'It was just a normal day... SO HOW THE HELL DID I END UP HERE!??'
I feel someone poke my back, thunder rolling harder outside.
"What do you want?" I ask
A feminine voice, far from the one I'm used to hearing whispers.
"Turn this way... I want to see your face, just for tonight."
***The beginning of that very day***
I wake up, turning off my alarm. "Ugh, Why does it have to be Monday already...?"
I reluctantly get up and gather my school uniform. A simple black blazer with black slacks.
I walk into the bathroom, splash water on my face, then start the shower.
I step under the stream of water.
"Mmm, that's nice..."
I start washing my body
'Maybe I should get a pastry from the bakery...'
I finish my shower and finish getting ready.
I slide on my shoes and open my door, stepping out onto my porch. "It's kinda chilly."
I close my door and start my walk to school
"Ugh, what a drag..."
My name is Rin Mizuno, and I am just trying to live my life as a normal guy. Average grades, average looks I think, overall just average. But, I'm an average guy, with big dreams!
When I finally get to school, I change shoes, then head to class.
Mid walk I see my enemy– Minazumi Airi. She glares at me from across the hallway.
'Yikes, what's with that gnarly glare from her?'
I sit down in my seat in the back and stare out the window, trying not to notice the glares she shoots at me.
The teacher steps in.
"Alright class, everyone in their seats, we have a quiz."
I sigh and grab my pencil.
***
After the VERY uneventful school day on my walk back home I get a call... From my aunt?
I pick it up, "Hey, aunt, it's been a while. what's up?"
I hear giggling in the background of the call "Sorry, honey, just go to the address I'll send you..."
"I guess I have nothing better to do." I make a sharp turn and see Minazumi giving me a dirty look from across the street.
Minazumi also starts walking the same way.
'What the hell?'
When we arrive at the home I open the door
"Why'd you follow me here? Such a creep..." She says while stepping inside.
"You were following me!"
I remove my shoes. "Mom. I'm here."
I step into the living room to see a guy I have never seen before in my life.
'Did she finally get married?'
"D-Dad?!" Minazumi shouts as she enters the room.
I sit down on the floor.
'Please tell me they're not married!'
I take a sip of water.
"We're married!" My auntie starts.
Cough! "What!?"
"Well, we decided that we should have you two get married as well-"
"ME, WITH HER?! OH, HELL NO!"
I stand up abruptly, turning to Minazumi.
"You don't have a problem with this?!"
She sighs and glares up at me.
"Of course I do, but if it's what my dad wants..."
My aunt chimes in with her usual manipulative tactics.
"See? You're the only one being unreasonable here..." She says with that smirk she always has plastered on her face.
I sigh and sit back down. "What are the terms...?"
My aunt slides a marital document across the table.
"You two just sign there."
I reluctantly sign, knowing there's no way to stop her.
***
On our way out Kisuke– Minazumi's father, calls out to us.
"Don't forget to check out your new house! I'll send the coords."
I shake my head walking out.
"We have a shared home now, I guess..."
She retorts sharply,
"We?"
"Uhm, yes...?"
"I wouldn't live with you even if the heater turns off in the dead of winter."
"Damn that was harsh..."
"You deserve it for that stupidity of yours."
We stop in front of the house.
"Let's at least check out the inside."
The house was well furnished. A nice sized couch, a huge kitchen, two bathrooms, and it was two floors. One problem though... There was one room, which meant one bed.
As soon as Minazumi realizes this, she wrinkles her nose.
"You're takin' the couch."
"Hey! Why don't you take the couch?"
She plops on the bed, a king size by the way.
"Because I need my beauty sleep. You have no beauty to be sleeping for."
I rebut, "Shut up, and don't you have that boyfriend you brag about everyday? Why don't you sleep there?"
She stands up.
"Oh, yeah, I'll sleep there then." She shrugs and walks away.
"It's that easy? No argument?"
"Yup. "
"Well, alright..."
***
After a while of tossing in bed, I get a call– from Minazumi? 'what does she want now'?
I hear sniffling and sobs on the other end of the phone.
"Minazumi? Where are you?"
I jump out of bed
"Tell me now, I'll run there..."
She suddenly hangs up.
"Fuck it, I'll sprint!"
I slide on my shoes and put on my coat, rushing out of the door.
'It's raining. That girl hates the rain.'
I start running to every possible spot she could be, her favorite coffee shop, the spot she likes to hang out after school, even the library– all empty. At this point, I'm in a panic and run to the last place I could think of. A playground. The same playground where we had first became friends. I spot her on the bench, and I walk over.
"Hey, Airi?"
She's curled into a ball.
'It's actually kinda cute...'
My face flushed slightly at my own thoughts.
'that's stupid of me to say. This is my friend here, upset. And I'm thinking about how cute she is?'
I sit next to her, and quietly wrap my arms around her.
'though, to be fair, she is very...'
"Thank you, Mizuno..." She mutters quietly
"No problem. let's go home?"
She nods quietly and gets up.
It suddenly starts raining heavily.
"I don't take it you have an umbrella?"
"Nuh uh. This wasn't on today's forecast."
I take off my coat and hold it over both of us.
"Can you run?"
She looks at me incredulously
"You want me to run?"
I reply, "Well, I'm not gonna wait this out."
"Fine, let's go."
We start running home with the coat held above our heads.
"We're almost there!" I shout to her
The house is getting closer and closer, until eventually we burst through the front door and collapse at the entrance.
"Are you wet?" I ask her, out of breath.
"No... You?" She says, just as tired.
I close the door
"No. And I'm fine with sharing the bed."
"I guess I could tolerate it..." She covers her face with her sleeve.
'See? She's so damn cute.'
I walk to the bedroom
"What side are you taking?" I ask.
"Right." She replies and gets in bed.
"Alright, I sleep on the left anyway."
I quickly get into bed, and under the blanket.
"Don't even think about touching me..."
She says as the thunder rolls harder outside.
"Wasn't going to."
I feel a hand on my back
"What are you..." I start.
"Don't say anything." She cuts me off.
Her hand continues to explore my back.
'It was just a normal day... SO HOW THE HELL DID I END UP HERE!??'
She pokes my back again.
"What do you want?" I ask
A voice replies, I can tell it's Minazumi's, but it's more... sultry.
"Turn this way. I want to see your face, just for tonight..."
I reluctantly turn over, only to meet her face, merely inches from mine.
"Thank you for not asking about why I was crying."
I reply "yeah, no problem..."
She snuggles me, burying her face in my chest.
"This is only for tonight, so don't get used to it." She says, though her tone lacks its usual bite.
"Yeah..."
I close my eyes and slowly drift off to sleep, my newly wed wife snuggled up next to me.
What could the future hold?