Chapter 13: Rain and Kenn
I’m here now.
Taking shelter on the porch of a closed roadside stall, on a street hardly anyone passes through. The rain is pouring down relentlessly, accompanied by strong winds that force us to stop and wait until the weather gets better.
Yes, us. Me and Kenn.
All of this happened because of that annoying guy. If it weren’t for his so-called hero act, I wouldn’t be stuck in the rain like this. If only Kevan had rejected Kenn’s ridiculous excuse back then, I’d probably be home by now.
Usually, when it rains, Grandpa and I spend time chatting while enjoying cassava snacks Grandma makes. Or eating her fried rice—which, I swear, has no rival.
So what was the excuse Kenn actually came up with?
Casually, he said, “I brought my bike. I think one person is enough. No need to trouble so many people.” He even glanced at me before adding, “You guys can go. I’ll take her home.”
Such a show-off.
The girls who heard it immediately shrieked hysterically. Some even covered their mouths with both hands. Dara was the worst—she jumped around like she’d completely lost her mind.
And that mouth of hers—after a while, I honestly felt like hitting it with my shoe.
Who asked him to go out of his way? Who asked him to give me a ride? Just thinking about it makes me angry.
I let out a long breath. The rain falls even harder. The sound of water pounding against the roof is loud and frightening. The wind is fierce too, as if it’s picking a fight. The trees in front of us sway wildly, making fear suddenly creep into my chest.
I bite my lower lip and hug myself, not even glancing at the guy beside me.
“Here, wear my jacket,” he says, holding it out to me.
I don’t know what’s gotten into him. Suddenly, he’s acting nice.
“I don’t want your jacket. I want to go home,” I reply coldly.
As if lending me his jacket would make my anger disappear just like that.
“Can’t you see how strong the wind is? If you want to get hurt, go ahead on your own. Don’t involve other people.”
Just like that, he’s annoying again.
“Then go by yourself. Anyway, who caused us to get stuck here? Who insisted on giving me a ride?” I argue. “I’d rather be taken home by Kevan than by you.”
He snorts. “You think I want to take a shameless girl like you home? What exactly are you proud of? You’re tiny—like a peanut,” he says, looking me up and down.
That does it.
Without thinking, I kick his shin.
“Ah!” He winces, bending down and clutching his leg.
Serves you right!
“You crazy girl!” he snaps.
“You’re the crazy one! Who told you to take me home?”
“I already said I didn’t do it because of you. Is there something wrong with your hearing?”
“It’s not me—it’s you! I said I didn’t need to be taken home, but you still insisted on this.”
From the start, after the school group left, he had already made it clear that he would stay at the orphanage with me because he couldn’t bear to leave Abel and Reno behind.
It seems Kenn is the type who cares deeply about children. It was only their first meeting, yet Abel and Reno immediately grew close to him. He’s incredibly warm when he’s with kids—completely different from how he is when he’s dealing with me.
Another thing that annoys me is how Abel and Reno spontaneously called Kenn Dad.
Something I absolutely hate.
If I had a choice, I’d much rather have Kevan by my side, so the two of us would be the only ones mistaken for a married couple.
Not Kenn. Definitely not.
“I already promised I’d take you home. So be quiet now,” he says firmly.
“It’s pointless. Your bike can’t save me from this rain,” I shoot back.
He doesn’t respond. He just stares at the rain, arms crossed over his chest.
I pace back and forth, restless. What if Grandpa and Grandma start looking for me? My phone battery is dead. Borrowing Kenn’s phone feels awkward, too.
I hug myself tighter. The cold seeps straight into my bones. I glance left and right, hoping a vehicle might pass by—or someone renting out umbrellas. But the road is empty, silent like a graveyard.
There’s no way I’m reckless enough to fight the rain and wind like this.
“Damn it. Waiting like this, the rain doesn’t seem like it’ll stop anytime soon,” I mutter.
“Why hasn’t the rain eased up yet?” I continue softly. “Doesn’t the rain get tired after falling for almost an hour?”
“Can you shut up?” Kenn snaps. “You’re too noisy.”
I glare at him. “No one asked you to listen to me.”
“Quiet. Your voice is louder than the rain. Annoying and shrill.”
“As if your voice is any better. You sound like a chicken bragging after laying an egg.”
Thunder roars across the sky.
BOOM!
“Still better than you sounding like a possessed monkey,” he fires back.
BOOM!
“You’re the monkey!”
BOOM!
“You’re the monkey’s ancestor!”
A flash of lightning splits the sky, followed by an even louder thunderclap.
“You—”
CRASH!
CRACK! THUD!
My words are cut off as a huge tree collapses right in front of us.
Kenn and I fall silent at the same time, staring at the sight with pale faces.
Terrifying.
The good news is, the heavy rain and strong wind slowly fade into a light drizzle.
The bad news? How is a motorcycle supposed to get through when the road is blocked by a fallen tree?
Damn it.
Several seconds pass in silence. Only the soft sound of drizzle remains, tapping gently on the stall’s roof and the wet leaves. I keep staring at the fallen tree, my heart still not completely calm.
“Are you okay?” Kenn finally asks, his voice lower than before.
I glance at him briefly. “What do you think?” I reply flatly.
He lets out a breath. “At least the tree didn’t fall toward us.”
“Thank goodness,” I murmur. “Otherwise, we’d probably be on the news tomorrow morning.”
He snorts softly. “Your mouth really never stops.”
“You’re the one who’s been annoying me from the start,” I retort.
Kenn walks closer to the edge of the porch, studying the road blocked by the tree trunk. “There’s no way through.”
“So?” I ask. “What’s your plan now, Hero?”
He turns to me, his expression blank. “We wait.”
“Wait for what?”
“Either the rain stops completely, or someone passes by who can help.”
I hug myself again. “Waiting isn’t my specialty.”
“Obviously,” he replies quickly.
I click my tongue. “If you hadn’t forced yourself to take me home, I wouldn’t be stuck here.”
“You’re still talking about that?” he said. “It’s already happened.”
“Because I’m not done being upset.”
In the end, Kenn could only stay silent. And that was better than continuing to make me lose my temper.
...................... .......................