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Neuvillette never liked socializing. He preferred being alone on many days, whether it's sitting at the front of the class so he wouldn't have the rowdy students blocking his view and focus, or taking quiet walks around the campus.
Many of his classmates found him aloof and intimidating, so they often made rumors of him being a 'handsome but cold-hearted person.' The latter was far from true though, not that Neuvillette bothered correcting them about it.
One of his classmates however, his seatmate in particular, did not let it slide.
"Say that again, I dare you!" A girl. One with bouncy white hair lined with blue strands like his. She was shorter than most of the students in their class, including him, but as the president of the drama club, she was feisty.
Her name was Furina de Fontaine. Like him, she wasn't exactly well-received by their class. She was loud, confident, and was never scared of facing her rivals head-on.
That included the people bullying him.
"Oh? You're defending your boyfriend now? How cute." A classmate with short purple hair laughed in her face. "Your ears are just as bad as your eyes!"
Neuvillette couldn't stand watching her get picked on, especially when she was just sticking up for him. So he stood up, his tall stature towering over them.
"Leave her alone," he warned their classmate. He couldn't exactly remember his real name, but in his head he just nicknamed him 'Hat Guy.'
Hat Guy scoffed and smirked at them. "What are you gonna do? Hit me? You should tell your little bitch here to shut her trap before she gets—"
A punch hits his face, sending his oversized hat flying to the opposite side of the room before he could even get to finish his sentence. Neuvillette glanced down at his right to see Furina rubbing her scraped fist against her uniform. The rest of their class started whispering horrifiedly among themselves, watching the scene with dumbstruck faces.
"I don't care if you call me a bitch in front of everyone, but don't you dare say Neuvillette is a cruel person!" Furina yelled at their injured classmate, who was wincing in pain. Everyone thought she'd end her speech there but then she added, "He is the kindest, most thoughtful person I've ever known! Why can't you understand that not all people want their personal space invaded, huh?! You're just jealous because he actually looks cute and—"
She stopped speaking the moment she blurted out those last few words. In a matter of seconds, the room became quiet. Her cheeks turned red upon realizing what her words might've implied.
"W-Why are you all looking at me like that? The point here is Neuvillette's a really nice person!" She continued to defend herself and Neuvillette, who only watched her reasoning in awe. "If you want to judge him all you want, then that's your loss, but spreading lies about him is too far!"
She walked over to Hat Guy's sprawled body and stomped the sole of her shoe against his back with a finger pointed at his head.
"Apologize to Neuvillette now." Her tone was menacing. If she were as tall as Neuvillette, she'd be receiving the opposite of their classmate's disbelieving scoff.
He didn't want her to be troubled with this any further though, so he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder to calm her down. "There's no need, Furina. I appreciate you defending me nonetheless."
For a second, her pupils widened as if she was a cat who had just been caught stealing a ball of yarn. Then she turned to him and showed off her pride with a flip of her hair.
"Why of course! It's only natural that the class representative ensures that justice is carried out in this room." She bent her foot and pressed further into her classmate's back. "Isn't that right, Wanderer?"
The purple-haired guy scowled at her from the floor. "Screw you, Furina."
That was the day Neuvillette's interest was piqued by his seatmate. Her confident demeanor was unmatched yet deep behind her tear-shaped pupils was a gentleness and softness that he wanted to uncover.
He was determined to pay her back for her kindness someday.
---
Classes have finished and Furina was once again in charge of taking the garbage bags to the incinerator. As a member of the student council, she was also tasked with the routine inspection of garbage bins outside the school building.
She wasn't anyone important there, just a normal officer doing her job. The higher-ups like their council president, Nahida, and their vice-president, Venti, were very nice to her. The same could be said for Zhongli, their treasurer, and Ei, their secretary.
But the other members, who were students from a different class, weren't exactly the nicest to her.
They weren't outright rude or anything but she always felt like she didn't belong with them. Whenever she tried to suggest something or solve an issue, they'd shut down her ideas as a group.
Well, less projects meant less work to deal with. It was probably for the best too since that meant she could allot her time for the Drama Club she made.
