It seemed unfair to wake up to gloomy skies and pouring rain but that was the way the cookie crumbled the morning of Nagihiko's birthday. In hindsight, it should have been a warning to him, a glimpse on how his day would be, but he was too distracted thinking over other things. It didn't help much that he had woken up late to find his hair unmanageable due to humidity. Or how it was a school day and he had several tests that day. Or the fact that the girl of his dreams was ignoring him and acting more tsundere than usual. As he straightened his school tie and looked in the mirror, he sighed. He was a year older, but he didn't feel any different. Turning quickly, he grabbed his school bag and ran out the door.

In the kitchen, Baaya the housekeeper and Nagihiko's mom were discussing new décor for the dancing studio. Fujisaki-san wanted more katanas and spears in the room, Baaya thought that a mini tree would look nice and that spears would mess up the room's feng shui. They were so into their discussion that they barely noticed Nagihiko's departure, barely managing to wave goodbye before the door closed behind him.

Taking out his umbrella, he ran almost the whole way to school, splashing his uniform the whole way. As he settled into his seat for first period, he noticed one of his notebooks was soaked through. Perfect.

Someone tapped his shoulder, and he turned around to see Tadase sitting behind him. "Umm, Fujisaki-san," he began, and Nagihiko smiled graciously, ready to receive his congratulations-

"Your hair is dripping onto the floor."

"Oh," Nagi flushed and gathered his hair over his shoulder. Hearing a small giggle to his right, he turned just in time to see Rima covering her smile with her hand. The moment she saw him, she scowled and turned the other way. He sighed again.

At lunch he found out that Amu had a fever and had to stay home. Yaya spent lunch dominating the conversation, talking about how she wanted to go to the new amusment park that had opened up nearby. Most of her speech was directed at Kairi. Kukai was practicing soccer inside because it was raining outside, but got caught by a teacher and was dragged off. Tadase was gloomy and despondent without Amu there, and Rima was her cold, silent self. When the bell signaled the end of lunch, Nagihiko breathed a sigh of relief.

The tests went ok, but they were long and hard. It was the last period of the day when he noticed that Rima seemed extremely frustrated finishing the math test. Looking out of the corner of his eye, he saw that she was doodling something on her paper- was it a clown? He leaned a little closer to see.

"Copying during a test, Fujisaki?" The math teacher cried out. Nagi groaned and turned crimson. There goes my perfect record, he thought as the teacher began a lecture on cheating and the consequences he would later face, humiliating Nagihiko in front of everyone and making him stay after school.

"Cheating is unacceptable," the teacher shook his head, "and I'm finding it hard to believe that someone like you, Fujisaki, would do such a thing. With your grades, there is no need to cheat. And copying off of Mashiro, of all people! Off of someone so… not bright."

Before he could help it, Nagi smacked his hand down on the teacher's desk and snapped, "Don't talk about her like that. She is bright, she just doesn't apply herself." The teacher looked aghast and Nagi himself was shocked. Dropping his hands at his sides, he apologized profusely, meekly taking the lectures from his teacher.

Finally it was over, the teacher sighed and pushed back his chair. Straightening his glasses, he said, "I'm sorry this happened, Fujisaki-san. Now please take this letter home and get your mother to sign it. Bring it in tomorrow and I won't put a red check on your record. You may go now."

Nagi thanked him and walked dejectedly out of the classroom. All day, not one person had wished him a happy birthday. Looking out the window, he saw it was still raining horribly. He reached into his bag, opening his umbrella, and began to walk outdoors.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's bad luck to open an umbrella indoors?"

Nagi whipped around, surprised to find Rima leaning against one of the pillars outside.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised.

"My mom can't pick me up today, so I have to walk home, but I don't have an umbrella." She walked towards him. "Oh, good, you have yours. Let's go."

"What? Go where?"

"Isn't it obvious? You get to walk me home. Come on, move it."

Had Nagihiko not had a sudden hunch that something was afoot, he would have felt deliriously happy and giddy. Heck, he felt that way now, only it was diluted with suspicion.

He raised an eyebrow. "What about your fanboys? None of them offered to walk you home?"

Rima stopped tapping her foot and turned a light shade of pink. "Just give it!" She growled, snatching Nagi's umbrella and walking out in the rain. Feeling lighthearted despite all his woes, Nagi ran after her.

"Are you going to make me walk out in the rain like this?" he teased her.

"That's what you get for opening your umbrella indoors. I told you it was bad luck."

"I'm going to get totally soaked."

"Run bitch, run," she quoted in a deadpan manner.

"Awww, Rima, I'm touched. Does this mean we're 'best friends' like in those posts you see on fanfiction writer's walls?"

"It depends," she answered casually. "Does this mean I'm allowed to graffiti your doors and poison your food?"

He laughed and saw her smiling slightly. Overhead, the sky lightened slightly.

"Some rain, right?" he asked Rima, scooting in under the umbrella. She didn't object, which he thought a good sign.

"I hate the rain," she grumbled. "It makes my hair all gross and tangly. Stupid humidity."

Taking the handle of the umbrella from her, he fingered his hair with his free hand. "Mine too," he admitted.

"At least yours isn't curly," she complained, then reached out and touched his hair. "It's straight, so it's more manageable."

