Chapter 2 Part 3 – Being picked up by my wife and sharing an umbrella

Translator: Chaos

Editor: Riciel

One day after my part-time job, I left the shopping mall where the movie theater was located, and it was raining outside. The droplets shining like silver continuously rained under the bright streetlights which were illuminating the streets at night.

“Wow… Seriously…”

I had left my umbrella at school because I had failed to check the weather forecast.

There was a covered walkway from the shopping mall to Tsujido Station, but the problem was after getting off the Tokaido Line at Ofuna Station. Looking up at the night sky, I couldn’t see any stars or the moon due to the thick clouds.

“It’s not going to stop, is it?”

Sighing, I headed for the station anyway. I could’ve bought an umbrella at the convenience store in the station, but I didn’t feel comfortable storing a plastic umbrella at home. Riko had just cleaned the front place for me last weekend. Due to that, I couldn’t just keep adding things to it.

I had no choice. As long as it doesn’t rain too hard, I could just run home. It wasn’t much of a distance, and I wouldn’t get too wet.

However, the rain pattering against the window of the train kept getting stronger and stronger.

Aaaah…

I guess I’ll have to buy an umbrella at the convenience store after all…

As I begrudgingly walked down the aisle and out of the south ticket gate, I suddenly heard my name.

“Minato-kun…!”

Surprised, I looked up and saw people holding umbrellas. Some were waiting for someone’s return and were lined up in front of the wall of Lumine, which was already closed. [TN: Lumine is a shopping center in Japan.]

It was a scene I always saw on my way home on a rainy day. But this time, I found Riko on the other side, holding a red-flowered umbrella with both hands.

Huh?

Why…?

When Riko’s eyes met mine, she scurried over to me.

“It suddenly started raining, so I thought that Minato-kun might not have brought an umbrella. That’s why I came to pick you up.”

On a rainy day, someone you loved was waiting for you to come home. I never imagined that I could be the star of such a scene that I used to look at with envy and pass by with a sideways glance…

After my surprise, I felt a delayed and sincere joy.

“Thank you…”

I managed to suppress my emotions of embarrassment and excitement and thanked her. Receiving my thanks, she giggled, looking extremely happy like a Chihuahua who had been praised.

Damn, she’s too cute…

Her sudden attack of loveliness was so powerful that I had to take a step back. It was at that moment I realized something.

Riko only has one umbrella, right…?

The only thing she had in her hand was the same cute umbrella that had flown in the sky on that snowy day that had brought us together.

It’s obvious, isn’t it…

Because my umbrella is left at school, there’s no way Riko can bring it to me.

But then why did she still come to get me?

No way…

“Let’s go home.”

She smiled and started walking away. I was confused, but I followed her anyway.

We walked past the ticket office and down the escalator to the ground level. After crossing the traffic light, we took the road to Ofuna shopping street and turned right to head towards the bus roundabout, where the roof above us ended.

Riko unfastened her red umbrella, opened it with a snap, and looked back at me.

“Please come in, Minato-kun…”

“…”

This is…

Riko was planning to go home under a shared umbrella. I never thought there was also this possibility; I didn’t realize this would happen…

While waiting for me with one side of her umbrella open, she was beckoning me with a small hand. I stood there staring at the unbelievable sight.

How am I supposed to get into that small space…?

If we were to fit under an umbrella to avoid being caught in the rain, our arms and shoulders would almost certainly touch each other. We don’t usually get that close to each other despite living together and being legally married.

… I can’t move my legs.

Why don’t I just buy an umbrella at a convenience store?

No, then I’d end up ruining her goodwill from coming all this way to pick me up.

So I can’t.

Riko tilted her head in curiosity when she saw me standing frozen on the spot.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you want to go home?”

“I’m going…”

No, no, no.

If I hesitate any longer, it will look suspicious.

If she finds out that I am embarrassed by the fact that we are under a joint umbrella, she might mutter, ‘I didn’t mean to be like that, but it’s weird that you are so conscious of me…’

Okay.

Let’s get my mind out of the gutter.

I’ll just walk carefully and make sure not to touch her.

I gulped and lifted my shaky legs, moving awkwardly to stand next to her.

It’s okay, no part of my body is touching her.

But before I could even start walking, Riko pointed it out to me.

“… Minato-kun, come closer or you’ll get wet.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m not getting wet.”

“With half your body sticking out?”

Yeah, it’s impossible.

“I don’t want to bump into you by being too close…”

“Sorry about the umbrella, it’s too small… It’s totally fine to bump into me…, you know?”

Riko added, a little bashfully. It felt more painful than being completely unaware of it.

But Riko was waiting for me, so I tried my best to get a little closer.

No, no, no.

My arm was still outside the umbrella.

“Um, I’ll come closer to you…”

“Wait, wait, wait. If you do that, most of your body is gonna stick out as well…”

The day before yesterday, I started calling her by her first name, for which I had to gather the courage to do it. I’ve managed to call her “Riko” in my mind, but I still got nervous when I said it out loud.

Now, I’m also as troubled as back then.

We can’t stay in the rain like this forever.

We looked at each other with lowered eyebrows. Then Riko’s eyes looked as if she had made up her mind about something, and she immediately closed the distance between us with a big step.

“Minato-kun, please take the umbrella.”

“Uh-huh?”

“I’m…”

I held the umbrella in my hand, not knowing what to expect. Right after that –

“Wha-what!?”

Her soft body snuggled up to my right side with puffy eyes. I quickly tried to back away, but she grabbed and squeezed my arm with both hands. My heart started beating vigorously.

“What? Whoa! W-what’s going on…?”

“Minato-kun, I’ve caught you…”

“…..!”

“I’m worried that you’d run away from me and get all wet if I didn’t do this…”

Riko said with a bright red face as she squeezed my right arm. By the redness of her face, I could tell that she was also extremely embarrassed.

“You see… I’m not letting go until we get home… so let’s go home together…”

All I could do was shake my head and nod back. My face was probably just as red as Riko’s was. Unlike the cute little girl, I think it’s just weird for someone like me to turn red, but there was no way I could keep a natural expression on my face in this situation.

It’s a good thing that I’m hidden under the umbrella…