Furina checked the time on her phone. It was already four in the afternoon, so her Drama Club meeting was set to start in an hour. A part of her felt nervous since today was the signups for their incoming play's auditions. She and her very small crew had worked hard on the several posters and sign-up sheets that have been plastered across almost every corner of the school.
At the corner of her eye, Furina spotted an older female student chucking an empty plastic bottle into the bin meant for recycled papers. The remaining drops of water formed translucent blue circles across the black and white newsprints.
"E-Excuse me!" Furina called after the girl, who only glared at her upon turning around. "Please use the proper bins when disposing things!"
The girl scoffed in disbelief. "Well what was I supposed to do? It's the only bin that isn't full."
"Yes but the signs clearly say that you shouldn't—"
"Furina, stop."
That voice belonged to one of the senior members from their student council, who gave her a warning look.
Unable to protest, Furina kept silent as her senior suddenly changed expressions and offered an amicable smile to the girl who just dumped her trash in the wrong bin. "Hello! I totally understand your confusion. We'll have the bins collected properly next time."
Furina eyed her senior with crossed arms. "Didn't you hear how she talked to me?"
"It doesn't give you the excuse to be rude back," she retorted, enough to convey that she didn't want Furina causing trouble for her nor for the council.
The girl's rude glare matched the smile that the council member gave her. "Well at least one of you is easier to talk to." Her eyes landed on Furina before they rolled to the side haughtily.
Furina watched with clenched fists as the girl walked off, not even bothering to pick up her bottle from the wrong bin.
Great, now the high school paper drive was ruined.
Her senior sighed exasperatedly behind her. "You should've just shut your mouth instead of making a fuss over something that small."
Furina whipped around in an instant. "Excuse me?"
"Do I have to repeat myself? You're going to keep causing a lot of trouble for the council with your hysterics!"
"I asked her nicely, alright? She was the one who was suddenly rude to me for no apparent reason!" she defended.
"Well maybe if you weren't so overly concerned about every single thing, she wouldn't have been rude to you in the first place!"
"So you're defending her?" Furina tried to fight off the tremble in her voice. "What happened to being a 'family within the school' huh? Wasn't that what you and the rest of the team used to claim?"
Her so-called senior simply stared at her, maybe for a second or two, before she just shrugged and walked away.
Furina stared at the retreating figure with her nails digging into her palms. Small red crescents formed inside her hands out of rage.
She fished out the bottle herself before tossing it into the pile of plastic bottles that were stacked high in its appropriate bin in a frustrated fit.
But the moment the bottle landed on top, everything below it came toppling out of the bin and onto the stony campus ground. A couple of bottles rolled by her feet, spilling its remaining contents onto her shoes and a little on her white socks.
There were around more than a dozen bottles for her to clean up. She cursed herself inwardly for the mess she made, bending down to pick up the bottles one by one.
So much for today...
As she reached out for another bottle to pick up, a familiar hand had already beaten her to it.
Furina didn't realize who it was until the figure had knelt down in front of her, his long white hair covering the right side of his face.
"N-Neuvillette..?!" She nearly dropped the bottles in her arms. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on board duty?"
His eyes met her own. Only then did she realize how beautiful lavender looked on him.
"It only took me a few minutes to clean the whiteboard, so I figured I'd offer my help here," he explained as he dumped the bottles back into the trash bin. "It's a good thing I did."
"Ah well...you didn't have to go this far for that..." Furina trailed off awkwardly. She carried the remaining bottles to the bin and shook it until everything was perfectly settled.
He kept his gaze on the floor for the whole time they cleaned up, but it was that exact reason that made him see the soda stains on Furina's black leather shoes. She followed his gaze and chuckled nervously.
"Oh my, I'm so clumsy! I didn't think they'd—"
"I have an extra rag here that wasn't used earlier," he offered. "Please stand still."
Furina watched in silence as he opened his backpack and grabbed a clean white rag from its inner pocket. He gently dabbed it across her shoes, cleaning up the soda droplets until they were completely gone.
They were lucky that nobody else was lurking around the area. From afar, it definitely looked awkward for Neuvillette to be kneeling down, cleaning her shoes for her. Anyone might think she was probably blackmailing him.
When he was done, Furina had a soft smile on her face. "Thank you...I really appreciate it."
"You're more than welcome." Though he rarely expressed himself, Furina saw the faintest hint of a smile creep upon Neuvillette's lips as he stood up. "I also wish to thank you for standing up for me earlier."
She grinned at him cheekily, her mood now slightly better than it was a few minutes earlier. "Well duh! I couldn't let them spread all those lies about you!"
"If I may ask, what gave you the impression I was exactly as you said?" he couldn't help but ask her. "You could've easily believed them, I'm not exactly the most sociable person out of the bunch."
"All the more reason why they don't have the right to judge you," she said, looking up at him with a pitying expression. "And to answer your question, I've seen you play with the campus cats from time to time."
"You did?" He wasn't expecting that answer at all.
She nodded. "You were so gentle with them, and you seemed happy too. How could I possibly think you're a cold-hearted meanie?"
"...I guess you're correct."
Suddenly, it started to drizzle. The setting sun was now blocked by the gray clouds hovering in the sky above them as the soft drizzle soon turned into a pouring shower of rain.
"Oh it's raining..!"
Furina reached out her fingers to touch the raindrops when she felt a large piece of cloth draped over her head. It smelled faintly of seawater and cologne.
She turned to Neuvillette, whose top was now only covered with his school polo and tie, exposing his bare forearms. He knew what she was going to say, so he said, "You'll catch a cold if you stay under the rain like this."
"But what about you? You could get sick too, you know."
"There's no need to worry, I'm quite used to the rain."
"Don't be ridiculous! Come on, I'm sure your jacket's big enough for the two of us!"
"Not when you're shorter than me."
Furina huffed. "I'm not that short, you know!"
She had to retract her statement when the downward path leading back to the building was flooded with water. For Neuvillette, it would probably reach his lower legs at most, but for Furina, she might have to wade through the flood in her uniform at waist level.
Neuvillette must've sensed her dilemma, because then he cleared his throat and offered, "Would you be alright with me carrying you?"
"'Carrying me?'" she parroted. "Neuvillette, I'm not a child!"
"That wasn't my intention, nor do I see you as one," he immediately corrected her. "It's the only way we can get across without ruining your clothes."
"Ah...well..." Furina's cheeks burned at the thought of Neuvillette carrying her. If anyone saw them, they'd be the talk of the batch! But she couldn't let him stay out in the rain for too long either, so getting inside was the better option for the both of them. "...alright, if you say so."
"Hold on tight."
He lifted her into his arms, carrying her bridal-style. His face was now merely inches away from Furina's, and she couldn't help but feel warm inside despite the cool drops of raining hitting them. If she thought he was handsome from afar, he looked even better up close.
"Is there a problem?" Neuvillette asked her.
Furina nearly let go of him in surprise but his firm grip on her body was enough to save her. "N-No, not at all! I just...um..."
Her eyes landed on the sleeves covering her shoulders, which immediately gave her a brilliant idea.
She shrugged off Neuvillette's jacket from her body and draped it over his head, followed by her own. Now they were both covered by the large fabric, shielding them partially from the rain.
"There! It's better this way, don't you think?" she told him.
If her eyes weren't deceiving her, she swore that his cheeks turned red at her gesture. "Indeed...it is."
So he trudged through the flooded path with Furina in his arms as they shared his jacket. Thank archons the rain was loud enough to drown out the loud pounding of her heart. His body felt so warm that she had to stop herself from hugging him entirely.
The school looked beautiful under the veils of raindrops with no other students in sight. Each drop landed onto the crystal clear water ponds with a satisfying patter, filling the silence with their soothing sound. Furina smiled to herself as she watched the scene before her.
"Do you like the rain, Neuvillette?" she murmured.
He chuckled softly. "Well, you could say I have a preference for it."
"Hmm yeah, you do seem like the type to enjoy the rain." Her eyes noticed the slow pace of Neuvillette's footsteps underneath the water. He sure seemed to be taking his time.
"What about you?" he asked her.
"Me?"
"Do you enjoy the rain?"
She sighed happily as she watched the water create a mini series of ripples by the school gate. "I do."
"Really?"
"Why do you make it sound like I don't..." she teased him. "Of course I do! The rain helps calm me down whenever I—"
—whenever I feel like crying so no one would see my tears under the rain.
