• Part One : Rainy Days with him

It was October 22. It was a sunny day and here I am, sitting on a bench of a very wonderful garden. As bored as I am, I stood up, grabbed my purse and began walking.

While walking, I kept my head low but I was really tempted to look up. But then, I did look up and saw people. A lot of people. They were really happy while me, I am alone as nobody could see me... except for a few people.

I arrived at the cottage and that's where I saw the people that could see me. It was Natsu and Lucy, the happiest couple of our school. As usual I caught them arguing about food and probably money, but I shrugged the thought off. I looked at Happy and he was enjoying his fish. I came towards the three of them. The two stopped arguing and happy looked at me but continued to eat his fish.

"Hey guys." I said as I greeted the two. Natsu got a donut, broke it in half, and gave Lucy the bigger half. I laughed at their childish attitude. It was too cute.

"Hey Juvia." Lucy greeted with that warm smile that is plastered on her face. "Nice to see you here today."

I looked at Natsu who is munching his donut. "Hey, when are ya going back to school. It has been a week, ya know." He said. This topic made me stop smiling because it was a very uncomfortable topic.

"Is something wrong? Are you okay?" Lucy suddenly asked which made me snapped out of my thoughts.

"Oh yes. I'm fine. Thanks for asking." I said as I formed a small smile. I love hanging out with this two. We don't just talk about random stuff but we care for each other as well.

With that, I opened my bag and placed the things in front of them. It was all food. I know that these guys really love eating so whenever I come here, I would usually bring them food like Takoyaki, cream puffs and cakes.

We ate but then, all of us were silent. I watched as the two were happily teasing each other as Lucy was putting food into Natsu's face. I laughed a little. But then, even though they seem to be funny, I can't help but feel a little sad. This feeling is what I always feel whenever I see families or couples being happy together. I don't know if I'm sad or just being lonely but there are also times where I would cry about this.

A few days after that, I came back to the garden again, with the same time but with a different weather which is rainy. But this time, I did not saw Natsu, Lucy, nor Happy. But instead, I saw a guy who is wearing the same uniform of my school. Wait. This guy is in my class. I think his name is Gray Fullbuster.

I went to sit across from him but stopped as he looked at me. Wait... HE CAN SEE ME!?! The last time I checked, it was only Natsu and Lucy who can see me. How is he even able to see me?

"Hey." He said in a cold tone which made me jump back in surprise. I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at him.

"Hey." I replied back, not knowing what to do.

He smiled a bit, took a sip from his can of coffee and began to read something on his phone. As for me, I shrugged the thoughts off and tried to eat the food that I brought. While eating, I couldn't help myself but look at him. He has black, messy hair, huge body frame and strong-looking muscles. I stopped looking when I felt that he was already glaring at me.

"Oi. What are you looking at?" He said as he gave me a very cold gaze. I became slightly intimidated.

"Oh. I was looking at that scenery behind you. It was very beautiful and I couldn't help myself but look at it." I smiled as I felt proud about my excuse.

He had his confused face on. "Oh. You like the scenery of this garden as well? We are the same actually." He commented as he gave me a can of coffee. "Here."

I gladly accepted the coffee. From there, we had a very long conversation about the garden, social life and the weather. But as we talk and talk, I began to feel something towards him. Is this what they call 'admiration' or 'love' ?

He stood up and lend out a hand to help me stand up. I accepted and stood up as well. I blushed since we were like 15 centimeters apart and I couldn't handle this closeness. He smiled and said, "I gotta go. See you tomorrow at class."

With that, my smile faded. Because of my current situation, I can't see him at school so I tried to make the best excuse as possible. "Uh... why don't we meet here during rainy days?"

He plastered a grin on his face and nodded. "Sure. But I hope you get back to school soon." With that, he left.

I watched as he walked from afar. "...If only." I muttered to myself.

● ● ●

As the days go by, we would see each other in the garden. But then, we would only see each other during rainy days so whenever I wake up from my slumber, I would pray that it would rain in order for us to see each other.

During those days, we talked about random things like political issues, school matters and sometimes, we would talk about love as well. It actually surprises me that a guy like him would talk about such things but... oh well, nothing is impossible.

“G-Gray-sama?” I called out to him.

“Oh hey Juvia! You are early today... Nice!” He said which made my heart flutter a bit.

Honestly.... Whenever Gray would say wonderful things or compliment me... My heart would always beat at a faster pace. I dont know why but... I just feel like this. I smiled and returned to reality.

“Well... I thought we could have a nice breakfast on a nice Saturday. Come!” I said as I turned red.

He chuckled and without hesitation, he entered the cottage and sat beside me. I gave him a ham and cheese sandwich. He smiled at what I did... I hope he’ll like it.

He took a bite from that sandwhich. “Well... This is good. You are such a great cook, Juvia.”

I smiled and chuckled at his compliment. “Well... thank you, Gray-sama.”

He became shocked at what I called him. “Gray-sama?”

I turned red when he asked that. But then, he looked at me and he must’ve realized that I was flustered so he quickly changed the topic. “Look at those cherry blossoms. They are falling already.”

I grinned. “Well.. Winter is coming. But... I think my grades would be dropping low like those cherry blossoms...” My voice began to falter.

Gray looked at me straight in the eyes. “Juvia, is there something wrong?” He suddenly asks.

I looked at my feet. I just couldn’t lie to him anymore. “Gray-sama... There is something that I need to tell you.”

He gave a serious look. “Hmm?”

I began to feel upset. It is because if i say this to him, he might not talk to me again. “Well.....”

He slightly smiled. “Just tell me, Juvia. My ears are prepared to listen.”

I bit my lip. “Well... Gray, you are basically talking to no one right now.”

He began to laugh. “What do you mean Juvia? You are right here...”

I looked somewhere else. “Well... Im in a coma, Gray. That’s why I couldn’t go to school.”

From there, he gave me a shocked look. It honestly saddens me that he found out about my current situation. "You aren't serious right?"

I shook my head. After a few minutes, he cried. As shocked as I am, a white tear went to my teardrop necklace. He stopped and saw it. He had his shocked face on.

"Did that tear go into your necklace?" He asked.

I nod. "Yeah. Well... a few weeks ago, someone spoke to me in a dream. He said that I still have a chance to live but I need to collect 3 white tears or also known as genuine tears. You only get this from people who cried for you but has genuine feelings to you."

"Oh I see. Well how many tears do you have?" He asks.

My face became upset again. "Well... as of now, I only have one and the deadline is on the first snowfall."

He smiles slightly. "Dont worry Juvia, I'll help you in finding them."

From there, everything else became fine. We were able to find another tear which came from Lucy. I was honestly lucky that I've told him about this but...

But then, something happened.

One day, while going here to the cottage to see him, I stopped on my tracks. I saw him but he has cuts and bruises on some parts of his body. Face, arms and neck. I rushed to him because some of them were bleeding.

We went to our cottage and I began to clean his wounds. Some of them were really deep cuts. I began to question myself: What happened to him?

I asked him but he told me that he was bullied in class just because he does not come to school and some teachers would consider him as a dropout. But because of his grades, the school cannot let go of him.

Everything was fine until that day happened.

It was really dark. It is as if darkness had spread into the surroundings.

No voice could be heard at all...

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock

This only has one meaning.

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock

I couldn't wake up anymore because that time is already up.

But... I suddenly heard a voice, a familiar voice.

... Anyone, please save me !