Under a Shared Umbrella

Spring had arrived, but the cherry blossoms hadn’t begun to fall and the rainy season was still a ways off. Yet sporadic drizzles were already reporting in like vanguard troops, each vying to be first.

Qin An picked up Qin Chan from kindergarten, and just as he did, the sky changed color, dark clouds gathering rapidly overhead.

“Xiao Chan, we didn’t bring an umbrella today, so we won’t be going to Ryoko’s place.”

“I know! Let’s hurry home, big brother! The latest season of Magical Girl is about to air. Magical Girl Xiao Chan can’t miss a single episode, or else she won’t be a proper magical girl.”

Qin An lifted Qin Chan from his shoulder into his arms, holding her close to his chest. “Xiao Chan, close your eyes and mouth, and bury your head. Don’t move, okay?”

“Whoopee! Big brother express, full speed ahead!”

Qin An crouched slightly, then pushed off hard with his back foot, his body shooting forward like a rocket.

Pitter-patter.

A fine rain began to fall from the sky, but Qin An, moving at high speed, didn’t get a single drop on him. The ground he ran over stayed dry, only getting wet long after he had already passed.

Qin An gently set Qin Chan down inside the doorway. Even he was a bit out of breath from moving at such an extreme speed.

Qin Chan glanced at her Magical Girl watch. Only a minute had passed. She would even make the opening theme of the show.

She lifted her head and gave Qin An a loud kiss on the cheek. “Big brother, you’re amazing!”

Then she couldn’t wait to jump to the floor, kick off her shoes, and sit cross-legged in front of the TV, looking as earnest as a model student.

Qin An opened the fridge and found it completely empty. That drunkard relative of his had finished off all the ingredients and drinks again.

“Xiao Chan, I need to go out for groceries. Stay home. Remember, don’t open the door for anyone, no matter who it is. If something comes up, wake Auntie.”

“Magical Girl Xiao Chan knows! Big brother, go now. Don’t disturb Xiao Chan while she’s learning magic spells.” Qin Chan sat on the sofa, eyes glued to the screen, not even turning her head. She just waved a hand to show she understood.

Qin An put on his shoes and noticed that the only umbrella left in the stand was a big black one. He’d have to buy a new one. Yuqing probably forgot her umbrella again.

Unlike Qin An, Qin Yage wasn’t a member of the “go-straight-home club.” She belonged to the school’s Traditional Music Club and was even a senior member there. After all, she was already in the sixth grade.

“Yage-chan, you play the flute so well! Did you learn before?”

“My big brother taught me a little.”

Tomomi swirled the jade flute in her hand. “Yage-chan, where did you buy that black flute? It’s really pretty!”

“This? My brother bought it for me as a Children’s Day gift when he was in China.”

“Ah, your brother again! Yage-chan, your brother is so good to you.”

Tomomi’s tone was exaggerated, but her expression said she’d expected it.

Qin Yage slid the black flute back into her schoolbag and categorically denied it. “No, my brother isn’t good to me at all. He’s an idiot. He always makes me angry.”

Tomomi and Qin Yage changed into their outdoor shoes by the rack and noticed it was drizzling outside. It wasn’t heavy, but walking home in this would definitely soak them through.

“Yage-chan, didn’t you bring an umbrella?”

“I never bring an umbrella. All we have at home are those hideous black ones. I’m not an old lady; I don’t want to bring that antique to school. People would laugh at me for sure.”

Tomomi bowed to Qin Yage in apology. “Sorry, Yage-chan. My umbrella is very small, and we don’t live in the same direction. I’m really sorry.”

“It’s okay. The rain doesn’t look heavy. Maybe it’ll stop soon. If not, I can just run home in it. It’s pretty close from here.”

Just as Tomomi was about to open her umbrella and leave, they saw a big black umbrella slowly approaching the school gate.

“Big brother!”

Her voice was full of joy. Qin Yage couldn’t wait to dash through the light rain to stand under the shelter of the big umbrella.

Qin An gently wiped the moisture from her hair. Qin Yage closed her eyes, looking like a contented kitten, clearly enjoying the pampering.

Qin An frowned slightly. “So reckless. Couldn’t you wait two more seconds?”

“I don’t want to! Besides, brother, you were too slow.”

Tomomi quietly watched Qin Yage unabashedly acting spoiled with her brother. You never have to bring an umbrella, because someone always comes to pick you up. So unfair. Having a brother like that is so unfair…

“Brother, where are we going? This isn’t the way home.”

“We’re going to the supermarket first. We’re completely out of food at home.”

“Then I want sweet and sour ribs, stir-fried chestnuts…”

Qin An lightly tapped her head, which he imagined was filled entirely with syrup. “You definitely picked out all the lean meat and ate only the meatballs again today, didn’t you?”

