Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Cove ❯ Downpour Memories ( Chapter 73 )

It started to rain on the road. Ryuji first felt a drop on his cheek.

"Oh," he said. Suddenly, it became a downpour. The girls covered their heads. The thunder clapped in the distance.

"What do we do?" Hisako asked.

"We don't have a choice!" Kasumi shouted. "We have to keep going!" Ryuji looked down the endless road. Haruko had a panicked look on her face. Kameko turned to see her cowering away.

"Haruko... -san?" she asked. The older girl took off running down the road.

"Haruko!" Kasumi shouted. A look of uncomfortable worry washed over Ryuji's face. He took off running after his sister.

"Ryuji-kun!" Kasumi yelled. The boy didn't listen to her. He had his eyes on his sister. Meanwhile, Haruko could hear the crying through the thunder.

No. No. No!

"Nee-san!" her brother shouted. She could barely hear him over the rain. Her mind was lost in a different place. She felt like she was running into the past.

-Ten Years Ago-

That was the night she lost her parents. The memory was still so hazy. She did remember the rain. It wasn't exactly storming like right now. Just a mild rain. Haruko had to look after her little brother. She didn't remember where her parents were going. She had a feeling in her stomach. Something was going to be terrible. Her brother was sound asleep in his bed. Even back then he could sleep like he was dead. Their parents were tempted to check if he was still breathing.

She looked up when she heard thunder rumbling. Haruko shivered. She thought that she was over that old fear. Apparently, she wasn't. Her father liked to tease her about it.

"Aw, you're supposed to be the older sister," he said as he patted her on the back. Haruko would force herself to smile.

"Leave her alone, dear," her mother said. The parents were only supposed to be gone for a couple of hours. Her father assured her that they would. Haruko was fine when it started raining. She got her chores done for the night. The girl made dinner and got bathed her brother. She dressed him up for bed and tucked him in. Haruko would have the night to herself until her parents got home. She even waited on the couch for them to come.

They never came back.

-Present Day-

Ryuji drew in a breath and ran to catch up with her.

"Come back here!" the boy yelled. Haruko was now in arm's length. Ryuji grabbed her by the shoulder. His sister stopped in her tracks. She was mumbling something to herself.

"Hey. Come on," he said. "I miss them too. But you have to get it together, okay?" She didn't respond.

"Nee-san!" the boy shouted. "Say something. Talk to me!" Haruko turned to him with sad eyes. He pulled her into his arms for a hug.

"Don't leave me," she whispered.

"I won't," he said. The rain poured down around them much heavier now.

"Ryuji-kun!" they heard someone shout behind them. The siblings looked up to see the rest of their party running to catch up with them in the rain. Ryuji held his sister close as they turned to them.

Chapter Seventy-Six: Downpour Memories: