When I Started a Volunteer Nursing Service, All the Beautiful Girls in My Class Suddenly Became Gloomy - Chapter 11-12

Chapter 11: Sharing an Umbrella in the Rain

“Amamiya-kun, morning!”

It was Wednesday, two days after that night. I sat down at my desk and Mizuse greeted me.

“Morning, Mizuse.”

She took the day off yesterday too, but she made it to school today.

“Thanks for yesterday, Amamiya-kun.”

I made some breakfast with the leftover ingredients that morning, then went home once to get ready for school. She was probably thanking me for that.

“And when I woke up and you were gone, I felt a little lonely!”

“Sorry about that.”

“Hehe… sorry from me too, okay? I kinda forced you to stay over.”

When I looked up, Mizuse had a slightly shy smile. She leaned forward with her hands behind her back. Her loose ribbon looked cute.

Her face was a bit red. She still had some fever left.

“Did you go to the doctor properly?”

“I did~ They said it was just a normal cold!”

“Good to hear.”

“But you know…”

Mizuse puffed out her cheeks a little.

“The doctor told me to rest.”

“That’s obvious.”

“Muu…”

Mizuse pouted her lips, looking unhappy.

She’s really easy to read.

“Mizuse, you’re not pushing yourself, are you?”

“I’m not?”

“You totally are.”

“How can you tell?”

“Your face is red and you’re a little unsteady.”

When I said that, Mizuse’s eyes went wide for a second, then…

“…Hehe.”

She smiled happily.

“Wh-what?”

“I was thinking you really notice stuff about me.”

“Well, of course I do. You’re sick.”

“Fufu.”

Mizuse rested her chin on her hand on the desk, looking in a great mood.

She stared right at me the whole time.

“…Hey, Amamiya-kun.”

“Yeah?”

“At school you keep a bit of distance, huh.”

“Eh?”

“The day before yesterday you were way closer~”

“That’s because you were way too close.”

“Was I?”

She grinned.

She knows exactly what she’s saying.

“But you know.”

Mizuse lowered her voice a little.

“I kinda want to talk more at school too.”

“…If it doesn’t bother you.”

“Not at all!”

Her smile bloomed like a flower.

It was so bright that I looked away for a second.

Then.

“…Oh.”

“Hm?”

Mizuse gently pinched my sleeve.

“Teacher’s here, so later, okay?”

“Yeah.”

After hearing my answer, Mizuse wobbled back to her seat.

“Guess I’m stuck…”

I stood at the school entrance, not sure what to do.

Rain poured down hard. In June sudden showers like this happen a lot.

It was clear this morning, so I didn’t bring an umbrella. A few other students were also waiting under the roof by the shoe lockers.

“…Doesn’t look like it’ll stop.”

I checked the weather on my phone. It said “heavy rain for a while.” The distance wasn’t too far to run, but with rain this strong I’d get soaked.

While I was wondering what to do,

“…Amamiya-kun.”

A quiet voice came from behind me.

I turned around and saw a slim figure standing there.

It was Ichinose.

She still looked beautiful, with that hard-to-approach vibe like when she stares out the window.

“Ichinose?”

“You didn’t bring an umbrella?”

“…No.”

When I answered, Ichinose looked down for a moment, then opened the umbrella in her hand with a soft pop.

In that instant.

Under the dark rainy sky, a light blue color seemed to bloom softly.

It was a clear, pale shade.

Every raindrop made the surface sparkle. Ichinose’s black hair underneath it looked glossy and wet, and the contrast with her white skin was strangely pretty.

It felt like a scene from a movie. Even the sound of the rain seemed a little farther away.

Ichinose took one step into the rain, then quietly turned back.

“…If you want,”

She tilted the light blue umbrella a little toward me.

“Want to walk home together?”

Her voice was small, but it somehow cut through the rain.

“Is that okay?”

I asked without thinking. Ichinose lowered her eyes a bit, then gave a small nod.

“…If you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all. I’d really appreciate it.”

When I said that, Ichinose’s expression softened just a little, like she felt relieved.

“…Then,”

She raised the hand holding the umbrella a bit higher.

Even that small movement looked picture-perfect. It wasn’t fair.

I gave a light bow and moved next to her.

Right away,

A soft scent floated over.

Was it her shampoo, or did it just mix with the rain smell?

Either way, it made me strangely restless.

“Want me to hold the umbrella?”

“…You sure?”

“Yeah, leave it to me.”

Ichinose hesitated for a second, then gently handed me the umbrella.

“…Okay, please.”

I took it from her slim fingers.

Our fingertips brushed for a moment and my heart jumped.

I adjusted my grip to cover it up.

“Let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

We started walking together.

Rain tapped quietly on the light blue umbrella.

Holding the umbrella made us stand naturally closer.

Our shoulders were almost touching, but Ichinose didn’t look annoyed. Instead, she matched her steps to mine like she felt a little more at ease.

“…Amamiya-kun, you’re tall.”

“Eh?”

“The umbrella is high up. It surprised me.”

“Oh… I don’t really think about it.”

Ichinose let out a small chuckle.

Seeing her smile made something in my chest feel unsettled.

But I didn’t really understand why.

Still.

Walking next to her in the rain felt way nicer than I expected.

—

Chapter 12: First Time Shopping at the Supermarket

“Amamiya…”

On the way to the station, Ichinose speaks up softly.

“This morning, what were you talking about with Kozue?”

I turn to look at her. Ichinose is staring right up at me.

