As I looked at you, I felt the slowing down of time... ― Florence Joyce

xxxxxx

[Rinako]

It was only six-thirty in the morning. But as for me, I finally arrived at Uminaribara University. To be precise, I was standing in front of the building of the Engineering and Architecture Department. That school was located just a few miles near the town and I would be studying here starting this semester. But then I couldn't understand why I couldn't even take a step towards the building.

I couldn't believe I had to feel this. This wasn't the time for me to have butterflies in my stomach. There was also no reason for both of my hands to feel this cold that was holding the straps of my backpack hanging on my back.

"Nervous?"

I turned around to the source of that voice. Even though I had to admit that I was indeed nervous, I still managed to smile when I saw my cousin Mayu. It so happened that we took the same course, which was Architecture. The truth was, this wasn't the college course that I wanted to take. At least, that was what I felt. But until now, I still don't know what course I want to take up. I just decided to give in to what my father wanted for me. It was just for now until I couldn't figure out exactly what I wanted.

"Why don't you enter? It's not like the people would eat you or anything for you to be this nervous," Mayu said when she finally approached me.

"You know that I'm a newcomer here, right? Of course, I'd feel nervous."

But my cousin just stared at me incredulously as if she couldn't believe what I just said. I frowned at that sight. Why would Mayu look at me like this?

"What are you talking about? In case you've forgotten, you were born and raised here until nine years ago. You just disappeared for nine years, and now you're calling yourself a newcomer? Are you crazy?"

"It's still the same." This girl. Why can't she just agree for now? I was just being slightly dramatic. "Let's go before we end up late for our first class." Maybe it was for the best if I drag my cousin out of here before she even decide to prolong the discussion.

Thankfully, Mayu obliged. But seriously speaking? I noticed that people around me kept on looking at me. Was there something on my face? Did I just grow two heads for them to look at me?

"You've changed a lot, you know?" Mayu suddenly said which confused me.

"Maybe, something changed. To think I disappeared from this town for nine years. You can even include Yushiro cheating on me before. So yeah, I did change."

"You're right. You've become even more hot-headed than usual. It's like you're bitter with the world."

I would end up hitting my cousin because of this, you know? Unbelievable! Bitter? Me, bitter? Okay, I would admit that my patience would slightly decrease when it comes to a certain person. But hello! Was that supposed to be a basis for Mayu to call me bitter?

I just shook my head and increased my pace as we enter the building. "I don't know what to do with you, Mayu. Did you have breakfast and you're spouting random things?"

"Come on. I was just joking." Mayu was chuckling when she said that and followed me.

Take a deep breath, Rinako. It would be better for you to calm down, okay?

Okay, what was this? I was acting weird today. To think I was talking to myself.

There weren't a lot of people inside the building when Mayu and I entered. But I could easily see and realize that the people here had their groups and cliques. Do you know what I thought? Maybe it was me who would never have a set of friends here at Uminaribara besides Mayu.

We were supposed to climb up the stairs when something fell from above. Not just me, but Mayu also stopped when we saw that. I frowned when I saw a gloxinia on the staircase. Wait, was this the thing that fell? I immediately took it and looked upon the balconies there for me to know who dropped this. But I didn't see anyone there. Wait! Don't tell me a ghost would do this?

I looked at the flower in my hand once again. I don't know what to think as I continue looking at it. Was it just me who would always feel as if I was mesmerized whenever I would see a flower? It was weird, right? But this was me. Especially when I know the meaning of this flower in the hanakotoba (the language of flowers).

"Maybe it fell unintentionally from whoever it was above," Mayu commented.

"Okay. Then find that particular person up there who did this so that I'll smack him. He couldn't even throw his trash properly."

And Mayu just laughed at me. Maybe I should smack her instead of that flower-throwing person.

"But wait. What was the meaning of that gloxinia flower in hanakotoba again?" Mayu asked.

It was enough to pull my attention away from the flower I was holding and faced her. "In the language of flowers, gloxinia means 'love at first sight."

"Wow! But why would that flower fall from the balcony?"

But I just responded with a shrug. I wasn't even aware of the true reason for this flower to fall down that staircase. I just didn't want to think of the possibility that a ghost was playing a trick on me. Just thinking of that possibility right now gave me serious goosebumps.

Anyway, I would pay attention to that later. Mayu and I still had a class to attend. But we were supposed to go up the stairs when I noticed that some people were running down the stairs that Mayu and I were supposed to go up.

"Watch out!" I heard that voice shout.

"Huh?" Before I gained composure, it was too late for me to even comprehend the next events that happened.

"Out of the way!"

But I never got to do that command. A young man was heading straight towards me as he ran down the stairs. He was running fast that I saw him trip, which made him lose his balance. Before I could even move out of the way, his body collided with mine which only made us both crash to the floor. The impact of the fall on me was too much since I was at the end of the staircase. And you have to add the weight of the person above me.

"Ouch!" I could only groan. Because of the strong impact of the fall, I almost lost consciousness due to intense pain but I endured it. I tried my best not to faint even though I was already closing my eyes because of the pain. Besides, I knew that person who pinned me down was still above me. I wanted to know who was that person so that I could yell at him for doing that.

I felt that person above me moved. I slowly opened my eyes and the face of that person greeted my sight. But it seemed like a cat got my tongue because of what I saw and my urge to scream at that person was blown by the wind. From what I could see, he was the most good-looking person I've ever seen in my life.

Okay, good-looking might be an understatement. But I didn't want to say he was that handsome even though it was the truth. And I didn't want to say that this handsome jerk just awaken my five-month-long slumbering heart. It was because, at that moment, I couldn't even stop my heart from beating so fast as I continued to stare at his face. Warmth crept up to my cheeks when I finally realized that our faces were just a few inches apart. I could also smell the cologne he used that, for some unexplained reason, made me feel hazy. The scent wasn't that strong; just enough to disturb my senses even without him knowing that.

The guy above me immediately got up and helped me to stand up from the cold pavement. "I'm so sorry, miss. I didn't mean to." His voice was apologetic when he said those words.

But before I could even say something, a sudden surge of intense pain struck my head. All of a sudden, I felt like being blown by a strong gust of wind as my mind started to go black.

"Miss!" I still heard him say before I completely lost consciousness.