"Hello-Weather anchor, Kubo Minori, reports the weather for Thursday, April 4. We will have a low-pressure area moving towards our way with the sunlight gradually decreasing for the week. Let's look at the weather icons. In Western Japan, many rain clouds are forming in the morning until the sun goes down. From Tokai to Kanto, it may rain until early morning, and it may get stronger, but the weather will recover for the next four days or even a week! The weather in Tokyo and Hokkaido is changeable. Please be careful about the shifts happening in the sky. Even if there is time to stop raining in Tokyo, the grey colour of the clouds will still fall upon the streets. Please bring a folding umbrella when you leave the house-,"
The Japanese news on the television screen continues to explain the weather for the week. Upon looking at the silvery image of the clouds, the showers strengthen. It is not flooding the streets, but the floor down the road has become wetter since yesterday.
Luckily for us, we understand what the reporter has been saying from the duration of her report since we are reviewing our Nihongo. Albeit there are some we could not understand, we still have a decent grasp of listening to a foreign language different from ours.
"What kind of spring is this?" Roxanne, calling from the line, reacts as the audible wind blows beneath the speakers. The gust pairs the sound with drops of water hitting the cement, creating another reckless noise in the background.
"School is out for today, and I do not know if it is worse or better for me." I sip my cup of sencha steamed green tea and give her my reply to the familiar girl through the phone.
The refreshing flavour of the vegetal, green, seaweedy, or grassy liquid slides through my mouth. With this warm refreshment gripping in my hands, the rain could not stand a chance against such a herbal masterpiece with fine ingredients.
As I continue conversing with Roxy, my hands flicker thousands of words within minutes. I need to keep my imagination going if I plan on fetching the Korean guy back to the council. With that occupying my mind, I hurry forth and stockpile as many chapters as I can to build up for the following days before I would go outside.
"What is going to be our master plan, Yuki?" Roxanne could not help contain her excitement as I see her running around from the video call and cooking herself a meal. With the typhoon approaching the city, having warm ramen would do the trick and stop the cold. Ironically, as it says, noodles made in Japan are always the best for my reference.
Before giving her a reply, my mountain of papers greets my eyes and waves at me, waiting for their line, so I could finish processing them. As luck would have it, the number of documents that we need to sign and organise declines thanks to the weather disrupting the class.
On sunny days, we need to do countless paperwork for the entire event and school. Although nobody requires us to attend our classes, we have our hands full with aligning the timetable in fashion, hence our responsibilities.
As officers of the academy, our only task is to create a site on the internet and attract more students for the following year. We do not have any deadlines for this project, but it is wise to finish this before the works pile up indefinitely until our succeeding years. But for today, we only need to continue our job and have the time to do what we please for the following days. Since we do not engage ourselves with the usual classes, we do not have assignments to attend to and pass. All officers can review anytime that we want as long as we use our time wisely.
After finishing my chapters, I lay on the couch and stare at the ceiling, still locking my eyes at the video call. I peer through my cellular phone and discern Roxanne fixing her clothes while waiting for my reply, not minding the delay I have made for her.
It does not look like it, but we are in a dire situation, so it requires me to think of a thorough plan to meet with Nickson. But him avoiding my texts and calls already means a terrible sign for us to continue our hunt for the mangaka.
I have been spamming him with angry emails and unending attempts to contact him. But my efforts leave me fruitless as I have reached the hundred milestone record for trying myself to communicate with him.
I understand he has many things twirling inside his mind, but our job is on the line! If his absence does not concern us, I would not mind him getting kicked out of the position! However, Roxanne and I have this link of some sort, like a tight knot into him. If that rope breaks, then the three of us will crumble apart.
"Do we have to pay a visit to the hotel?" Roxanne asks, with her voice dropping low.
Roxanne and I are reluctant to visit the outdoors, given that it is heavily pouring like cats and dogs outside. If we really want to pursue looking for him, we would start our search around the clock hotel and meet with his brother, Sung-ho.
That part is also our problem. For the past few days, we could not grab hold of Sung-ho. He has been eluding our presence like a rabbit hunted down in the wild. As soon as he notices us, he would sprint without getting attention and hide behind the corners, as if he is allergic from the sight of us. The two are brothers to the core!
"We do not have a choice but to visit the hotel." I let out a sigh and carry on with my things, neatening the things that I need to keep at bay.
In a flash, the once dirty room becomes tidy. I keep my laptop shut and unplugged, knowing that I will leave the house in a jiffy soon. If I have left it charging through the night, I might feel the wrath of my parents, slapping me with their electric bills.
I hate seeing those materials lying on the ground, especially when my parents are still out cold, working with their jobs. The pair will return at the end of our field trip, two weeks starting from now.
Ever since I was a child, I thought my parents were underground agents and cracked codes for our relief. But with their briefcase gripped in their hands, it enlightened me to know that they were not notorious after all this time. They were just visiting other places and companies, building their relationship with them during the process.
I leave a note on the table and head outside, bringing with me the folding umbrella clasp in my fingers. The panel stretches all over the place, shielding me from the pouring rain. As I make my step outside, the puddle on the entrance welcomes my foot, splashing it into a stream.
"This is such a drag!" I face the humid land and race towards the slick streets.
The rain is subtle at the moment, so venturing onwards should not pose a problem for me. I have my guard (umbrella) with me at all times.
"A little rain wouldn't hurt me." Another exhale escapes my mouth as I discern Roxanne and her goofy hands shaking in front of her face.
"You look good today, Yuki!" Roxy compliments my clothing, since I carefully choose this from my drawers.
I am wearing cherry-coloured pants and a stylish long sleeves shirt, protecting me from the sudden cold of spring. Not letting the thought slip by, I also bring my green raincoat wrapping around my body, even covering my thighs.
As if matching my attire, Roxanne also has her raincoat covering her body but in a jet-black hue. She also has an accessory, a collar, latching on her nape, and charms my eyes. Upon discerning below, I notice her rain boots to compliment her fashion.
"Thanks. You look splendid, too." Of course, I will feel flattered by Roxy praising me out of nowhere. If there is one thing that I cannot handle, that would be abrupt plaudits.
After our exchange, Roxanne and I head straight towards the road and pass by our school. Upon glancing at the top floors, I notice a shadow passing by. I recall that our school is closed for the entire week, giving away the leisure time for us students to study in our homes. With this knowledge in mind, I could not help but to place a dubious hunch over what my eyes I have seen.
"Is something wrong, Yuki?" Roxanne snaps me from my focus and queries me with a worrying tone.
"Yeah, I am fine." I shake my head and give her a faint smile, with my eyes still glancing at the building above me.
Maybe it is nothing?
I think to myself as we head towards the grand hotel. As soon as we enter inside the structure, it is as we have expected. Sung-ho and Nickson are not present in the scene.