Rin was in a rather desperate situation. She had forgotten to bring her umbrella, and with the weather the way it was—torrential rain, rolling thunder, and fierce winds—it was dangerous to walk outside. Unfortunately, she couldn't remain on school grounds either.
The school had a strict rule: students who weren't in any club activities were not allowed to stay on campus for more than thirty minutes after classes ended.
No one really knew why this rule existed, except perhaps the principal—and if one were to ask her, she would simply say it was for safety reasons, followed by a string of other vague explanations.
Perhaps she could slip into a club and wait until the storm passed. But that idea was impossible. Joining a club meant committing to regular activities, and skipping them without a valid excuse was strictly forbidden. The school also prohibited students from working part-time, so she couldn't use her job as a reason to be absent. Breaking that rule could very well mean expulsion. On the other hand, if she arrived late to her job too often, she risked being fired—and that was something she absolutely couldn't allow. Without that income, she wouldn't be able to keep the household running or care for her ailing older sister.
She had no choice but to face the storm. Thankfully, tomorrow was Sunday, so even if her uniform became drenched, it would have time to dry. Still, she couldn't afford to make such mistakes often—after all, she only owned one set of the school uniform, as another was far beyond her means.
Just as she was about to step forward, her eyes caught sight of a car pulling up in front of the school gate. A student stepped out, holding a black umbrella. His hair was long, white, and silky, the strands swaying gently in the wind. Crimson eyes locked with hers—and as if drawn by some unspoken thread—he began to walk toward her.
Isn't that the super-rich guy I saw in the canteen? What's he doing back here? Why isn't he going home?
With measured caution, she glanced at him as he stopped beside her, raising an eyebrow. A faint smile curved his lips.
"Greetings," he said, as lightning flashed ominously behind him.
"Hello…" Rin replied, though an inexplicable chill crept up her spine. What's with that creepy smile? I'm getting a very bad feeling about him…
"My name is Ezakiel," he introduced himself, his gaze steady as he leaned in slightly, already beginning to weave the threads of his manipulation.
"Ezakiel, eh? Are you the same rich guy I heard about in the rumors today—the one whose family owns a twenty-five trillion dollar empire?" Rin asked.
"Yes, that I am. And what's your name?" Ezakiel replied, leaning back slightly. Internally, he was a little surprised that rumors about him had already spread so quickly; he had expected it to take at least two days. Still, he had to admit—this worked in his favor. It meant he wouldn't have to waste unnecessary effort dealing with fools later on.
"Rin… Rin Hoshinova."
"I see. What a beautiful name," he said, closing his umbrella and casually tossing it onto the ground. Water droplets scattered, some landing near Rin's feet.
"You shouldn't throw your things like that," she said, a hint of disappointment in her tone. She disliked it when people treated their belongings so carelessly, with no thought for what might become of them.
"It's just an umbrella," Ezakiel countered, leaning against the pillar with his arms crossed. Another flash of lightning lit the background, followed by heavier rain. "Speaking of umbrellas… you forgot yours, didn't you?"
Rin nodded. "I didn't check the weather forecast today."
It was a lie—there was no TV in their house; they couldn't afford one. Normally, she would ask her neighbor about the daily forecast, but today she had forgotten. Not that she was going to admit that to the rich guy in front of her—or anyone else. The last thing she wanted was for people to make fun of her financial situation.
"What a coincidence. I forgot to check it as well," he said.
"But… you have your umbrella, don't you?" Rin asked, her gaze flicking to the one carelessly thrown on the ground. "So you're not in the same position. Besides… you also have a car."
"First, the driver brought the umbrella. I forgot mine," Ezakiel replied in a dismissive tone, glancing toward the man.
Following his gaze, she noticed the driver watching them, a grin spreading across his face. Oddly, his expression seemed almost… excited.
"Second," Ezakiel continued, "I can buy thousands of them. It's like peanuts for me."
Typical rich person behavior—drunk on the power of their wealth, Rin thought, giving him a look of disdain. It was a faint expression, deliberately muted; she didn't want him to ask why she was looking at him that way.
Ezakiel, however, wanted exactly that kind of reaction from her, and was pleased to see his plan unfolding step by step. Still, he kept his calm, smiling face.
Rin then said, "I have to go now. I'm going to be late getting home."
"Well, if you don't mind, why don't you let me drop you off?" Ezakiel offered.
"Huh? You want to take me home… why?" Rin asked, suspicion lacing her tone. It was unusual for a boy—especially one she had barely spoken to—to offer such a thing.
"Don't worry, I don't have ulterior motives," he replied smoothly. "I just find it rather unmanly to leave a young and beautiful girl alone in such bad weather."
"A suspicious person with ulterior motives would say the exact same thing you just did," she shot back.
"Now you're just breaking my heart," he said, wearing a look of exaggerated sorrow, as if her words had truly wounded him. "Believe me, I'm a very good person."
"No…" Rin muttered.
Ezakiel sighed, then picked up his umbrella and extended it toward her. "In that case, take this." Before she could refuse, he gently but firmly pressed it into her hand. "I'm going."
He left her standing there, walking toward the car with one hand shielding his face from the strengthening wind. Upon reaching the vehicle, he slid inside, gave her a final smile, waved, and shut the door. The engine rumbled to life, and the car rolled away into the storm.
What a strange guy… though I should thank him for the umbrella on Monday when I see him again.
She let out a quiet sigh and began walking home. As she stepped out of the school building, the soft patter of raindrops against the umbrella echoed faintly around her.