RAIN SHELTER
It was Thursday afternoon. Akari walked in the classroom holding a few papers, his tone light but formal. It was not his subject though so everyone was curious to here what he had to say.
"Good afternoon everyone. I have an announcement. The annual School Club Festival is just around the corner. Each class is expected to contribute an event or booth, and most of all one couple from each class will compete in the Couple of the Year challenge."
The class buzzed with excitement. Each trying to think of what they will do. And the couple that will come from their class
Suddenly a student shouted, "Ruan and Lumi should do it!"
"Yeah, they totally stole last month at the show at Lumi's party!" another one echoed.
Ruan raised an eyebrow but didn't protest. Lumi simply nodded with a smirk.
"Is there somebody who disagrees with Ruan and Lumi?" Akari asked after a few minutes of students' buzzes.
Nobody raised a hand to oppose that option.
"Then I guess we already have a couple then." Akari said.
He gave a faint smile, clearly uneasy but couldn't voice it. Then he walked away leaving like he was never there.
***
It was the day before the school club event. Students were decorating booths, painting signs, and arranging props around the school courtyard.
Ruan and Lumi had just finished their couple photoshoot. Lumi, holding a camera , walked off to review the photos with the photographic team.
Ruan was feeling slightly suffocated and wanted to get something air.
"Aren't you gonna review the pictures?" Lumi asked after noticing that Ruan wanted to go away.
He turned with a smirk, "Already missing me?" he teased.
Lumi rolled her eyes uninterested. Her face stern.
"I don't need to review any picture. As long as I'm in the photos, those pics are going to be epic." He bragged.
"Suit yourself then," Lumi said flatly then walked away.
Ruan's smirk faded. He turned and walked out of the photo shoot room.
His phone chimed. It was a text from his four group chat.
"Let's go grab something. Lunch is on me," West texted.
He smiled and texted back. "Will be there in a nick of time."
On the outside, grey clouds had gathered. And suddenly on his way, rain started pouring. Students gathered trying to look for a rain shelter.
Ruan sprinted across the courtyard and ducked into a small storage shed left slightly ajar, barely big enough for one to two people.
"Damn! So allergic to rain," he said trying to neat himself.
Moments later somebody slipped inside the shed too. It was Akari all soaked and breathless. Surprised to find Ruan already there.
No way! Akari thought tiredly.
"Well, well. Look who followed me into hiding." Ruan grinned.
Akari a bit breathless, uttered, "I didn't...I was just looking for shelter."
Ruan smiled teasingly, "Well if you say so."
The space was tight. Their arms accidentally brushed as they tried to adjust. Ruan shifted slightly, his arm pressing against the wall behind Akari. Akari hugged himself, visibly shivering.
"You are freezing," Ruan said to kill the unhandy situation. "Scared of me or the storm?"
Akari avoiding eye contact, he answered, "Neither. You're just...too close."
Just then, Akari sniffled. He started rubbing the bridge of his nose, sneezed softly, then again. His breath started getting uneven, the rubbing causing his nose to get red.
"You okay?" Ruan asked concerned.
Akari gave a slightly nodded before he sneezed again, "It's just a sinus episode. Nothing much to it."
Ruan took off his pullover and, without waiting for permission; he pushed it gently into Akari's hands.
"Then don't stay cold," Ruan said with a low voice.
Akari protested softly, giving it back, "I'm fine...You don't have to..."
Ruan briskly looked away, saying, "Damn, it's so warm in here." Akari was puzzled. Just then Ruan shifted his gaze to Akari, "Throw it away if you don't need it. I won't cry. I'm a big boy."
Akari hesitated. His pulse was racing to Ruan's smile.
Without a word, Ruan helped guide Akari's arms through the sleeves, pulling the pullover down over his shivering body, careful, yet close. Akari couldn't resist for the moment. He stayed still as the fabric slid over his smaller frame, warming him instantly. It smelled faintly of musk and lavender detergent. Ruan's scent.
As the collar settled, Ruan's hands lingered slightly on Akari's shoulders. Akari slowly turned to look up and their eyes meet
For a second, it's quiet except for the rain pattering on the roof. Their eyes locked. It's intense. Electric. Akari could feel himself blush. Not from the sinus, but from something else he couldn't mention.
The moment was quite. The air between them became dense and magnetic. Ruan's dark gaze searched Akari's expression; Akari's breathe caught. Neither speaks.
"Mr. Akari," Ruan called, voice lower now. "Why do you always act like you're not curious?"
"Because Ruan," he said shifting away from the gaze. "...you're always pretending like everything's a joke."
Silent followed, heavy and charged.
