Chapter 14: Rainfall and Revelation
The morning sun peeked shyly through the clouds, casting a soft glow over the small village. Birds chirped with a gentle melody, and the cool breeze danced between the tree branches, carrying with it the scent of dew and fresh leaves. Inside the modest wooden guesthouse provided by the village, the nameless boy and Lina stirred awake.
The bathhouse, tucked behind the elder's home and surrounded by flowering shrubs and smooth, mossy stones, filled with steam and warmth. A quiet tranquility settled over it. The boy leaned back against the smooth stone edge, eyes closed, arms sprawled. He let the heat soak into his aching muscles, the tension in his body melting away.
Not far from him, in the women's section of the bathhouse divided by high wooden panels, Lina sighed deeply as she submerged herself in the hot water. Her twin braids were undone, floating on the water like dark ribbons. Her body, bruised from battles and training, finally relaxed. She hadn't realized how heavy she'd been feeling until the warmth made her shoulders sink into the water. She thought about the past days—the battles, the bond with the boy, and the strange sensation of trying to be... normal.
After a long soak, she dried off and dressed in a clean brown blouse and knee-length dark green skirt, her boots newly polished. Her hair was tied back into a single low ponytail.
Just as she stepped out into the open, a familiar voice called to her.
"Lina!"
Cilia, the village head's daughter, bounded toward her in a cream-colored dress decorated with floral stitching. Her cheerful smile brightened the already sunlit morning.
Lina's eyes widened. "U-uh, I… I have to… check something!" she blurted, darting the opposite direction.
Cilia blinked, confused, but quickly gave chase. "Wait! Lina!"
Thus began a comedic game of cat and mouse that lasted hours. Every time Cilia approached—whether in the village square, the baker's stall, or near the fountain—Lina would spot her and vanish behind crates, dip into alleyways, or dramatically leap over fences. Cilia tried again and again, persistent yet visibly puzzled.
By late afternoon, Cilia gave up the chase and walked away, sighing. Lina, hiding behind a fruit stand, peeked out and slumped with relief. "Phew… safe."
But safety was an illusion.
As Lina walked around the back of the village stables, a hand gently tapped her shoulder.
"Gotcha," Cilia said, eyes narrowed playfully.
Lina jumped with a yelp, spinning around. "H-Hey! I wasn't avoiding you!"
Cilia folded her arms. "Then what were you doing?"
"I-I was just… busy!" Lina blurted. Even she knew how unbelievable that sounded. She laughed nervously, looking everywhere but at Cilia. "B-but if you want, we can hang out now."
Cilia smiled knowingly. "Sure."
The two began their impromptu outing through the village. They visited the market square, where locals sold spices and handmade trinkets. Cilia dragged Lina to a food stall where they shared a piping hot meat bun, juice dribbling down their chins. They played catch with the local children in the fields, their laughter echoing with the kids' giggles.
But Cilia could feel it.
Lina wasn't laughing with her eyes. Her smiles were stiff, her reactions delayed. She nodded often, but didn't initiate. Cilia, still holding onto her optimism, tried harder—telling jokes, showing her favorite spots, even pulling Lina into a rhythm game played with wooden paddles.
Still… something was missing.
As they walked back during sunset, golden light casting their shadows long across the dirt path, Lina chattered idly about a bird they'd seen. But she stopped when she realized Cilia was no longer beside her.
She turned. Cilia stood still, facing the ground. Her shoulders trembled slightly.
"Cilia?"
"I'm sorry," Cilia said softly.
Lina blinked. "For what?"
"For forcing myself on you. I know you didn't enjoy today. You were just being polite." Her voice was thick with emotion. "I've been told before. That I'm boring. Annoying. That no one wants to be around me."
She looked up.
Her smile was broken, like glass shattered but still trying to reflect light. "I thought maybe… maybe someone outside this village could be different. But I guess… I'm still the same. Still not enough."
She turned and ran.
But she didn't get far.
A hand caught her wrist.
Cilia gasped and turned. Lina stood behind her, looking uncertain but firm.
"You weren't a bother," Lina said. Her voice trembled slightly. "Actually… this was fun."
Tears welled in Cilia's eyes.
"But you avoided me all day… I thought…"
Lina looked away, cheeks flushed. "You're the first friend I've ever had. I didn't know how to act. When I get emotional, I run. It's… a bad habit. But I never hated you."
Cilia couldn't stop the tears now.
"But what if I'm boring?"
"That can never happen."
"I don't know anything popular."
Lina shrugged. "Why should that matter?"
"I say stupid things sometimes!"
"What a surprise," Lina grinned, "I love stupid things."
"I'm not cool like you…"
"That's exactly why I'm friends with you," Lina said. "I don't want another me. I want you."
Cilia's composure shattered.
She fell forward, tears streaming freely as Lina caught her in a warm embrace. The two girls stood there, alone on the path, in a cocoon of emotion.
Then—
Thunder rolled.
Raindrops began to fall, slowly at first, then all at once. The sky opened up with a torrential downpour. The world blurred around them, colors bleeding in the silver curtain of rain.
But Lina didn't move.
She held Cilia close, ignoring the cold, ignoring the wet. Cilia buried her face into Lina's shoulder, sobbing harder. Her voice came out broken between gulps of air.
"Thank you… thank you…"
Lina tightened her hold, resting her chin on Cilia's head.
"It's okay. Let it out."
The rain poured harder.
But in that storm, two souls stood unshaken. A fragile bond forged under the weight of doubt and the warmth of understanding. In that moment, Cilia didn't feel alone anymore.
And for the first time in her life, neither did Lina.