A Hug From A Stranger

Shadowfall, true to it's name, this small town where she lives—though not every day—however, it rains almost all year round.

However, today, the weather is quite sunny, the clouds don't seem to hang in the blue sky at all.

Via should be happy with this sunny weather—and that's for sure—if Vio's favorite car, the Peachy, hadn't decided to break down this morning, when Raina's aunt had left for work and Devia had been picked up by a friend.

Unlucky Perfect!

Finally Vio decided to take the bus.  On the bus she had to jostle with quite a lot of passengers.  Vio clicked impatiently when the bus finally arrived in front of the school gate that read Shadowfall High.

Shadowfall High is an educational institution where Viona studies for a bright future.

Vio glanced at the watch in her hand which bore an abstract pink cow—it was already 07.15—Vio rushed to the gate—she hoped that she would—but it turned out that the school gate had indeed been closed.

With a gasp, Vio bent down and leaned on her knees, catching her breath, which was left one by one.

"Sir, please open the gate!"  Vio said while banging on the gate.

Security at Shadowfall High—whom Vio didn't know his name—peek through a tiny five-inch peephole.

"Yes?"  The guard seemed to raise his eyebrows.

"Sir, I'm late. But can you open the gate?"

"Sorry, i can't. The rule is, anyone who comes late is not allowed in."

"But, sir. I was only late for..." Vio glanced at the watch in her hand, "seven minutes. Only seven minutes, sir. That's not too long."

"Sorry i can not."  The security guard shook his head.

Vio's shoulders slumped down.  She had almost given up—especially when her pitiful expression gave no reaction to the gatekeeper—when suddenly Vio felt someone tap her left shoulder.

"Now it's my turn. Let me try to talk to the gatekeeper."

Vio turned her head but didn't have time to see the face of the owner of the masculine voice, because he hurriedly walked past Vio towards the peephole in front of Vio.

Vio looked at the tall, straight back who wore the same uniform as her.  She felt a little grateful, because as it turned out, she wasn't the only one who was late.  Although Vio herself did not know who the boy was.

Because it seems—if Vio remembers correctly—that boy isn't in the same class as her in any subject.

The boy looks bent over and aligned his head with the five-inch hole.  Like trying to make eye contact with the security.

"We're late. Open the gates!"  Vio heard the boy say to the school gatekeeper.

Vio stared at her fingers while waiting.  "It's useless, friend. You won't succeed. I've been trying to persuade the gatekeeper to open the school gate, but still he doesn't want to open it..."

Immediately, Vio's words were cut off along with the partially opened gate.  Even though it was only a part of it, the gap was enough for both of them to get through.  As soon as Vio passed the gate she could see that the gate was opened by the gatekeeper who had refused to open the gate.

Vio could not believe it.  How come?  Vio looked at the gatekeeper who looked like he was in a daze as he closed the gate behind him again.

"Hey… Hello… You… You over there…"

Vio walked quickly, trying to keep up with the steps of the boy in front of her.

"Hey, you... you over there. Who are you?"  Vio asked the boy in front of her.

The boy was still walking—until the two of them arrived at a corridor that was slightly closed, suddenly the boy in front of her turned around, making Vio suddenly startled when she saw his face.  Vio will never forget that face.

That's Flash!  Hermes or whatever is it.  The boy she bumped into that night.  The boy is now without a bandage on his head.

"Hi," he greeted Vio with a smile.

Vio was just about to smile back when suddenly her back was pushed.

"Sorry hurry," Erga shouted when he hit Vio's shoulder from behind, "My stomach hurts," Erga said as he ran to the toilet.  He held his stomach while running.

As for Vio, Erga's push on his back feels quite strong.  It was certain that Vio's back would hit the wall of the school corridor when an arm stretched out around her shoulder—limiting the wall and her back—so there was no hurt.

Especially the pain that wracked her body.  However, it made Vio realize one thing.  Someone was standing in front of her in an almost hugging position.  Hugging her body.

---

An arm stretched out around her shoulder—limiting the wall and her back so as not to crash—Vio reflexively grabbed the boy's shirt as a grip.  For a few seconds she remained in that position.

"Are you done hugging me?"  A boy's voice said.

What?

As if realizing Vio rushed to release her grip on the boy's shirt.

"Who hugged you too?"  she said. She didn't accept it.

The boy lowered his head slightly, aligning himself with Vio's face.

"Oh, really?"  he asked.

"Of course.  Who else wants to hug you..."

Brakk!

CHUP.

"Sorry, guys ... Sorry toilet B is broken.  My stomach hurts," Erga, who had just hit Vio's body for the second time this morning, shouted while running holding his aching stomach, "I am on the way to toilet C. Please understand."

Erga who caused the unexpected situation did not realize that this second collision on Vio's shoulder had made the two people meet lips.

Vio's eyes widened in shock.

The guy seemed just as surprised.

It took a few seconds to realize what was going on.  The kiss was released, Vio tried to stay away.  She felt awkward.

However, before she could do it, she felt a palm reaching out to hold the back of her neck so she couldn't back down.

The kiss was gone.  However, due to the hand holding the back of the neck at this time, they couldn't move back, their faces were still very close together.

What is this?

The boy looked at her from this close distance.

Vio pushed the chest of the boy in front of her, "Let go," she said.

"What if I don't want to?"

Vio bit her inner lip in annoyance before then unexpectedly she gave a lesson by stomping on the left foot of the boy in front of her hard.

"Ouch.  It hurts."  The boy complained.

But, that's all.  Just to say it hurts.  However, this boy just doesn't move from his place.  The boy's body didn't waver.  His grip on the back of the neck of the Vio just stays in place.

"You..." Vio seemed lost for words. Is he human or Herakles?  Why not waver a bit.

"What?"

"Get your hands off my neck."  Vio ruled.

"I let go, don't i?"  The boy was playing.

"You are ..."

"Then promise me one thing," said the boy suddenly.

"Promise what?"  Vio asked.

"Promise me that you will take responsibility."

"What if I don't want to?"  challenge Vio.

The boy raised the corners of his lips slightly.  "Wow, you're a fast learner of returning my words," he said.  His grip on Vio's neck slowly loosened.

Sensing that, Vio's vigilance decreased.  Just when Vio thought that the grip on her neck would be released, the boy's face suddenly moved forward followed by something warm landed on her cheek.

That's a kiss.

---