"Okay… then it's fine. Thank you," Leo said.
"You're welcome," Claire replied softly.
She felt happy that she was able to help l.The rain continued falling softly outside, but Claire felt strangely warm inside.
Meanwhile, on the street, someone was walking under an umbrella.
It was Werren.
As he walked along the road, he noticed a familiar car passing by. Inside the car, he saw Claire.
"Oh… it's that girl who tried to help me yesterday," Werren thought.
He sighed.
"It was really rude of me not to take her help. That wasn't nice of me."
Later, when Werren arrived home, he noticed something strange.
There was an unfamiliar umbrella near the door.
"Whose umbrella is this?" he wondered. "Did someone visit?"
Just then, Leo entered the house.
"Hey, Werren," Leo said. "How was your class today?"
"It was good," Werren replied. Then he pointed at the umbrella.
"Hey, Leo… whose umbrella is that? Did someone come here?"
Leo hesitated.
"Oh… um… it's my friend's umbrella."
Werren smiled slightly.
"I see."
Leo looked confused.
"Why are you smiling?" he asked.
"Oh, nothing," Werren said quickly. "It's just… I've never seen you talk to anyone at high school before."
Leo suddenly looked a little shy and uncomfortable.
To change the topic, he pointed at Werren's elbow.
"Hey, how's your wound?"
"Oh, it's fine now," Werren said. "Thanks for asking."
The next day at high school, Claire was taking her books out of her bag when someone suddenly spoke behind her.
"Thank you for yesterday… for giving me your umbrella."
Claire turned around in surprise.
It was Leo.
"Oh… it's nothing," Claire said quickly. "I'm just glad I could help."
Across the classroom, three girls were watching them.
"Hey, look! Leo is talking to Claire," one girl whispered.
"What? Is he really talking to her?" another said with surprise.
"I feel bad," the third girl muttered.
"Yeah… that's her umbrella he's returning," one of them said.
"But yesterday he refused to have lunch with us."
Nearby, Emily quietly watched Leo and Claire talking.
She didn't say anything.
Soon, the class began.
During the break, Leo was walking alone on the high school grounds.
Suddenly, someone approached him.
"Hey Leo," a girl said kindly. "How are you?"
It was Emily.
"How are your parents? What have you been doing these days?" she asked.
Emily's family and Leo's family were partners in the same company, which is why she knew him well.
Leo looked at her.
"I'm fine," he replied. "My parents are fine too. And… I'm not doing anything special these days."
After saying that, he quietly walked away.
Leo felt a little sad.
As he walked, he remembered what had happened the day before.
"Why is Dad like that?" Leo thought.
"I just wanted to show him my report card. I got an A+… but he was too busy with work to even listen."
He sighed.
Suddenly, he saw Claire walking nearby.
"Oh… it's Claire," he thought.
Claire smiled at him warmly as she walked past.
Leo felt a little strange inside.
Just then, Werren appeared.
"Hey Leo, what are you looking at?"
"Nothing," Leo replied quickly.
"Come on," Werren said. "I want to show you something fun."
Later, Claire returned to the classroom after break.
The three girls from earlier were whispering again.
"Claire has always been the quiet type," one girl said.
"I've never seen her talk to anyone before," another replied.
"Maybe she doesn't have any friends."
Claire heard everything they said.
Her heart felt heavy.
Another girl added, "You know, Claire is a rich girl too. Quiet and wealthy."
"I think that's why Leo talked to her," one of them said. "He's smart but kind of rude. They're similar."
Suddenly, one of the girls froze.
"Hey… look behind you."
Leo was standing right behind them.
"Excuse me," Leo said calmly. "Can you move?"
The girls quickly moved aside.
"Oh no… he must hate us now," one girl whispered nervously.
Leo walked to his seat and noticed Claire standing quietly by her desk.
She looked sad.
Leo paused for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"Hey, Claire… would you like to walk home together today?"
Claire looked surprised.
From that day on, the two of them slowly became very good friends.
Eight months later…
One afternoon, a student suddenly ran into the classroom.
"Teacher! Leo and Eric are fighting on the school grounds!"
Claire heard this and immediately felt worried.
"What?" she whispered.
Later, in the principal's office…
"Leo and Eric," the principal said sternly, "call your parents tomorrow."
The next day, Leo's parents arrived at the school.
After hearing what had happened, Leo's father spoke coldly.
"Leo… you're leaving this school."
Leo froze in shock.
Meanwhile, in the classroom, a girl walked up to Claire.
"Hey… did you hear?" she said.
"Hear what?" Claire asked.
"Leo is leaving the school."
Claire's heart sank.
She felt shocked… and deeply sad.