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[color=silver]It'd rained last night.

It hadn't been a light drizzle either, nor the kind of short downpour that was so common on summer evenings — it [i]was [/i]a few months too early for that, anyway. There'd been no thunder or lightning as was normal for an evening shower either, just... rain. [i]Endless damn sheets[/i] of it.

Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if Ryuu could've just holed himself up inside the house, played a game or two and raided Grandma's tea-cabinet for something warm. But no, the moment he'd realized how intense the rain would get, he'd been out the door and busy until early hours of the morning. The garden setup wasn't made to withstand a downpour like that, and Marumochi and Dangoshiri were scared shitless of the rain, so it wasn't like he could just leave them to their own devices for an entire night. Trouble was, finding the two dumbass cats in the middle of the night when they were trying to hide away in fear had been a little difficult. Getting them to trust him enough to carry them out of their steadily flooding hidey-holes even more so. And then, and [i]then—[/i]

When Ryuu'd finally gotten back home, the horizon already alight with the promise of a soon-rising sun, he'd been soaked to the bone, and apparently coughing and sloshing so loudly in his shoes that he'd woken one of his neighbours, who'd nearly called the police on him for sneaking around at night (again). And [i]yet[/i], as he'd finally shed himself of his soaked clothes and collapsed into a bath, he couldn't have been happier, knowing the damn cats were alright now. Fed, sheltered, and dumb, as they should be. Man, what a life that must've been...

He nearly fell asleep in the tub, only startling awake when he inhaled a noseful of water.

It was morning now, and his good mood was all but gone.

Ryuu was stomping around with all the grace of a monkey scorned, cursing to himself as he stuck his face in every bush and trashcan he happened upon, looked around with ever increasing desperation, and moved on. Shit. Shit, [i]shit,[/i] he knew he shouldn't have taken his cellphone with him last night! He swore, from now on he'd invest in one of those old-timey flashlights if he needed light during his nightly escapades. They were more difficult to lose, and much easier — and cheaper — to replace. Cause honestly? Even if he hadn't [i]lost [/i]his damn phone, the rain might've done irreparable damage to it anyway, and he really didn't have the funds to get a new one anytime soon. He was still trying to get used to taking care of Grandma's house, her chores, garden, the cats, and— [i]well[/i], just figuring out what was what this side of the island. He hadn't been back here since he was a wee little shit. A time he'd... honestly rather not remember.

Ryuu stopped, dead in his tracks, straight in the middle of the road. ... Huh. Wait, [i]what was [/i]he doing ag—

A loud honk from behind startled the wits out of him. He stumbled aside as a motorcycle sped past him, way too close for comfort. [color=807B84][i]"The damn youth nowadays!"[/i][/color] the man riding it shouted as he passed, not even bothering to glance back at him. [color=807B84][i]"Get back to school, stop standing on the road!"[/i][/color]

[color=#b7353a]"Huh?! You wanna fight, old man?! I'm—"[/color] Ryuu began, taking a reflexive step after the vehicle, when the old man's words properly settled in his brain. ... School? Wasn't it spring break? [i]Huh?[/i] Was the guy senile enough not to know that? Or... 

[i]... Or—?![/i]

Ryuu felt around his pockets with the fury of a hungry tanuki, trying to find his phone to check the date, only to remember with [i]painful [/i]clarity that his phone was still very much [i]gone[/i]. Just like spring break, apparently?! Panic struck him open-palmed, leaving his cheeks ablaze.

With his mind reeling to try and make sense out of the situation, the vague image of Grandma's cat calendar sprung to mind. He remembered it hanging on the kitchen wall, the three large circles drawn around April 1st,[i] a very important date, [/i]as she'd reminded him time and time again. The date school started, the date he was supposed to finally re-attempt the first year of high school despite being [i]seven-damn-teen[/i]. The date he was supposed to restart his life and do [i]better [/i]and he'd just— he'd[i] forgotten,[/i] amidst all the busywork. Grandma would be [i]so [/i] damn disappointed! No, scratch that; [i]heartbroken[/i]. 

... Could he still make it? His school uniform was back home, and so was his bag, books and everything else, but he was a long way from home and a round-trip would cost him even more precious time. He had his wallet for bus money. He had... had some clothes, on [i](of course?!)[/i] and he had... himself? Shouldn't-- could that just be enough for today? For him to at least [i]show up? [/i]That [i]had [/i]to be better than just being a no-show right?! [i]Right?![/i]

Before he'd realized it, Ryuu had kicked himself into a run, fumbling to unfurl a bus timetable from his wallet. Would it be faster to run? The school was super far away, right? But he [i]was [/i]a pretty damn fast runner. And he [i]was [/i]already running, so technically, all he had to do was [i]keep going, [/i]right?! That was, if he was going in the right direction.

...

[i]He had no idea if he was going in the right direction![/i]

But that didn't mean he stopped running.[/color]