Neuvillette looked at her, confused by Furina's sudden silence. She was about to give a different reason until he said, "It's natural to turn to the rain whenever you're feeling down. It's a good source of comfort."
She nodded slightly. "Yeah...it is."
They passed by one of her flyers for her upcoming play. The paper was soaked and its ink smudged, with barely any color left stuck to the faded papyrus.
But despite its current state, Furina could still make out the writings on the signup page next to it, which wasn't as drenched as the poster.
And it almost made her want to cry.
Written in different colored markers weren't names, but rather insults and harsh words, directed not only at her play but at Furina herself.
"Go cancel your stupid play!"
"No one's gonna watch this piece of shit!"
"Furina's always trying to act like a diva, she's more of a clown to me!"
"Just stop trying to act important, Furina!"
"Nobody cares!"
"Nobody gives a fuck about you!"
"Shut down your stupid drama club!"
"Why don't you kill yourself!"
"Furina..."
She wasn't able to read the rest of the comments because Neuvillette turned around and sat her down on a nearby staircase that was covered by the building roof.
She couldn't process what was happening until she felt his fingers on her cheeks, swiping away at something hot.
Ah, she was crying.
Neuvillette was sitting next to her. His eyes were filled with concern that she couldn't help but laugh emptily at how pitiful she seemed. He was too good for her. It made her wonder why people would dare to pick on someone as kind as him.
"Why are you smiling?"
"Hmm?"
"You're clearly upset, so why are you smiling?"
Oh archons, why was he so nice to her? How else was she going to maintain her act now?
"Because..." She couldn't stop smiling. She couldn't stop crying either. "People only care for you when you're smiling, right?"
"..."
He didn't know how to respond. He looked like he was torn between agreeing and disagreeing with her. Nevertheless, she added, "Please don't tell anyone you saw me like this."
That got an answer out of him. "I would never. Humans are vile creatures. This is exactly why I don't associate with them."
"That's true but..."
Her teary eyes met his, and she could no longer keep up her act. Her plastered smile melted into one of a fragile but genuine expression on her face.
"I think humanity's imperfections are simply what makes them perfect." She unconsciously leaned her head against his shoulder, which made him stiffen in his place briefly. "If everyone was perfect all the time, we'd never have the chance to confide and build bonds with the people that matter."
"People that matter..?"
"You know, like right now." She closed her eyes, letting herself listen to the peaceful fall of rain as her tears fell. "I wouldn't be able to confide in you like this if people with those imperfections didn't bully me like this. And if I was truly perfect...I wouldn't even feel sad anymore."
She heard Neuvillette sigh from beside her. "In that case, don't you wish to stop acting perfectly?" he asked her. "Don't you get tired of acting all the time?"
"Well would you prefer me like this? A sad mess of a person who's hated by everyone?"
"I do." He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "More than you think."
She opened her eyes to look at him to see if he meant that. "Neuvillette..."
"You're free to cry in front of me all you want. I won't judge."
"Isn't that what you want to be when you grow up?"
He chuckled, glad to see her sense of humor is still present. "That doesn't necessarily mean I have to judge you."
"Then will you someday judge and sentence the ones bullying me?" she said jokingly.
"Given some of them were actual threats, I most definitely will," he answered, making her laugh.
"Hey! It was nothing more than a mere jest!"
"You should know by now I'm willing to protect you from them the same way you did for me, Furina," he said, looking her straight in the eye. "You don't deserve to be treated this way."
"Neither do you..."
The afternoon sun was starting to peek through the clouds once again, calming the heavy rains. But neither of them moved from their spot, even when they were equally soaked from head to toe. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to confide in someone after all.
Neuvillette was the first to check the time on his watch. It was a quarter to five, only fifteen minutes before the said hour.
"Don't you have to screen the auditions soon?" he asked her. "Your poster said your auditions start at five, right?"
Furina glanced warily at the vandalized signup sheet then back at him.
"Maybe I'll pass for today," she said as she stood up and reached out her hand to him. "Wanna grab some snacks with me? I feel like going to a cafe today."
Neuvillette was surprised by her sudden offer but was pleased nonetheless as he stood up and took her hand.
"That's fine by me."