It was raining cats and dogs outside of the girl’s apartment. A loud thunder rumbled and she sank further onto her soft mattress, a fluffly blanket was wrapped around her. She hated this. She hated storms and thunders. They make her want to fall unconscious until it’s over.

Then an image flashed in her mind. She remembered that fateful day in school, when she was really unstable at the time, and that guy had comforted her. She blushed when she remembered how her trembling hands clutched tightly onto his school blazer, and his one hand caressing her head and the other rubbing her back gently. It was the most unexpected gesture from the guy she pushed away harshly, every time they met.

As the black-haired girl reminisce, her door bell rang. She reflexively sat up and blinked a few times, wondering who would visit her. Then she begrudgingly stood up from her bed, and walked to her front door.

Like how any normal person would, she peeked through the peeping hole to see if it’s anyone dangerous, or anyone she doesn’t want to see. Especially those so-called family of hers who keeps insisting she gives them their money.

But standing in front of her door right now, is not an unwelcomed family member—but a drenched golden-eyed boy who was just in her mind a few minutes ago.

The girl felt her breath hitch, her eyes widened and something swelled in her heart.

What is he doing here?

While she was contemplating wether to open her door or not, a sharp and loud thunder was heard. She flinched and fell on the floor, clutching at her ears tight in attempt to prevent hearing any thunder.

But a knock still passed through her ears. The girl remembered that the golden-eyed boy was standing in front of her door, soaked from the rain. Though her facial expression was still crumpled, she stood up and finally unlocked her door slowly.

Unlike the slightly blurry face from her peep hole, the handsome face of the golden-eyed guy was much clearer this time. The girl was confused if her heart was rapidly beating because of him, or the thunders.

“Shirayuri...” He mumbled, but it was loud enough for the girl to hear. This was an unusual tone, coming from him.

But Shirayuri brushed off the thought she had, and asked the guy, “What are you doing here, Kiriya?”

“I don’t know,” he said, a dazed look on his eyes. Shirayuri gave him a confused look, unconsciously opening the door widely.

However, before she could ask what the guy meant, Kiriya leaned in and pressed their lips together. Shirayuri’s body froze, while Kiriya’s one hand cupped her cheek, and the other pulling her to him, by her waist.

The girl’s hands, found their way to his chest, and pushed the guy away slightly. Perhaps it was because her hands were lacking strength, cause of the situation.

“Y-You...” she breathed. “W-What are you...doing...”

Because she could not push him away completely, Kiriya’s forehead were leaning against hers, and she could feel droplets of water, dripping off his hair. Even his clothes were wet and cold.

Shirayuri averted her light brown eyes from his golden ones, her face completely red. She found herself not hating that brief kiss, but she knew it was wrong. Kiriya has a fiancee, who is much more beautiful, and certainly not boring unlike Shirayuri.

“Wake up, Kiriya.” Then she tried to push him off, finding it hard to because Kiriya stubbornly held on her waist. “You...You have a fiancee. Stop this.”

“I’ll pretend this never happened, don’t worry. I’ll never tell anyone or Aika,” she added.

However, Kiriya hugged her more tightly and leaned his forehead on your shoulder. Shirayuri’s hands were caged in, between his and her chest, as if her being powerless because of the situation and weather wasn’t enough. Now she couldn’t move completely.

“You’re the one I love, Shirayuri. I want you so bad,” he suddenly said, his voice hoarse as if he just yelled moments ago. Heat coursed through her body as her heart pounded furiously. The girl’s lips trembled as she tried to find words to say, but her mind was blank.

“We...Aika and I...we broke up...” He added and your eyes widened again.

I....is it because of me? Or...do you really want me?

A thought that perhaps, Kiriya was just replacing Aika with her, angered Shirayuri. Now she gained more strength to push the guy off her, and she glared at him.

Why did she even hoped that Kiriya might really have feelings for her?

“If you’re thinking of replacing Aika with me, dream on.”

Shirayuri was so foolish. She was immoral. Hoping to be loved by a guy who already has someone. But now she’s getting angry at the idea of being a replacement? If only she didn’t volunteered on that day, maybe she could’ve saved her heart.

The corridors of Inagaya Academy were bustling with students, out of their classrooms for lunch break. Some of them were chatting with their friends, while some were jumping around like kids, chasing each other at a park.

A black-haired girl, unassuming and plain, passed through them meekly as she held the painted canvas she was holding, tightly as possible. Some girls who valued their looks, eyed her with mock. The boring girl didn’t even have any brooch adorning her blazer like any rich girls in their Academy, and her skirt wasn’t shortened either.

But in the eyes of the faculty members, Suzuki Shirayuri was a model student. She volunteered for tasks that her peers avoided, she was smart, and she followed the rules. Though Shirayuri was a part of the school’s scholarship program, she doesn’t take advantage of it and always draw a clear line between her and things.

She only has one friend from art class, but it seems enough for her. The girl was aloof and always wore a blank face, so she quickly faded into the background—despite her great achievements.

“Mina-sensei, here’s the painting you requested for.” Shirayuri immediately said when she saw the art teacher who urged her to volunteer and paint.

