The Rain We Never Knew Today

"You wait there, I'll be right over!" Kikka You shouted from across the street. The moment the pedestrian light turned green, she rushed over.

Just then, Ryuseki suddenly sensed danger and roared at her, "Watch out!"

But it was too late. A silver-white car that had been waiting at the red light suddenly started its engine for some unknown reason and sped forward, sending Kikka You flying as she crossed the zebra crossing.

"Kaede!"

Two balls of cotton candy shot into the air, then fell to the ground one after the other.

Kikka You had been crossing at the pedestrian light, and she had been following the signal. That car had run the red light—and the driver had done it on purpose.

Ryuseki panicked. Without a second thought, he chased after the car that had hit Kikka You, while passersby curiously gathered around to watch.

The car was too fast and quickly left Ryuseki behind. At Ryuseki's speed, he had no chance of catching it. But he remembered the driver's face, because after hitting her, the man had actually glanced out through the car window. That smug expression, that face—Ryuseki would never forget them for the rest of his life, especially that contemptuous smile directed at him as he charged after the car.

Unable to catch the culprit, Ryuseki could only rush back.

"Move! Move!" Ryuseki shoved through the crowd and rushed into the center. After picking up Kikka You from the ground, he shouted anxiously at everyone around him, "What are you staring at? Call an ambulance!"

Ryuseki carefully supported Kikka You. Where she had been lying, there was a pool of blood on the ground. Blood ran from her head all the way down her back. Fear began to grip Ryuseki, and even the arms holding her trembled. He hurriedly pulled out his phone with his other hand to call an ambulance, only to find that it would not turn on at such a critical moment. Furious, he smashed it onto the ground.

There was no reaction from anyone around him. Ryuseki looked at the crowd, but their expressions were unnaturally cold. Not a single person was willing to help him or Kikka You. They seemed to have gathered only to watch as spectators.

Everyone stared blankly at Ryuseki and Kikka You in his arms, without the slightest response, like a pile of wooden figures standing there. There was no sympathy in their eyes—only relief. This infuriating scene made Ryuseki understand just how cold the world could be.

"Everyone, hey! Can someone help? Could you call an ambulance for me? Please, can someone help?" Ryuseki shouted desperately at the people around him. "Hey? What's wrong with all of you? Why is no one helping?"

Ryuseki suppressed the anger building in his heart, but the crowd continued to watch with cold eyes. They looked at one another, then at the helpless Ryuseki and the badly injured Kikka You. Like they were watching a show, as if their eyes were saying how fortunate it was that this tragedy had not happened to them.

"Get lost!" At last, unable to bear it any longer, Ryuseki unleashed one final roar at the cold crowd. Right then, he wanted nothing more than to kill every one of these puppet-like people and get to the hospital immediately.

In an instant, the crowd scattered. No one looked back at them, as though they were leaving after a movie had ended, without the slightest attachment. But that was better for Ryuseki. No one was in his way now.

Taking advantage of the lack of onlookers, Ryuseki immediately picked up Kikka You and ran toward the nearest hospital he could remember.

Not far away, someone's gaze was fixed on the scene.

"Kaede, Kaede! You'll be fine. I'm here. Nothing will happen to you." Ryuseki's voice was trembling. Even though he was terrified, he did not forget to comfort her. If his own life were threatened, he would not even furrow his brow. But what he feared most was losing the people close to him. To him, that was more terrifying than dying himself.

The journey felt unbearably long to Ryuseki, like a road that could never be run to the end. No—it felt as though the road itself kept growing longer, as if heaven were deliberately making things difficult for him.

Looking at Kikka You nestled in his arms, even Ryuseki, who had always been strong, could not stop tears from falling.

"Don't die. You'll be okay. Really. With me by your side, I won't let you die."

Kikka You lay in Ryuseki's arms with her lips tightly closed. She wanted to ask why he had not said such things sooner, but she did not dare speak. She was afraid that the blood filling her mouth would spray out the moment she opened it. She only looked at Ryuseki with gentle, warm eyes, a faint smile on her lips. She did not want him to worry either.

After running wildly all the way, Ryuseki finally reached the hospital.

"Doctor! Doctor! Doctor!" The moment Ryuseki rushed into the hospital, he charged about and shouted like a headless fly.

"What... what happened?" The nurse asked in shock as she looked at the badly injured Kikka You in Ryuseki's arms. She could not believe that this young man had carried the injured person here on foot.

"She was hit by a car! Save her, quickly!" Ryuseki shouted anxiously as tears slowly spilled from his eyes.

At that moment, Kikka You gave the crying Ryuseki a strained smile and tried to reach out to wipe away his tears. A trace of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, and so that Ryuseki would not worry too much, she secretly licked it away.

"Quickly." Several doctors and nurses hurried over and placed Kikka You onto a surgical gurney.

Lying on the gurney, Kikka You gently held Ryuseki's hand, smiling as she handed him the bird hum from her pocket with her other hand.

Ryuseki accepted the bird hum with trembling hands and clenched it tightly. He knew Kikka You did not want him to worry, but how could he not?

The severely injured Kikka You was quickly sent into the emergency room.