Rima's hair was still cute, even if it got all poufy, he decided. He shivered slightly when she patted his hair, her fingers curling around the silky strands. That is, until she yanked it, hard.

"OW!" He cried, dropping the umbrella. Like walking by a waterfall, in seconds Rima was drenched.

"Great," she said, not amused, "you're a bigger idiot than I thought. Pick up the umbrella, stupid."

Maybe it was the fact that he was soaked to the skin and cold. Or that the tests had him unnerved, or the fact that no one had said happy birthday. Maybe it was the fact that even though today he was a year older, he still felt like an insecure, clumsy little boy.

"Why do you always have to be so difficult?" He demanded, glaring at her. She crossed her arms and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Why do you have to be so stupid?" she snarled.

"Seriously! Don't you think people get fed up of it? Of having to take care of you and making sure everything goes your way?"

Grabbing for the umbrella, she spat out, "At least I try to make things go my way. You're such a doormat, Fujisaki. Geez, I mean, it's your birthday today and no one mentions it. Why not bring it up? Or at least hint it? Why do you always let everyone decide things for you? Why don't you ever take action? You're too damn nice for your own good! You always have to put other people first and not inconvenience them! Why not try being selfish for once? I mean, if the thing you want is right in front of you, why don't you go for it?"

She had him cornered, and she knew it. The more he thought of it, she was right. He did let people decide for him, and he always tried to be kind and gentle, but wasn't that how people were supposed to be?

"Isn't that how people are supposed to be?" he voiced weakly.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head emphatically. "No, you retard. People are horrible. They'll take what's yours and never say sorry. That's why you have to make a move first, before them. Don't think of the consequences, just swoop in and stake your claim."

"You're right," he turned to face her. "You're absolutely right. I have to take action. I can't sit back and take life lying down."

"Of course I'm right." She closed her eyes and nodded. "I always am- mrrrrrrphhh!"

Nagihiko's lips covered Rima's, and his hand ran through her hair. One arm encircled her waist and held her tight, despite her struggling. Rima gave up fighting and circled one arm around his neck as the kiss intensified, growing hungrier and fiercer and-

BAM!

It was more the shock than the force of the punch that had Nagihiko staggering backward. He was panting slightly and he felt tingly all over, and despite the fact that he was soaked to the bone, he felt incredibly warm. Rima looked at him, shocked, stepping backwards and grabbing the umbrella.

"You idiot!" she screamed at him. "What the hell was that?"

"Didn't you tell me to take action?" He couldn't help but grin.

"I didn't mean like that!" Her face was a brilliant shade of scarlet. "I meant- you know- I mean- YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANT!"

Nagihiko stepped closer, grabbing her wrists and holding her hands up to his chest. "I know what you mean, Rima," he murmured, leaning in closer, "but I'm too busy kissing the girl of my dreams to think of the consequences."

This kiss was a little longer than the last, slightly frenzied on Rima's behalf as she parted her lips and ran a hand through Nagi's hair. Nagi's hand traced her neck, and the other on her cheek, and his hand traveled from her neck to her waist-

WHACK!

"Geez, woman, are you trying to give me a concussion?"

Rima twirled the dangerous umbrella capably. "I don't know. Maybe. It serves you right for opening an umbrella indoors. And don't call me woman. Shouldn't you have a better nickname for the girl of your dreams?"

"You're right," he agreed, "will pooky-pie do?"

Her revolted look made him laugh and duck as she swung out the umbrella again. "Don't laugh at me," she commanded. "I don't do anything half-assed. If you're going to date me, you'd better be a good boyfriend- serious, loyal, sweet, caring, and willing to spend money on the occasional gift. I like amusement parks. Carousels are my favorite. On a totally unrelated subject, this weekend I'm going to be at home without anything to do, and the forecast calls for clear skies." She gave him a sideways glance.

"Anything for you, my cuddle bear. Saturday, then? I'll pick you up at 10 o'clock."

"Not cuddle bear, either. And ten in the morning? I like to sleep in."

"For me? Because I had a sucky birthday?"

"Nice try, Sparky. I gave you your present already."

"Really? Getting beaten over the head was my present? I don't seem to remember any present. Care to remind me?"

"You know what your present was. Stop grinning like a drunk monkey!"

"If memory serves, I gave you those, not the other way around. So, what's my present?"

"Fine! I'll get up early."

"That's better, my smushy oreo panda."

"I have to say, that's probably the best you've come up with so far. Also, you suck."

"Love you too, Rima."

She whirled around and looked him straight in the eye.

"You'd better," she said, holding his gaze. "Because if you don't, I'll make your life hell."

"Don't worry," he smiled gently. "I always mean what I say."

"You? Honest? Really, now, Nadeshiko?"

"True story. I'm also not afraid to give tough love, which reminds me, you were right about your hair being tangly in the humidity. If you want, I can lend you some cream-"

Rima walked away, swinging her schoolbook in one hand and Nagi's umbrella in the other. "Happy Birthday," she called over her shoulder to the boy who was crouching down, holding his head, a bruise forming from her latest blow. She snorted. What an idiot. Although, she had to admit to herself, idiot or not, there was definitely something ridiculously addicting in his smile. She shook her head. Maybe she was the idiot.

Overhead, the sun broke through the clouds.