The girl handed the canvas to the brown-haired lady, who wore round glasses with her usual neutral colored clothes. Her eyes nervously looked at Mina, to catch any dissatisfied reaction from her painting just in case. Although a lot of students who knew Shirayuri thought that she was a cold and expressionless person, that is not true. She just hides her emotions, seemingly afraid of something.

Fortunately, the art Teacher seemed to like her work as her eyes lit up. “This is brilliant, Shirayuri!” She praised.

A faint smile graced the student’s lips for a few seconds, before it was gone. Then a male Teacher also looked over because he heard the female Teacher’s gasp. Something inexplicable flashed in his eyes, but as if it didn’t, he turned to Shirayuri.

“You’re such a talented student, Miss Suzuki.” Then he reached to give the girl a pat on the head, but she instinctively dodged. The Teacher smiled brightly and then slowly lowered his hand, as if nothing happened. The girl felt awkward and sorry for putting him in a strange position, but she felt uncomfortable.

Miraculously, Teacher Mina didn’t notice the awkward exchange between them. She only expressed her happiness and praised Shirayuri more with her work.

“As a reward, you can use my art room anytime you want. But I still want to see your work, okay?” Mina smiled graciously and excitement filled Shirayuri’s eyes. Now, the girl got a confirmation which teacher she liked the best.

“Thank you, Mina-sensei,” she said in a soft tone. The male teacher was quiet during their exchange, his lips pressed into a smile he always wore.

Before their conversation could go further, the faculty door, slammed opened. A student and a teacher, both male, walked in. The delinquent looking student had a rather refreshed smile while the teacher seemed grumpy and mad. This student certainly was trouble, and the all the teachers that sighed at the sight of him, proved it.

“Got in trouble again, Mr. Sanada?” Takano, the male teacher who was smiling at Shirayuri a few seconds ago, sneered at the delinquent.

“No way, Sensei. I actually helped lessen the garbage this time,” he answered cheerfully like he was proud of what he did. If he didn’t have some random patches or bandaids around his body, Sanada Kiriya would’ve looked like just some outgoing and nice guy.

Although he looked extremely handsome with his straight hair, bright golden eyes, refined and thick brows and a smile that would take your breath away; Kiriya was a badboy type student who thrashed people that displeased him—at least according to rumors. But he certainly always join fights.

“What garbage are you talking about, Mr. Sanada?! I caught you beating up some students!” Sato-sensei, the number one teacher who was always displeased with Kiriya, yelled so loud that he got red.

“What? I thought they were trash.” He answered nonchalantly, making Sato-sensei want to faint out of fury.

Takano, and some teachers snickered in the background, because Sato-sensei’s face was too funny.

While Shirayuri, who became a bystander at this scene, glared at Kiriya, before she finally decides to leave. “Mina-sensei, I’ll take my leave. Thank you for giving me permission to use the art room,” Shirayuri whispered to not disturb the current reprimanding going on, but it was loud enough for Mina to hear.

“Yes, thank you also. Don’t forget to come to my class later.” Mina-sensei smiled gently, as if looking at her favorite student. Then Shirayuri finally left, leaving the guy who will later bring change into her world, deal with the trouble he created.

—•—

Arms crossed, head bobbing up and down as his eyes were peacefully closed. If it were a desk in front of him and not an easel, Sanada Kiriya would have slumped his head moments ago. He rates art class as a sleeping place—3 out of 10.

Despite slacking off in all of his classes, he still manages to take the first ranking. Because in spite of popular belief, Kiriya actually reads his lessons when he is not fighting, sleeping, or joking around with his friends. It’s probably why the teachers just let him do whatever he wants in their classes; they would not succeed waking him up anyway.

“When it comes to art, everyone has their own interpretation. Sometimes, we even make a completely different meaning, to satisfy ourselves or, our interpretation is what we want to see. Though of course, the artist who made the art, also has their own meaning for it,” Mina-sensei discussed. She paced slowly back and forth, in front of a covered easel, standing on a small platform.

“It’s fascinating, because at times, your ideas may change because of different factors like maturity or you found a whole new meaning that you liked more. It can change and give us more depth.” She explained further and smiled at the students who were clearly interested in the class. Then she walked to the platform where the easel was, and removed the covered painting on it.

At first, there were no sounds or reaction from the students. But after a few seconds, some started placing their hands on their chest, while their heart thumped rapidly and ached at the same time.

“...Woah.”

“T-That’s so cool...”

It was a painting with a budding flower, surrounded with darkness, ruins, and dead plants. A delicate hand—like a child’s—hovered above the beautifully colored flower. The painting was full of emotions, especially sadness and pain. The detail was impeccably intricate and suddenly, the students were interested.

Because of the sudden commotion made by the stunned students, Kiriya finally opened his eyes. He first looked around at his classmates who were asking each other about how they felt and making fun of it, and next to the painting that caused it.

He squinted and rubbed his eyes to get a better focus. He just woke up from a nap, so his eyes were still adjusting. It took him a few seconds to take a full look, before Kiriya felt like someone threw a bucket of cold water over his head. Somehow, the scene painted on the canvas, was oddly familiar. As if old and forgotten memories were threatening to come back....