It was raining again. This is what they called the rainy season. Selina sighed as she closed her window shut. Listening to the pounding of the rain against the walls of the house made her feel a sort of calmness. Having two parents and being the only child felt as if nothing could be better. Selina stretched her arms out then closed the book she was reading. She got out of her desk and turned the lights off and climbed into her warm bed.

A cozy pink room all to herself. Pictures hung on the wall, a designed clock over her dresser, her stuffed animals sitting on shelves, and a music box sat on the night table next to her bed. Her room was so relaxing.

It was a cool early morning before Selina rushed down the stairs.

“You’re finally up. Have some breakfast, hun,” Mrs. Ren said while pouring orange juice into a cup for her husband.

“Running late again,” Mr. Ren said looking through the newspaper articles.

“Gotta go, bye!” Selina shouted as she shoved a warm toast into .

Selina rounded the corner of the next street and stopped to check her watch.

“Oh! I’ll be late!” Selina moaned anxiously with her legs running impatiently in place. “I’ll take the shortcut.”

Turning around Selina made her way through an alley. Her hometown was small, so everything was always deemed safe. Selina had no fear of anything. She turned here and there and there. As Selina ran pass the abandoned workshop no one went near she came to a slight pause. Blinking a few times she slowly turned to see a man lying on the ground in a small puddle of blood. Being the curious person she was, Selina slowly neared the man.

“Are…are you ok?” Selina asked squatting down to take a closer look.

Seeing that he was still breathing Selina inched forward.

All of a sudden his eyes perked open and he shot up. “Help me! Please!”

Selina let out a loud shriek getting back up to her feet. Breathing hard she made a run for it, but stopped before the alley. Gulping Selina couldn’t help, but turn around to look at him once more.

Their loud running footsteps rushed through the hall.

“Oh my God, Selina! What happened?” Mr. Ren questioned as he grabbed his daughter by the shoulders in the hospital hallway.

“You’re not hurt are you?” Mrs. Ren asked. “We were so worried when we received your call!”

“Nothing’s wrong mom,” Selina assured.

Before she could go on the doctor walked out.

“Whoever attacked him did a pretty good job,” the doctor commented, “he received a few blows to the head. Right now he’s suffering from what I’d call short term amnesia. In a few days time you can take him out of here.”

Selina’s parents turned to look at her and she quickly turned to run after the doctor.

“W…wait! Please wait!” Selina called. When the doctor turned around Selina spoke, “But…I’m not related to him. I don’t even know him…”

“Miss, I’m sorry, but I’m really busy. You’ll have to figure that out on your own,” the doctor slid away from her grasp. “This is a pretty small hospital and we get a lot of injured patients. I hope you understand.”

Selina stared at his back unbelievably.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know it’d be like this,” Selina apologized from the back of the car.

After explaining to her parents about how she had found him they calmed back down. They were their usual selves. Great, nice, understanding and outgoing. Just like how Selina was.

‘I know through other people’s eyes we might seem like a too good to be true family, but this is how we were…we were always like this…not changing’

Selina laid in bed a few days later. Her eyes wide awake as if searching the darkness for something. Earlier, her dad had announced that he’d made the decision to take the boy in. Was she supposed to feel anxious or depressed? There would be someone else in the family…not that he was family. It might be strange with another presence around. Selina was always used to silence.

She was always the only child.

After school Selina had gone with her parents to the hospital. As expected she felt awkward toward him. Selina had tried to create a conversation which hadn’t lasted for even a second because she had never gotten any replies from him.

“Make yourself at home. We bought some clothes for you that we’ve put in your room. I hope they fit,” Mr. Ren explained. “Selina, why don’t you take him up?”

Selina glanced back at her dad and nodded. When she turned to look at him again she knew she wouldn’t forget his expressionless face. His long wavy hair made feel insecure. The boys that surrounded her always had their hair neatly trimmed and cut short. He was...different. Turning away she headed up the stairs and to her surprise he followed. Pushing the door open Selina walked halfway in while he stepped inside to observe everything.

“This is it?” he finally spoke sounding as if he had expected much more.

Feeling half shocked Selina looked at him confused.

“You spoke,” Selina stated.

He stared at her with a “are you stupid?” look.

“Get out,” he ordered.

Selina turned and closed the door behind her. As she headed back down the stairs her parents were beginning to prepare dinner. Like always she pitched in and they made dinner together.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Jiro laid back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. He needed to get away, be away. He found it amusing how the doctor believed him to be having what he called“short term amnesia”. He chuckled to himself and decided to take a little nap.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Putting the last plate on the table Selina clapped her hands together and looked down at the table smiling.

“Selina, why don’t you go invite him down for dinner?” Mr. Ren suggested.

“Come to think of it we don’t know his name at all.” Mrs. Ren pointed out.

Selina nodded and headed up the stairs. Pausing she knocked on the door. When she received no response she tried again and again and again.

“Dinner’s ready. Come down and eat.” she said. Selina repeated herself twice and sighed before heading down the stairs.

“Is he coming?” Mrs. Ren asked taking off her apron and hooking it in the closet then took her seat.

