Sunshine

Chapter 5

The next day before school Rantaro stood drowsily below the tree by their lunch table. Thankfully it had stopped raining, but everything was still wet, and a drop of water from the tree would fall on his head every now and then.
Rantaro hadn't gotten a lot of sleep the night before. He had stayed up late (he wasn't quiet sure how late, but remembered checking his clock at one point to see that it said 3AM) thinking of Ibuki and belittling himself for it. So needless to say, he was quite tired.
He was zoning out on his phone when he heard splashes and a familiar, perky voice calling his name.
"GOOD MORNING RANTAROOOOO!!!" Ibuki called, running through the puddles up to him.
           "Aah- oh, good morning Ibuki! How did you sleep?" Rantaro said.
          "Great! What about you?" She asked, smiling. Her smile woke Rantaro up, filling him with some much needed joy. She never failed to make him happy. Whether it was her never-ending energy, her bright pink eyes that were always filled with kindness and excitement, her laugh that radiated glee, her cheerful voice, her kind and friendly personality, or a combination of it all, Rantaro wasn't sure. All he knew was that he loved her.
He knew she'd probably get all worried and mad if he told the truth about how much he had slept, so he decided to lie.
"That's good, so did I." He said. He hadn't noticed it before, but Ibuki was still wearing his coat from last night. He blushed slightly. "You like my coat, huh?" He asked.
"Oh-I do, it's comfy. D-do you want it back?" She looked cute in his coat, it was way too big and bulky on her.
          Rantaro smiled. "No, don't worry about it."
          "When do you want it back?"
          "Uh... it's fine, just keep it."
          "But it's your coat!" She said, pouting.
          "Like I said last night, I have plenty of jackets and you never wear anything warm. I want you to keep it."
          "It's not like I'm gonna freeze to death."
          "Just-" Rantaro snickered. "Just keep it."
          "Ok! Thank youu!!" Ibuki chirped, hugging the long thick sleeves close to her chest. "Oh wow- that was adorable!"
          Rantaro caught himself staring (Ibuki didn't seem to care one bit, but it was still embarrassing) and looked down at the ground, awkwardly rocking back and forth on his feet, when suddenly he saw movement in the bush they were standing by. He bent down to take a closer look, and was caught off guard by a small black snake slithering out of it! He knew that type of snake. It was common to find  in Asia and Africa, he had encountered it many times on his journeys, and knew it was harmless.
           He sat down next to it on the damp concrete and picked it up.
          "Ooh, what's tha- EEK! A SNAKEE!! PUT IT DOWN BEFORE IT EATS YOU!!" Yelped Ibuki. Rantaro chuckled.
          "Relax, it's harmless." He said, stroking the top of its head. He patted the ground next to him, indicating for Ibuki to sit. She cautiously knelt down, slightly hiding behind his shoulder.
          "W-what type is it? Are you sure it won't hurt you?" She asked timidly.
          "Yes, I'm sure. It's called a flowerpot snake. It's actually blind, and really common!" He replied happily. He liked having someone to share his knowledge from adventures with. Ibuki nodded and sat down, calmed down from seeing how calm Rantaro was.
          The snake sat sleepily in his hands, squirming occasionally.
          "Shouldn't it be hibernating?" Asked Ibuki.
          "No, snakes don't hibernate. But they do something similar called brumation. This one should probably be going into it soon though, that's why it's so sleepy." He said, still petting it gently. She seemed interested now. She leaned forward over his shoulder and lifted up a hand.
          "Can Ibuki pet it?" He nodded. She rolled back the long brown sleeve of his coat and reached out to pet it. The snake nuzzled against her warm fingers and she giggled.
          "Do you wanna hold it?" Rantaro asked, turning to face her. She looked scared for a moment, but then grinned courageously and held out her hands on her lap. He handed her the small, sleepy snake, which she cupped in her hands like a precious gem, gently stroking its back with her thumb.
          He noticed the snake curl up in her fingers and begin to fall asleep. It looked like it felt very safe. He smiled at the sweet moment, and how good she seemed to be with the snake. "It likes you." He giggled. Ibuki smiled and blushed softly.
          After inspecting and petting the snake for a few more moments, she carefully placed it back in the bush. "Alright, you've gotta go to bed, bye bud.." she said in a soft voice, as if the snake understood and would be woken up if she spoke too loud. "What a sweetheart..."
          She looked back at him and grinned. "So, should we start walking to our classes? The bell should ring soon." She said, checking her phone. Rantaro nodded and helped her up, and they said goodbye and walked off to their classes.