Exposed, Qin Yage didn’t blush or flinch. She said calmly, “Brother, you’re the weird one. Who puts vegetables in meatballs?”

“Those were specially made meatballs for you. Otherwise, you’d already be a little chubby pig who never grows tall.” He pinched her soft cheeks, making her face look comical.

“Brother, you’re the pig! And stop pinching my face. I’m not a child anymore.”

Qin Yage broke free from his grip and hooked her arm tightly through his right elbow. Her face turned serious. “Since you insulted your little sister just now, you have to agree to everything I ask for later.”

She ignored his opinion and dragged him straight into the shopping aisles, grabbing everything she liked to eat.

“Hey, that’s about enough, right? We don’t sell meat at our house.” Qin An glanced at the basket in his left hand, which was nearly full and consisted almost entirely of meat.

“Our family needs meat! And I want this too.”

“At least get some vegetables that Xiao Chan likes.”

“No. I’m doing this for Xiao Chan’s own good. She never really liked eating vegetables anyway.”

Qin Yage showed a sweet smile, feeling cleverer by the minute. Was this what it felt like to become an adult?

By the checkout counter was a display of candies and children’s toys. Qin Yage always snagged something when paying.

“Brother, I want this gum.”

She picked up a small, square packet from the counter.

“Uh… Yage, that’s…”

“Young people these days have no shame.”

“How terrible.”

“That boy in uniform is only in middle school.”

“And that girl is even younger. Kids these days are acting way too mature. Buying stuff like that at her age… how scandalous. I wonder whose children they are.”

Whispered, embarrassing comments came from the patrons around the register. Qin Yage finally realized the shape of the item resembled something she had briefly seen in a health class textbook.

She turned her head stiffly. “Um, big brother…”

Sweat beaded on Qin An’s forehead. “Yage, better put it back. If you want gum, let’s buy some normal ones.”

“No, I want this.”

Since they were already being talked about, putting it back now would only make her look incredibly guilty.

“Checkout, please,” Qin Yage announced loudly, trying to stay brave.

“Okay.” The cashier lady giggled behind her hand as she scanned the item.

Qin Yage pouted and kicked Qin An hard in the shin the moment they walked out. “Hmph! And you didn’t stop me, making me buy that embarrassing thing!”

“You picked it up yourself! And don’t you usually eat lollipops?”

She kicked him again, her face burning. “Hmph! I don’t care anymore. It’s all your fault. I’ll never have the face to come to this store again. Everyone definitely remembers us now, especially with that cashier’s creepy smile.”

“Give me that packaging. I’ll throw it away.”

“No! What if you use it for something bad? It’s safer with me. I don’t want my brother going to jail.”

“…”

Was he really that perverted? Qin An asked himself. He’d been perfectly well-behaved for a long time.

“Let’s go home already! Are you waiting for more people to laugh at us?” Qin Yage urged. This was the first time she’d felt so thoroughly embarrassed.

It was still drizzling outside. Qin An went to open the umbrella, but Qin Yage snatched it from his hands.

“You’re carrying the heavy shopping bags, so it’s inconvenient for you to hold the umbrella. Let me.”

She held it up high. They were exactly a head apart in height, so the umbrella covered them both perfectly, as if it were meant to be.

After walking a while, Qin Yage suddenly stopped.

Qin An looked at her. She lifted her left foot. The lace on her white shoe had come untied and was dragging in the dirty rainwater. She didn’t say anything, just looked at him with her big, sparkling eyes.

“Sister, look at those two over there.” A short-haired girl in a red-and-white shrine maiden outfit pointed across the street.

“It’s raining. The girl is holding the umbrella and wearing a skirt, so it’s not convenient for her to bend down and tie her shoelace,” the long-haired shrine maiden analyzed carefully.

“I see. Sister, don’t you think that black umbrella looks familiar?”

“It’s that person from the other night.”

“Sister, should we go ask him now?”

“No need. If it really is him, we’ll meet again soon.” The girl, who looked like a Yamato Nadeshiko, smiled. “Granny is waiting for us to eat. Let’s go back.”

Across the street, Qin An could only smile helplessly. “You really are demanding.”

He crouched down, set the shopping bag on his thigh, picked up her wet shoelace, and tied a neat, perfect bow.

Just as he was about to stand up, a luxury car sped by, splashing up a massive wave of puddle water. Both of them were instantly drenched.

Qin Yage looked at Qin An, who was now covered in wet dirt, and giggled. “Brother, you really are an idiot.”

Maybe her shoelace would come untied again in the future, but she would never forget that someone called “big brother” had tied love directly into her heart.