Renji (Narration)
Morning hit again.
Sweep, sweep, sweep I cleaned up my crib like usual.
Ate a slice of dry bread, brushed my teeth, threw on my uniform, and dipped out solo.
Kids on the street were chattin' about what they did yesterday.
Me? I tried to remember mine… but my brain said "nah, bro."
Some memories ain't safe to open.
Held my bag tight, head down, and passed through the school gate.
Class was dead quiet two hours of straight lecture torture.
When lunch finally hit, I dipped out to the mystery club.
Wasn't alone.
Nami and Cairo were already there, waitin' like they had somethin' to say.
Cairo
(grinning)
"After all that ghost mess we been through, ain't nobody eatin' alone again, fam."
I stared at him. Didn't even reply. Just smirked.
Nami
"Facts. We stick together from now on.
If some spirit junk drags us into another ghost world, we'll be ready."
I nodded. Quiet. That's all I needed to say.
Unzipped my bag, pulled out my lunch and then BAM!
That damn black cat, Kiki, jumped outta my bag like a demon bullet.
We all jumped.
Almost screamed.
Then we realized who it was.
Cairo
"Yo KIKI! Bro, you can't be doin' that!"
We laughed it off. Ate. Talked a bit.
By the time school ended, everyone left.
I was the only one still hangin' around.
The rain started again.
Dropped my bag in the locker, didn't even see that cat anymore.
He vanished the same way he came like smoke.
So I ran out, straight into the rain, shoes splashin'.
Didn't look back.
Got to the corner where students usually wait for the bus.
The rain was hittin' everything except me.
I bent down to fix my shoe… then froze.
Next to me stood this woman tall, long black hair coverin' her face, white gown stickin' to her body.
She was pregnant.
Holdin' a bag of groceries.
Something about her… didn't sit right.
Still, I stretched my hand out.
"Uh… ma'am, you need help with that?"
She paused. Didn't answer for a sec.
Then nodded slowly, lettin' me grab the bags.
We walked together.
Rain stopped like it was scared of her.
After a minute, she glanced at me.
"Kid… why you helpin' me?"
I shrugged.
"No reason. Just tryna do somethin' good today."
She smiled faintly. "Eli. That's my name."
"Renji," I said. "Nice to meet you."
We walked more. She talked. Said she moved here alone after her husband bailed left her and the baby.
Said the gossip in her old town was killin' her, so she came here to start fresh.
I just listened.
Told her my folks basically dumped me here 'cause I talk too much about ghosts and freaky stuff.
We laughed a little at that.
Before I left, I cleaned up her place, cooked some noodles, just helped around.
Didn't even know why.
Felt right, that's all.
When I got up to leave, she said,
"Thank you, Renji."
I bowed my head a bit.
"Tch, don't worry about it. I'll swing by tomorrow."
Walked home in the dark, soaked but weirdly happy.
Felt… light.
Got home, dropped my uniform, crashed hard.
Next Morning
Same routine.
Sweep, brush, shower, bread, go.
But this time, the rain hit hard.
Good thing I brought my umbrella.
Couldn't focus at school. My head was stuck on Eli the pregnant lady.
Lunch came and went. Didn't even hit the clubroom.
Bell rang, school ended, and I went straight back to her house.
Meanwhile… Nami & Cairo
Nami: "He didn't show up yesterday. Or today."
Cairo: "Yo, you think somethin' happened?"
Nami: "If it did, we'd know. We got that weird connection, remember? Like… ghost thread or somethin'."
Still, they got worried. Walked to my place.
Got lost a few times, but finally made it.
Knocked. Waited. No answer.
Cairo: "Empty."
Nami: "Maybe he's fine… maybe."
They turned to leave
but then meow
That sound froze 'em.
Kiki.
The black cat sat right there in the rain, tail swingin'.
Eyes like blue fire.
Cairo
"Yo, nah… not again."
But the cat meowed again, low and sharp, like it was sayin' Follow me.
So they did.
They followed the cat through the narrow streets.
Turned a corner.
Then they saw us me and Eli walking side by side.
She was laughin', talkin' to me, hand on her belly.
And I was smilin' back like nothing was wrong.