Volume 31 Chapter 16 (1/2)

I wonder if the rain's stopped

I idly pondered this as I handed the receipt to the customer

”Thank-you”

As she gave a cursory nod and walked out, the neatly folded green and orange umbrella that the office lady held was still ith o one of tays Was it folded because the rain had stopped, or was it folded because she'd entered the store?

The custoh-school unifor an uht an u when they'd left ho because it had stopped raining? At any rate, it's the nature of a train station that you can travel a long distance without needing an umbrella, so I probably wouldn't learnthe customer's hands

Well, I didn't really care whether it was raining or not just at that moment Whatin an hour's time

”I'm sorry, the raisin-chocolate is sold out for today”

It was just after 7pm My part time job at the bakery finished at 8 Incidentally, the raisin-chocolate had been a hit product for our store just recently - it sold out within 30that booer had a policy of not increasing the nu line I think that's correct

I orried about the rain because I hadn't brought an umbrella with me

It was Saturday, solectures at university in thewhen I left again at 3:45 so I'dmy umbrella Since it was the rainy season, I was usually in the habit of taking a folding u along with o to my part-time job, naturally, I left my textbooks behind

I realized I'd left , but by that tiht of the station If I'd turned around to go home, I'd have been late for work So I dashed towards the train station

Just as I arrived, a bus swept past me into the turn-around area About half of the twenty passengers got off the bus and opened already wet u this bus's route

When I saw the last guy getting off the bus, I was a bit shocked

I couldn't narrow the shock down to one specific thing - I think it was probably just a general shock

I knew that guy, just a little bit Since we both used the same train station, I'd seen him around from time to time He never came into the store to buy bread, but I'd seen him walk past the front of the shop I think ere about the sae Importantly, he had the kind of face I liked In other words, he was handsome That was all I knew about him, so there was much more I didn't know

The guy that got off the bus was carrying a blue umbrella With a floral pattern A lady's un and color, it was probably a young girl's

While I'd been a little disturbed by seeing this man with a lady's uer shock After getting off the bus and reaching a covered area, he threw that u it there He didn't actually throw it, he leaned it up against the wall, but then continued out through the ticket gate, leaving the umbrella where it was To my eyes, he'd thrown it away He'd throay the umbrella that didn't suit him at the train station

That was, in general, a shock

Leaving behind the gentle rain, I entered the bakery But as a result of that, I couldn't help but notice the umbrellas the customers had when they came in Particularly when they were bluish umbrellas

I wonder if the rain's stopped

I wonder if that umbrella's still in the same spot

If the rain hasn't stopped when my shi+ft finishes And, if that umbrella is still in the place where it was abandoned -

When I got to that point, I realized that I was thinking foolish thoughts

Really, I wanted it to be raining Because I wanted to pick up that umbrella and take it home

”Put out the 'everything half-price' signs”

My er's voice ca at the clock, it was 7:30 Only 30custoirl who had been slicing white bread, put the signs out

After closing the shop at 8, checking the till, changing from my work uniform into my normal clothes in the locker room, it was 8:20pm

”Good work today”

The er always told us it was fine to take home as much of the unsold bread and pastries as anted, but I lived alone and there was only so ht look as though I thought the bakery's food ful, which would also be bad So I said, ”I'll just take one,” and looked inside the basket of unsold pastries

”Ah, then you won't take this?”

Thethat had been stored on the shelves behind the register

”It had been set aside as an order for one of our regular custoo”

”Well, I'll take that then”

I thanked the , then punched-out withas still choosing a pastry, so I farewelled her with, ”I'll see you next time”

I wondered what happened to that blue umbrella I hurried across the wet and slippery train station floor

I didn't care whether the rain had stopped or not What I wanted was for the blue umbrella to still be there

It had been four hours It wouldn't be unusual for it to be gone

Someone without an umbrella could have picked it up, or so or a police box But that guy won't have returned to pick it up Of that I was certain

The umbrella was there But it wasn't in exactly the same spot It had moved about a metre Since it was near the station entrance, that was probably because people had run into it, knocking it over, and then set it back up leaning against the wall There was also the possibility that someone had borrowed it and then returned it

At any rate, with ripped the handle and gently opened it

Luckily, it was raining lightly I whispered to the u it that I'd take it to a police box tomorrow, then lifted it over my head and started to walk Whoever the true owner of the uuy from before

As I left the train station, theWhy had I ever thought he was a good guy?