“He didn’t respond,” she replied taking her seat. “Should we wait for him?”

“Go ahead and eat. He might not be feeling well enough to join us,” Mr. Ren decided.

With that everyone dug into their food and a few minutes later he made his way down the stairs ruffling his hair.

“Are you feeling alright?” Mr. Ren asked with concern.

Without answering he sat down and ate. Selina watched him and returned to enjoying herself. Everything seemed fine though she had no honest impression of him. When Selina had taken a shower and changed into her PJ she sat down to read. In the middle of a paragraph the door opened.

“Hey dinner wasn’t that good so tomorrow I hope there’s something different,” he said freely.

“Well there’s a lot of good tasting food I’m sure you’ll like some if you try them,” Selina said patiently.

He rolled his eyes, “Hey, is there a drug store nearby?”

“Dad already talked with the principal about you coming to school. I think you better sleep early,” Selina told.

As the door closed she returned to her book.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Jiro dragged his feet after Selina. He had never liked to wake up early and he had never walked to school. In his life he had quit school after his freshman year of high school.

He paused outside the classroom door. From inside he could hear all the other students give Selina their morning greetings. He also heard Selina speaking to the teacher about him. Soon everything quieted and Jiro guessed it meant it was his time to walk in.

He would have chosen not to come, but he decided that just to be respectful he should go along with what Mr. Ren had already arranged for him. Besides, it wouldn’t be long until he would leave and go back.

“Hi,” Jiro beamed at the class though he felt unsure about what he was doing.

He could feel Selina watch him coolly as she sat down in her desk.

Jiro turned to the teacher who stared back at him with a smile. Jiro gave a quiet sigh and introduced himself to the class. After the classroom applauded and hearing some girls praise his handsomeness the teacher looked around the classroom.

“I guess you aren’t very familiar with things around here so I’ll have you sit next to Selina. If you have any questions you can ask her. I’m pretty sure that you’ll be more comfortable with her than the other students,” Mr. Liu instructed, “Mei you go sit with Lian in the back.”

As the girl sitting next to Selina obediently left her desk Jiro sat down and leaned forward. Every subject taught bored him and he could feel himself falling asleep. Every time his head nodded forward the teacher would suddenly raise his voice very loudly. Jiro turned to watch Selina. She was scribbling stuff into her notebook furiously as if she was being timed to do so. He moved his eyes to watch her intensely concentrated face. It was the first time he’d seen anyone take schoolwork so seriously. During lunch Selina left her desk and didn’t return until the bell rang. After class Selina also disappeared. As Jiro sat in his desk bored to death he heard the other students gossip amongst themselves.

“I envy her so much. She’s like a perfect person written out of a book.”

“Give it up.”

“I mean it.”

“Yea it’s true.”

“She never asks for help, but still does everything right. I want to be like her.”

“She’s got the looks, personality, the brains, and the money! I’d be so lucky if I could be Selina’s sister.”

Jiro raised his head up.

“So Selina’s this kind of person,” he thought to himself. “I guess it’s true.”

Tired of waiting for Selina to return he grabbed her bag and walked out of the room. He walked through the hallways he thought would lead him out of the school, but he only found himself going towards the empty gym. He sighed and turned back around going a different direction. Finally he walked pass a large art room with someone sitting inside staring out of the large window. Jiro paused and glanced inside finding himself familiar with Selina’s figure. Jiro opened the door and silently walked in and realized Selina was sitting on the counter seeming lost in thought.

“You’ve been here an hour and a half,” Jiro said glancing at his watch. “What’s so interesting that you’ve been in here for so long?”

Selina didn’t seem surprised as his entrance. Selina remained silent for a while more and turned around getting off the counter.

“Sorry,” Selina apologized and stared at Jiro’s grip around her bag.

“Here,” he shoved it toward her, “I’m tired of lugging it around with me.”

“Thanks,” Selina said taking it from him and headed out.

Jiro followed her and they stopped at the entrance. Jiro moaned when he found that it was drizzling out.

“It’s all your fault. You stay in school for so long and now it’s raining. How are we supposed to get home?” questioned Jiro in an angry annoyed tone.

However Selina remained calmed, “We call it the rainy season.”

Jiro turned to her confused.

“It’s what comes after winter and before spring. It usually rains a lot here,” Selina explained, “so we call it the rainy season.”

“Right,” Jiro said sarcastically, “but what I mean is how are you going to get back to your house?”

“I’m fine with walking in the rain,” Selina told.

Jiro gaped at her.

“I’ll bring an umbrella back for you,” Selina suggested and began to step out into the rain.

Jiro stared at her lone back finding something amiss about her. He glanced around and sighed impatiently then found himself rushing after her.

“You’ll get sick if you walk so slow,” Jiro said then extended his hand out to her.

Selina stared at his hand for a long time, “Maybe you’ll get sick, but I won’t. Run ahead if you like.”

Jiro sighed and looked up at the sky and made a run. Selina stared at his back.

‘I like the rain. Because when you’re standing with the rain running down your face, no one notices the tears coming down. It wasn’t that I was crying that time…instead that time it was raining inside of me. No one would notice the way I feel.’