Chapter 2: An Unwanted Partner

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Lily spent the rest of the afternoon trying to forget about Kai Mori.

Unfortunately, that was nearly impossible.

Everywhere she went in school, someone seemed to be talking about the new seating arrangement. Some students thought it was funny. Others thought it was strange. A few simply watched her with curiosity, waiting to see how long it would take before she lost her patience with him.

By the time the last bell rang, Lily was already tired.

She packed her books carefully and slipped them into her bag. Around her, the classroom slowly emptied as students rushed out to enjoy their freedom after a long day of classes.

Lily preferred leaving when the hallway was quieter.

Just as she stood up from her desk, a familiar voice appeared behind her.

“Leaving already?”

She froze for half a second.

Kai.

Of course.

Lily turned around slowly and saw him leaning casually against the desk behind her. He looked completely relaxed, as if he had been waiting there for a while.

“What do you want?” she asked.

Kai tilted his head slightly.

“You’re really not even going to pretend to be nice?”

“No.”

He chuckled softly.

“Fair enough.”

Lily started walking toward the classroom door, hoping he would stay behind.

He didn’t.

His footsteps followed hers into the hallway.

Students were still moving through the corridors, laughing and chatting as they headed toward the school gates. A few glanced at Lily and Kai walking near each other and immediately started whispering again.

Lily ignored them.

Kai, however, seemed to enjoy the attention.

“You know,” he said casually, “people are already making bets.”

Lily stopped walking.

“What?”

Kai shrugged.

“About how long it will take before you yell at me.”

She stared at him with disbelief.

“And what did you say?”

“I said you’d last at least three days.”

Lily sighed.

“You think this is amusing?”

“A little.”

She continued walking again, her patience growing thinner with every step.

Outside the school building, the sky had grown darker. Thick clouds were gathering overhead, and the wind had picked up slightly.

It looked like rain was coming.

Students hurried past them toward the gates, hoping to get home before the storm started.

Lily adjusted the strap of her bag and kept walking.

Kai stayed beside her.

“Don’t you have somewhere else to go?” she asked.

“Not really.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

Kai laughed again.

“You’re very honest.”

“And you talk too much.”

They reached the school gate just as the first raindrops began to fall.

Within seconds, the rain started pouring heavily.

Students ran for shelter under nearby shops and bus stops. The sudden downpour created a loud rhythm against the pavement.

Lily stopped under the edge of the school entrance, watching the rain with quiet frustration.

She hadn’t brought an umbrella.

Kai stood beside her, glancing at the sky.

“Well,” he said, “that’s bad timing.”

Lily didn’t reply.

She hated waiting around.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The rain continued falling, and the street outside the school quickly began filling with puddles.

Then Kai suddenly reached into his bag.

A moment later, he pulled out an umbrella.

Lily blinked in surprise.

Kai opened it with a quiet snap.

“Lucky me,” he said.

Lily turned away.

“Congratulations.”

Kai looked at her.

“You’re not moving?”

“I’ll wait until the rain slows down.”

Kai studied the sky again.

“That might take a while.”

“That’s fine.”

Another moment of silence passed.

Then Kai stepped closer and held the umbrella slightly over her head.

“Come on,” he said. “You’ll get soaked if you stand here too long.”

Lily looked at him.

“I didn’t ask for help.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you offering it?”

Kai shrugged.

“Because it’s raining.”

She hesitated.

Accepting help from him felt… strange.

But the rain didn’t look like it was stopping anytime soon.

After a few seconds, Lily finally stepped under the umbrella.

“Just until the bus stop,” she said firmly.

Kai smiled.

“Of course.”

They began walking down the street together. The umbrella barely covered both of them, forcing them to walk closer than Lily would have liked.

She focused on the road ahead, trying not to notice how near he was.

The sound of rain filled the air around them.

After a minute, Kai spoke again.

“So where do you live?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Relax. I’m just making conversation.”

“I’m not interested in conversation.”

Kai sighed dramatically.

“You really are difficult.”

Lily ignored him.

They reached the bus stop a few minutes later. A small group of students were already waiting there, standing close together to avoid the rain.

Lily stepped away from the umbrella.

“Thanks,” she said quietly, though her voice still sounded distant.

Kai closed the umbrella.

“No problem.”

She expected him to leave.

Instead, he leaned against the bus stop pole and looked at the rain.

“You know,” he said after a moment, “you’re not as cold as people think.”

Lily frowned.

“You don’t know anything about me.”

Kai looked at her calmly.

“Maybe not.”

The bus arrived then, its headlights shining through the rain.

Students quickly climbed inside.

Lily stepped onto the bus and found a seat near the window.

As the bus doors began to close, she glanced outside.

Kai was still standing at the bus stop.

He raised his hand in a small wave.

Lily immediately looked away.

The bus began moving down the street, leaving the school behind.

She rested her head lightly against the window, watching the rain slide down the glass.

Her mind replayed the moment under the umbrella.

The quiet walk.

The strange feeling in her chest.

Lily frowned slightly.

“This is ridiculous,” she whispered to herself.

She barely knew Kai Mori.

He was loud, annoying, and completely impossible to deal with.

There was absolutely no reason for him to occupy her thoughts.

Yet somehow…

He did.

Lily closed her eyes for a moment and sighed softly.

“I obviously hate him.”

But the memory of his smile appeared in her mind again.

And once again, her heart betrayed her with a soft, confusing warmth she didn’t understand.

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