Her eyes are shaking just a little, and she looks kind of uneasy.

“Um… we just talked about normal stuff, like how she was feeling.”

“…I see.”

Ichinose gives a small nod.

But she still seems like she isn’t fully convinced.

Rain taps quietly on the umbrella.

The silence feels really awkward, so I hurry to find more words.

“Mizuse still had a fever. It seemed like she pushed herself to come to school—”

“So you took care of Kozue too…”

“…Yeah, that’s right.”

I don’t think I did anything wrong.

But for some reason, admitting it in front of Ichinose feels a bit hard.

The “so” part probably means Ichinose saw our messages on the board.

It’s a public board so anyone can see it, and I don’t plan to say anything special about that.

Ichinose grips the strap of her bag tightly and keeps walking while looking straight ahead.

Her side profile is as pretty as always, but there’s a dark feeling around her.

“…Was Kozue doing okay?”

“She was okay… well, she was actually really noisy.”

When I say that, Ichinose lets out a small chuckle.

“…I can imagine.”

“She kept talking even with a fever.”

“Hehe.”

But her smile quickly goes back to being quiet.

For a while, only the sound of rain hitting the asphalt falls between us.

Then.

“I also… wanted to try your cooking, Amamiya.”

Ichinose mutters it softly.

“Not porridge, but real food.”

Her voice is so small it might melt into the rain.

But those words stay clear in my ears.

“…Want me to make some?”

Before I know it, the words slip out.

“Huh…?”

Ichinose slowly turns to look at me.

“Since we have the chance. Now that your cold is gone, I’ll make normal food next time.”

“…Is that okay?”

“Yeah.”

When I answer, Ichinose’s eyes go wide for a second.

Then…

“…Then…”

She smiles, small and gentle.

“Hamburger steak. I want that.”

“Hamburger steak?”

“…I like it.”

I wonder why.

I thought Ichinose seemed like the type to eat small, light meals, so it surprises me a bit.

“Got it. Let’s buy the ingredients on the way back.”

“…Yeah.”

Her reply sounds a little more cheerful than before.

When we step into the supermarket near Ichinose’s house, the cool air from the AC brushes against my skin.

It was pouring outside, so there are several people inside who look like they’re shopping on their way home.

“Have you ever made hamburger steak at home?”

“…No.”

Ichinose holds the shopping basket with both hands and shakes her head a little.

“My mom is busy.”

“I see.”

At my reply, Ichinose lowers her eyes a bit.

Oops.

Maybe I shouldn’t have touched that.

Right when I think that.

“…But.”

“Hm?”

“Doing this is kind of fun.”

Ichinose smiles softly while looking at the packs in the meat section.

“Shopping for food with someone at the supermarket.”

Her side profile looks much softer than at school.

My chest feels a little ticklish, so I grab some ground beef to hide it.

“Then I’ll make something tasty today.”

“…I’m looking forward to it.”

Ichinose says that and smiles. Even on a rainy day, she looks strangely happy.

After that, Ichinose slowly walks around the store.

“Hamburger steak tastes good with cheese inside too.”

“…Cheese.”

Ichinose stops in front of the dairy section.

She looks at the products for a moment like she’s thinking, then…

“…I want to try it.”

She says it quietly.

“Let’s get some then.”

“…Yeah.”

Her reply sounds a little happy, and I end up smiling too without meaning to.

After that we pick onions, look for breadcrumbs.

Before we know it, the basket keeps getting fuller.

“…Oh.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Can I get juice?”

“Of course.”

Ichinose heads to the drink section and starts staring at the shelves with a serious face.

The way she does it is kind of cute, so I smile without thinking.

“Do you worry that much?”

“…I don’t buy this stuff very often.”

While saying that, Ichinose picks up a peach juice.

“…I like this one.”

“Then let’s get that.”

A bit later.

“…Can I get snacks too?”

“That’s a very kid-like way to ask.”

“…Is it not okay?”

“It’s okay.”

Ichinose looks relieved and her face softens.

Then after thinking for a while at the snack section, she puts a small chocolate treat in the basket.

“You like sweet things, huh.”

“…Sometimes I really want them.”

While talking about that, the basket gets heavier than I expected.

Right when Ichinose tries to hold it better with both hands.

“I’ll carry it.”

I naturally put my hand on one side of the basket handle.

“Eh…”

“It’s lighter if we both hold it.”

Ichinose looks surprised for a second, then nods small.

“…Thank you.”

We walk side by side holding the basket together.

Every time we get closer, I catch a soft, gentle scent.

As we walk slowly like that, suddenly.

“…Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“This feels a little like newlyweds.”

“Buh!?”

A weird sound comes out of me.

Ichinose must feel embarrassed after saying it herself because she quickly looks away.

“…F-Forget that.”

“No way I can forget that…!”

Ichinose’s ears turn red.

I might be seeing that face for the first time.

But the next moment.

“…Still.”

“Hm?”

Ichinose looks up at me and smiles a little shyly.

“I’ve always wanted to do something like this.”

Her smile is so soft.

For a second, I forget what to say.

Then I laugh like I’m trying to cover it up, and Ichinose laughs a little too, like she caught it from me.

Even though it’s a rainy day.

Inside the supermarket, it feels a little warm.

――――――――――――――――――――――

↓↓↓

“Amamiya, don’t you want juice?”

“I was thinking of sharing your peach one.”

“…………”

“What’s wrong?”

“I-Indirect kiss…”

“N-No, that’s not it! I’ll pour it into a cup!”