”I've still got a long way to go, when it co people”

I said toon the u with me too

When I returned to er, I found two raisin-chocolate breads inside I'd been working there twice a week for about three months, and this was the first time I'd eaten them

As for what happened to that blue uht

I really had been intending to take it back the following day, but the rain had stopped so I left it out, opened, on one

My apartment's on the second floor, and it's not like it was underwear, so it was hard to i wind that night, so it had probably been bloay

I hope it bumped into somebody, provided it didn't hurt them

From time to time I think about that blue umbrella

I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise

Since it would be a miracle, perhaps one has to pray

That it is returned to its rightful owner, no matter how many years that takes

A blue umbrella had fallen onto the street on my path home from school Lost property should be taken to the police box I picked it up It was a bit of a detour from my usual route, but there was a police box on themy usual path home, I turned one street earlier, in the opposite direction

”I wonder if this really is lost property”

Although I'd started out in high spirits, I became a wee bit concerned After all, the umbrella had certainly fallen, but it was stained with dirt The frame wasn't broken, but there was a section where the blue material had come loose from the frame and flapped about

”It could have co”

But there weren't any rubbish bins along that road Especially since the street I picked it up from was in a residential area

”Ah, whatever”

At any rate, if I handed it to a police I'd been ordered to do, but if pressed, I'd say it was tothat's for the good of society, the order to do that comes from within

However, being an ally of justice was never quite that easy

”Oi”

Usually, an evil agency was out to block your path

Well, that was problematic Nors first, but today the final boss had suddenly appeared out of nowhere

”You're fro around in District B?”

I didn't like this kid Ishi+ Since ere in fifth grade of elementary school, he should have calirls, teasing girls and teasing girls Most of the tiirls' in that last sentence But I wasn't about to back down

”There's so I have to do”

”What is it?”

”What does it matter what it is?”

Does B district belong to you? Do I need your pers, but they didn't co to descend to his level to fight him I, at least, wanted to rader

When I walked on, ignoring him, Ishi+maki snatched the umbrella out of my hand

”Give that back”

”If you want it back, then tell ”

”No, way”

”Well, I'll just keep this then”

Ishi+maki chuckled to himself

That umbrella wasn't mine So it was no skin offuet wet even if it started raining, and when I returned home mom wouldn't ask me about the blue umbrella

For ahome One turn around the corner and I'd be back on the street I had been on, and back in District A If Ishi+ around in District A?”

However

I felt a prick of pain in my chest

Ishi+maki wouldn't take the blue umbrella to the police box I would not complete the task I had undertaken That troubled me

”Give it back”

I chased after Ishi+maki as he ran away He was undoubtedly pleased by my overreaction

He left the street and ran across the pedestrian overpass As soht up to hiled for the umbrella

Thinking that the blue uency, I desperately fought to retrieve it Ishi+maki probably just saw the blue u taken it he desperately sought to retain it

We were both absorbed in ere doing, and didn't consider how it had coht, ”Ah,” the open umbrella fluttered off into the air That it remained like that and didn't fall onto the road was either a blessing or a curse No, it was probably a blessing If it had landed on the road, it ed - if it had hit a bicycle then both the bicycle and its rider may have been injured too

The blue uht in one of the trees next to the pedestrian overpass It was close, but not close enough that you could stretch your hand out from the overpass and reach it On top of that, the tree looked to be co

I felt despair, and cried I wasn't able to protect world peace

”I'm sorry”

Ishi+maki said

”I'm sorry”

After he'd said it a second time, I shook my head The final boss had bowed his head That would probably preserve world peace But the tears wouldn't stop Because the umbrella was still stuck in the tree

”That wasn't mine”

I said to Ishi+maki I opened up to him, and asked what to do next I told him that I'd come to District B so I could take it to the police box I said what I'd earlier resolved not to tell hiain the wisdom of the final boss

”Let's call an adult”

The final boss's decision was quick

”An adult?”

”All we can do here is cry After all, we're only kids”

Ishi+maki took my hand, and led me down off the pedestrian overpass He looked less like a bully and more like someone trustworthy

Indeed, I was only a child The umbrella was only an u to end if it disappeared That was just so I'd made up

”If a kite gets stuck on an electric line, you call Tokyo Electric But who has jurisdiction over the tree branches?”

