I was 5 years old, and I remember it all vividly. Grandpa was in the backyard doing his daily exercises, and as always, I was amazed by his abilities, even though I didn't realize how insane it was at his age.

"WOAH, GRANDPA, YEAH!"

I yelled out as my grandpa did 10 push-ups during a handstand.

"HAHA, that's nothing, Hin... look at this!"

Grandpa ducked to the ground so fast that I couldn't even follow his movement. He did a sweeping motion with his leg and ended up in a one-handed position, kicking his legs forward.

"WHOAAAAAAAAAH!" I yelled in excitement and disbelief.

"Grandpa, please teach me that!"

But my grandpa always gave me the same excuse.

"I can't teach you yet. You're too young, and it requires a lot of bodily strength."

With the saddest face, I stood there disappointed.

And my grandpa responded, "But I can show you the steps," while patting my head.

I yelled, "Yeah!" and jumped in the air.

Meanwhile, my mother and father were in the kitchen, talking about me. To this day, I have no idea what they specifically talked about, but it was definitely about me.

Outside, I tried to copy Grandpa’s sweeping motion.

"YESSS!" I yelled, one second before falling face-first on the ground.

"HINTO!" my mother yelled, running outside to help me.

Grandpa helped me up when I fell and said, "He's a strong boy. He'll be okay."

My grandpa was always so encouraging. I wish I could say the same thing about...

"HINTO, COME HERE!" I heard my father yell angrily as he stepped outside the house.

I felt my soul leave my body and fear fill it simultaneously.

He threw a kendo sword into my hand and said, "It's time for your daily kendo lesson!"

All I could do was look at my feet and the sword in my hand.

My grandpa, Tuyo, looked at him and said, "Ikari-kun, it's grandpa time right now, so no kendo."

As my grandpa took my sword, he threw it back at my father, and I could feel that it angered him.

When I finally mustered up the courage to look at him, I saw intense anger on his face, and I froze again until...

"HINTOOOOOOO!"

As I heard that voice, my fear disappeared for a split second. I looked in the direction of that voice and saw my friend Nikko.

"Hinto-kun! Let's play hide and seek!" she said, with the biggest smile on her face, not realizing what had happened seconds before she arrived.

Of course, I responded with, "OKAY, LET'S GO!" and ran off.

Ikari got even more furious and stormed off into the house.

A few moments later, while dinner was being prepared, Mom and Grandpa were speaking in the kitchen.

I don’t know everything they said in that kitchen. I only remember Grandpa’s voice getting louder and Mom’s voice growing softer. Years later, I understood enough to know he had been begging her to leave my father.

They spoke for a long time. I remember hearing my mother’s voice grow sad, so I walked into the kitchen and asked her what was wrong.

"Nothing’s wrong, Hin. Mommy is okay."

A few days later, on a rainy night...

I remember I was inside the house watching TV.

Mom and I were the only ones at home because Dad had gone on one of his so-called business trips.

Mom had just made my favorite food, and I was rolling on the rug happily.

All of a sudden, the doorbell rang, and she went to the door. Shortly after, I decided to call her since my plate was empty.

"Mom, my plate is empty! Can I have seconds?"

But she didn't respond. I got up, frustrated, and went to the front door.

I saw that it was still open.

As I looked outside, my heart stopped, and I saw a million raindrops crashing down.

They were so loud that they drowned out every sound.

But the reason I was so shocked wasn't the tremendous amount of rain falling down.

What shocked me was my mother, lying face down on the concrete.

I ran outside, tears flowing down my face. It felt like time stood still.

I ran, but it felt like I wasn't getting any closer—at least not fast enough.

I tried to scream, but I was so hurt in that moment that I couldn't form any words or sentences.

All I could do was run...

As I fell to my knees, I hugged my mother and screamed, "MOMMY, WHAT'S HAPPENING!? WHAT'S WRONG?"

As I was trying to communicate with her, a mysterious person in a raincoat, holding an umbrella, was leaving the property.

I didn’t know it then, but across the street, Nikko saw something too.

Nikko looked out of the bedroom window and saw Ame on the floor with Hinto next to her.

"AUNTY AME!?" she screamed.

At that moment, Nikko's mom heard her and ran upstairs.

"Nikko, honey, what's wrong?"

Nikko pointed at the window and said, "Aunty Ame... something's wrong."

As Nikko rubbed her eyes and screamed, her mom looked out the window, startled, then ran downstairs to call the ambulance.

Hinto was yelling at the mysterious man as he walked away from the property.

"PLEASE HELP US! PLEASE, MY MOMMY IS BLEEDING!"

But the sound of his screams was drowned out by the rain.

My mom pulled me toward her and, as she hugged me, said, "Hinto, my dear... remember that after rain, there will always be sunshine.

And if life comes raining down on you... remember that your friends and family are the umbrella that shields your heart."

I cried and hugged her, and at that moment, I saw the life leave my mother's eyes, and I screamed the loudest I've ever screamed.

Nikko was crying in her room, but as she got up, she looked out the window, and the mysterious person entered a car and sat in the passenger's seat.

He was wearing a black raincoat and had a mask with the face of a snake.

While Nikko was staring, he turned toward her and stared back.

Startled, she tripped and fell onto her bedroom floor.

They drove off.

And the ambulance finally reached the scene...

but it was too late...

Chapter End - Rain