What's under Kamiyama-san's paper bag?

What’s under Kamiyama-san’s paper bag?

Chapter 23 Did Arai-san… open an umbrella…?

The activity for today’s conversation club was decided to be “having enjoyable conversations even in the rain.”

I searched for my vinyl umbrella in the corner of the shoe rack and, as I stepped outside, I turned back.

“Hey, are you still not ready?”

“Ah… hahaha, y-yes, I’m coming now…”

Kamiyama-san, who happened to be opening a red umbrella, hurriedly responded. Harusame also opened a pink umbrella and quickly went outside.

Arai commented upon seeing Harusame’s umbrella.

“Oh, Harusame-san umbrella is cute in pink. Alright, shall we go then?”

Saying so, Arai went outside without opening an umbrella and started walking towards the school gate. I watched, wondering if she would take out a folding umbrella from their bag, but she simply faced us while waiting, without any sign of taking out an umbrella.

Why aren’t she using an umbrella? Could it be that she forgot it?

I stopped Arai, who was about to walk, and called out to her.

“Wait a moment. Arai, aren’t you using an umbrella? Did you forget it, by any chance?”

Arai turned around, getting wet in the rain, and answered with their usual smiling face.

“I always wear a raincoat on rainy days, so I don’t need an umbrella.”

I looked at Arai from head to toe. But she only appeared in her usual school-designated uniform. What happened to Arai? They looked at me with a puzzled expression, as if wanting to ask, “What’s wrong?”

“No… You said raincoat, but are you going to wear a raincoat now?”

“Hmm? Ah, this one… It’s my rainproof uniform.”

“A rainproof… uniform?”

I felt like I heard another new word, but maybe it was just my imagination. Arai continued while touching the fabric of her uniform.

“Look, take a closer look. It repels water, you see?”

I approached Arai and brought my face close to their uniform. The rain kept falling on Arai’s uniform, but it didn’t soak in. The raindrops just rolled off without leaving any stains. …And the fabric seemed glossy.

I tried pinching it with my fingers, and it wasn’t cloth but a smooth vinyl material.

What is this…?

“Ah… Arai-san, this is again… Could it be…”

“Yeah. I made a raincoat with the exact same design as the uniform.”

Why does this person come up with the idea of making something identical to the uniform?

I asked in astonishment.

“Why would you do something like that again?”

“Hehe… Well, you see, I’m not good with umbrellas. Whenever I use an umbrella, I end up getting soaked, so on rainy days, I wear a raincoat.”

Arai blushed and shyly explained.

“Oh, I see… I see… I see… But, um, couldn’t you just wear a regular raincoat over the normal uniform that you can buy?”

As I asked a perfectly reasonable question, Arai, who was right in front of me, suddenly had a serious expression and stared into my eyes.

…No, it seemed like they were looking at my eyes, but upon closer inspection, our eyes weren’t actually meeting. They were definitely looking in my direction, but her gaze seemed to pass through me and fixate on something far behind me, something deep in the distance. Oh no, it’s really creepy.

As I stood there like a frog being stared at by a snake, Arai suddenly made a surprised face.

“Ah…! Sorry, Kominato-kun. I kind of zoned out for a moment. So, what were we talking about?”

“Ah… Well… It seems like it’s mostly okay… It was nothing, really.”

Arai returned to their usual smiling expression and tried to bring up the topic again.

“Is that so? Well, that’s good. So, about this raincoat—”

I hastily interrupted Arai’s words.

“No, it’s fine! Raincoats are fine! Raincoats are really handy, right?”

Upon hearing my words, Arai responded with her usual smile and a bright voice directed towards us.

“Yeah, they’re super convenient. Well then, shall we go? I’m looking forward to the rainy day activity of the Conversation Club.”

I whispered to Harusame, who was standing next to me in a state of bewilderment.

“Hey… What was that just now…? What could it have been…?”

“I have no idea… I’ve never seen Arai like that before…”