After I grumbled this, he looked back at me and smiled

”I dunno, so how about we go to the policeman like you'd planned?”

”Okay”

I was enticed into s too

After explaining what had happened at the police box on the main street of District B, the policeman said, ”Let's see what's happened first,” and accompanied us back

But by the tier there

Ishi+ area, but in the end we couldn't find the u in District B's park before going home

The blue uretfully thinking, ”I should have at least taken an umbrella when I left”

Technically speaking, the umbrella didn't appear before my eyes It fell on me from above

”I'm fine by myself”

I'd left ho rehtly If I'd turned left towards the train station when I left, I would have co uht and even the houses became fewer and farther between It would norhborhood, but deep inside there's a sht, and small fields were dotted between the houses The clouds covered loomy, but thankfully it was still early afternoon Not yet the ti around

With the rain falling on reenery It was too early to return home If I didn't let at least an hour elapse, it wouldn't look good at all

I knew everyone in the neighborhood back in the rural area where I'd grown up, so at times like this all I'd have to do was call out to someone and I'd be invited back to their house for tea, snacks and idle conversation Call it the flavor of Tokyo, or society in general, but I didn't have any nearby acquaintances here It was kind of sad

The closest patch of greenery was a grove ofa shrine to the God Inari Or probably the other way around Because the Inari shrine was there, the trees that surrounded it hadn't been cut down At any rate, thanks to that God, I h the red torii arch ca trees were fewer in nuht

I was regretting it now, and it was too late to do anything about it, but I should have at least taken an uust of wind blew, and an open umbrella fluttered down on top of me I didn't even think about it When the handle carabbed it Since that's how you use an umbrella

It was a blue ueas from the looks of it

I surveyed the area, looking for its owner But there was no one but me on the path It must have flown here from somewhere else It had been carried to me on the wind just now, but before that who kno many modes of transportation it had taken The cloth had come unstuck from one of the struts

”Maybe the God Inari granted my wish for an umbrella”

As a start, I passed through the torii archway, and put ht that I should have prayed for soood to be greedy Things could have gone bad if it had chosen a wicker basket

Since I had obtained an umbrella, imperfect as itfor a place to shelter frohborhood until the residual heat dissipated

But I didn't do that My ears picked up a small sound from close by It sounded more like an 'ahh' than a 'meow'

”A cat?”

I squatted down and looked along the ground Beside the shrine to the God Inari there was a cardboard box, and inside that were cats One, two, … three cats

It didn't really happen very often these days, but these cats had undoubtedly been abandoned Outwardly, I remained calm as I looked down upon this clump of vitality, but inside I was just as surprised as I had been by the umbrella

Just in case, I had another look around the area, but just like the un of the former owner of these kittens

”Well then, what to do?”

The kittens hadn't just been born, as their eyes were open Given their size, they'd probably finished weaning There was a towel in the box instead of a blanket, but in spite of that they were probably still cold as they huddled together in the corner

”Left in such a location, I doubt anyone would have noticed them”

While I certainly didn't approve of the du of new-born kittens, at least they could have put soht into where they left the sprang to mind I considered a ined the kittens getting out of the box and being attracted to the cars, and shook my head

”Ahh, right”

As usual, the gears in my head don't spin that quickly, but it came to me There was an ani to the veterinarian there would be the answer Perhaps they'd be able to search for a nener

I retraced h I'd called it an animal hospital, it was actually a sate, up the three stone steps and turned the doorknob, but the door didn't open

”Not in?”

There was a notice beside the door It said the veterinarian was on a training course and not seeing any customers for a week The address and phone nu suburb was listed in case of eency, but it was too far to walk and I had neither a phone nor any money, so I returned to the Inari shrine

The cats were still in the sa the umbrella over them

I wanted to pat them, but I didn't I knew that if I touched them, it would stir up my emotions

I wanted to keep them, but I probably wouldn't be able to Since I didn't even knoould become of me tomorroas in no position to act irresponsibly

”At the very least, I'd like to see you lot get a good home”

What if I took theet them to the animal hospital? Then I re to her would be annoying, but she ht be able to take them to the animal hospital

Perhaps I saw a bit of et soiven some milk

With that decided, I stood up I tapped round a couple of ti, when I spotted a pink umbrella in the direction of the torii

”Gran”

”Oh my”

When the ued to hter, Misa

”Mom and dad and aunty were all worried about you Won't you come home?”