoma-senpai..."
Takumi's heart jumped in surprise. He turned around and saw Akira smiling mischievously, as if she had just pulled off a successful prank.
Akira held out a simple-looking umbrella to him.
"You should use this. You're the one who helped me carry the boxes earlier... Hashio-kun from kimchi, right?"
"Uh, no, but..."
"Don't worry about me. I have a folding one. You can just leave the umbrella in the stand near the second-year shoe lockers!"
"...Ah."
He never expected Akira to talk to him, and his mind went blank.
As Takumi just stood there speechless, Akira quickly took out a folding umbrella from her bag, opened it, and said, "See you!" She raised a hand and left.
It all happened in a flash.
Akira's figure disappeared from view, and Takumi stood there, dazed, with her umbrella in his hand.
This was the first time in his life someone had lent him an umbrella—or anything, for that matter.
He didn't know how to feel. His confusion was stronger than his happiness or gratitude.
But he didn't feel bad about it at all. A warm feeling slowly spread through his chest, and he felt lightheaded, as if in a dream.
But the notification from his phone brought him back to reality.
"Oh! Kotori...?"
The only person who would text Takumi besides his parents was Kotori.
"Help! I have to wear cologne to school tomorrow! I was told it would suit me, and they pushed it on me, so, um..."
It seemed like she was going to ask him for the routine again.
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