I sat quietly in my chair, still thinking about everything that had happened today. The information Ryota gave me felt like a huge weight that hit me mercilessly.
"It seems like it's getting late," I said, finally breaking the silence. I stood up slowly, my body still feeling weak after a long day. "I have to go home."
Ryota nodded, looking at me with a mixed expression of sympathy and wariness. "Yeah, go home. You need time to think things over. But remember, this is just the beginning."
I smiled a little, though the smile felt forced. "I know. Thank you for your time today, Ryota."
He just shrugged. "Hey, we're not done yet. I still want to know more about who you really are and what you're up to."
I chuckled, though the heaviness in my chest hadn't gone away. I stepped to the door, ready to leave, when Ryota called out to me again.
"Wait a minute."
I turned my head, watching him open a desk drawer and take out a small folding umbrella. He handed it to me as he said, "It's raining pretty hard. Take this, you'll need it."
I took the umbrella and nodded. "Thanks, Ryota. I'll return it later."
He just smiled slightly. "Make sure you come back. We still have a lot to talk about."
I nodded once more before stepping out of his office, the umbrella in hand. The rain began to fall harder as I walked out, and the sound of the drops hitting the street became the backdrop to my evening walk.
I opened the umbrella and started walking, letting the distracting thoughts come back to invade my head. The rain seemed to reflect the chaos I felt inside me.
I walked down the sidewalk, Ryota's umbrella protecting me from the heavy rain that wouldn't let up. The sound of water droplets hitting the ground and puddles created a monotonous rhythm that served as a backdrop to my cluttered thoughts.
Every step felt heavy. The weight of thoughts about this body-Shinichiro Ito-and all his hatred, ruined reputation, and past crimes continued to haunt me. It was like walking with a mountain on my back, and I couldn't get rid of it.
As I walked further, a strange pain assailed me. Not a physical pain, but rather a tremendous pressure on my head and chest.
"ARGH!" I squeezed my head, my body trembling from the pain. The umbrella I was holding slipped from my hand and fell onto the sidewalk, leaving me soaking wet under the rain.
The pain was getting stronger, like something was pressing on my mind until it almost broke. I fell to my knees, rainwater pouring down my face. I looked up at the dark sky above, then screamed as loud as I could.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!"
The sound of my shout mixed with the roar of the rain, but it wasn't enough to release all the frustration I felt. I couldn't hold myself back anymore. Suddenly, a laugh escaped my mouth-a loud, hysterical, desperate laugh.
"Hahaha! This is my life now, huh?!" I spoke to myself, my laughing voice mixed with a tone of sarcasm. "Kenji Takahashi, the perfect man, is now trapped in the body of a... monster!"
I stood up slowly, my body drenched in rain, but I didn't care. The laughter continued to come out, as if all my emotions had finally spilled out at once.
Suddenly, I felt something different. I took a deep breath, letting the coldness of the rain seep into my skin. I raised my head, looking forward with eyes that were now more focused.
"Hufft, alright," I muttered softly. "If this was my life right now, I wouldn't let it end like this. I would find my way back, and I would finish everything. For Shinichiro, and for myself."
I stepped forward, Ryota's umbrella trailing behind me. Every step felt like the beginning of a long journey I had to take.
As I walked, the pain slowly subsided, replaced by renewed determination. However, I didn't know that something or someone was waiting for me ahead.
Mysterious Girl in the Rain
I continued to walk under the rain, my steps feeling steadier after all the emotional outbursts earlier. The water pouring down on me seemed to wash away a small part of the chaos in my mind.
However, just as I was starting to feel calmer, a touch on my shoulder brought me to a halt. It was gentle but enough to catch my attention. I turned around quickly, expecting to find someone I knew, but all I saw was a girl.
She stood there, her small body in a school uniform that was slightly wet from the rain. Her hair was long and black, sticking to her pretty face, but there was something strange about the smile she showed. It wasn't warm, but cold-almost frightening.
"Hello," she said softly, her voice sounding gentle, yet somehow making my hair stand up.
I tried to reply with a small smile, even though a strange feeling came over me. "Hello. Who are you?" I asked, trying to sound friendly even though my mind was filled with questions.
He didn't answer right away. His large, dark eyes stared at me intently, as if she was studying something. Then, I noticed something even stranger. Her stomach protruded slightly, unnatural for someone her age.
The girl finally smiled again, but her smile looked even more sinister. "Why are you soaking wet like this?" she asked in a mocking tone.
"I... was just out for a walk," I replied shortly, not knowing what to say.
I tried asking again. "What's your name? Do you live around here?"
However, when I asked that question, her face changed. Her eyes widened, her previously flat expression turning into something much more intense. She glared at me, as if I had said something wrong.
I took a step back, confused and a little scared. "Hey, did I say something wrong?" I asked carefully.
She didn't answer, just stood there with a piercing gaze that made my body freeze. The rain continued to pour down on us, but I couldn't take my eyes off him.