Suddenly, outside, they twins' voice echoed faintly.
"RUAN! You hiding in there?" He heard West's voice from distance.
Ruan exhaled and glanced one more time at Akari.
"Don't lose that pullover. It's my favourite," he teased and without waiting for a response, he stepped into the clearing weather, jogged to meet the twins.
Akari stands still, watching him go, fingers gripping the sleeves of the warm fabric. He couldn't explain why his chest feels tight...but it does.
That feeling didn't leave him. That night after taking a shower, he looked down at the pullover that rested on the arm chair. He picked it up.
He touched the fabric absentmindedly, fingers curling into it.
What was that earlier...? That look...that closeness. Why is it always him? Ruan... he thought.
He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to shake it off.
This wasn't supposed to happen. Not again. He had promised himself, after Kian left, tearing through his life with sweet lies and selfish warmth; he would never let this feeling find its way into his heart again.
But now... now it was worse. So much worse.
This wasn't just any guy. It was a student. His student. He pressed a hand over his chest. It ached. Not from guilt or logic. But from that dangerous warmth that spread in his chest whenever Ruan's eyes lingered on him too long.
Stop it. It's just a phase. He's playful with everyone. He'll forget. He's young. And I...I know better.
He lowered his gaze.
***
It was a special day at Crescent High-school. The school was alive with colour, laughter, and music. Booths lined the yard—some hosted games, others food, and a few displayed handmade crafts from the art and home science clubs.
Ruan moved lazily between booths with the twins, sipping on bubble tea. Kev was absent.
"Yo, check this out," Est pointed at a stall displaying handmade stuffed dolls and charms.
Ruan came closer to the dolls. He was not one to be interested in dolls, so he just watched them uninterested. But then...one doll piqued his interest.
The doll looked familiar to somebody he knew. It was dressed in tiny mock teacher clothes, glasses perched on a tiny nose, and its arms crossed grumpily, eerily matching Akari's usual mood.
Ruan smirked. "Whoever made this is either a fan...or a criminal."
Without hesitation, he bought it.
Later in the afternoon, the event moved to the stage. It was time for the annual "Couple of the Year" vote, a playful tradition where students voted for the pair they thought had the strongest presence or chemistry.
The crowd roared when the names "Ruan Koo and Lumi Yue!" were announced. Their photo shoots displayed on the projector.
Ruan blinked. Lumi raised an eyebrow.
"Always awkward," Ruan muttered as they were ushered onstage by the students' council.
"Smile and wave, darling," Lumi whispered through clenched teeth.
Ruan chuckled softly but didn't resist. They stood under the spotlight, handed matching flower crowns and a cheesy fake trophy. The crowd cheered.
Akari watched from the side of the event, arms crossed, trying to pretend he wasn't bothered. But his jaw tightened unconsciously.
As Lumi and Ruan got off the stage after a short speech, Ruan's eyes happened to catch Akari's for a second. Something in Akari's expression struck a chord, like a cracking in a wall. Ruan's usual smirk faltered, but only briefly.
Later in the evening, by the school hallway, Akari was organising a few leftover props in a corner when Ruan showed up, tossing something his way.
Akari caught it reflexively.
It was the doll from earlier.
"What is this?" He asked sharply.
"Hm...You," Ruan grinned. "Mini Mr. Akari. Serious face, judgemental eyes...weirdly cute, though."
Akari gave it a brief look, and then held it out toward Ruan again.
"I don't need it."
"Come on. A student gives you a doll of yourself, don't you feel loved?"
Akari didn't answer.
"Or did I do something wrong sir?" he asked low, blinking his eyes cutely at Akari.
Akari studied Ruan's playful face for a while before he looked away.
"Don't falter yourself, Ruan." He answered dryly.
He placed the doll back in Ruan's hands and walked off. Ruan stared at the doll that Akari gave back. His smile dimmed, just a little. For the first time, he felt a bit sad for being rejected and not anyone but by Akari.
Still standing there, gazing at the doll, a sound interfered in between.
"I have been looking for you everywhere," Lumi interfered.
He fixed his face, put the doll in his pocket then faced her.
"Oh, here is my clingy girlfriend," he said forcing a smile. "I'm sorry I can't go on with this. I feel sick."
"Sick? With what?"
He slowly closed his eyes and opened, "Sick with pretending to be a happy couple with you. I guess," he said.
Lumi's brows arched. She scoffed unbelievably.
"I'll take my leave, if you may," Ruan said seriously.
He walked away loosing his neck tie.
He was feeling a bit uneasy and he wasn't ready to keep up with Lumi's games for the evening. So he headed straight home.