Short story

This story is based in Japan, that is why the title is in Japanese Kanji. "Ame" is the romaji and the word has the meaning of "rain".

I don't feel like going out during rainy days. Having to bring an umbrella with me all the time is really troublesome.

Whenever I look at the rain, it will upset me. A lot of the time, I would be thinking about sad things, and it feels as though the sky is tearing.

So having that in mind, I decided to write a story based on that. Hoping that perhaps through writing this story, my point of view towards rain will change. Though it didn't changed entirely, at least now I feel a sense of relief.

Instead of thinking about the bad things about rain, why not "be the Ame that will bring happiness to everyone."

The view on the second floor is always great. The warm breeze caresses my skin before moving on. The sun-ray is not too strong, which is perfect for me. Accompanied with a cup of freshly brewed vanilla latte in the late afternoon is my ideal way of spending the day. Lately, I have been so busy at work that I almost lost my senses.

I reached out for a lilac color book in my bag. I searched the pages, looking for the last entry – 20 Feb 2006. That was exactly five years ago.

It was raining heavily that day. I stood at my doorstep holding a bouquet of white roses and an umbrella in the other. Two days ago, I received a call from Ame's mother.

I opened up the umbrella and ran to my car. I gently place the roses at the front passenger seat. It's our favorite. A color that will change according to the situation, but will not be tainted at the same time.

I stopped the car and took the roses. I got out of the car and closed my eyes, listening to the symphony of raindrops hitting on the surface. I looked at the roses and smiled to myself. Stretching out my arm, I held the roses out into the rain. Ame loves it when the roses are wet. She said they look the best with sparkling dews on their soft lovely petals.

I walked up to Ame's parents, and bowed in respect. Her mother looked at me and gave me a hug. I smiled at her and wipe away her tears with my fingers. She closed her eyes and embraced me once more. After a minute or so, she loosens her grip and smiled back at me.

I bowed to them again before going to Ame. Her smile was the brightest I have ever seen. She was nothing like a sick patient. She was wearing the rose necklace I gave her on her seventeenth birthday.

We first met each other when we were five. She was really small, and her hair tied up in two pigtail. Though her name has the meaning of "rain", Ame doesn't like rain at all. She believes that when it is raining, the sky is crying.

"Hey look! It's the sea!" Her hair was in a mess, and like an idiot, she shouted excitedly to me. The Sun was shinning brightly and the weather was great. I put down my backpack and took out a mat. Ame ran to me and helped me unfolded it. We laid out the food nicely on the centre of the mat.

But before we could start to enjoy ourselves, the weather started to change. The sky darkens and droplets of water started to fall. In a split second, it started to rain. We ran to a nearby shelter to wait for the rain to stop. As we stood there, I turned and looked at Ame. She was biting her lower lip and staring at the rain.

"I hate the rain! Why does it have to spoil the fun!?" She exclaimed in an angry voice. Upon hearing this, I pulled her out of the shelter, and we played around in the rain.

When the rain stopped and the Sun came out, a rainbow formed from the horizon. We held hands and smiled at each other.

"Hey Ame! It's beautiful, isn't it? Without rain, we won't be able to see the rainbow. Rain is the one who led us there. Without rain, we won't be able to enjoy this happiness."

It was only from that time, Ame started to change her view.

It was a horrible memory to the both of us and to that poor little girl. A strongly build man was hitting her head with a stick, and kicking her belly. We were on our way home when we chanced upon the sight. We ran over and stopped the man from hitting her.

It was silly of us to just run over, because we won't be able to stop that man who was so muscular. But all we had in mind was to save that poor little girl. Luckily for us, the man saw us running over, he stopped and went away.

Ame kneed down beside her and stroke her head.

"What shall we call her?"

We took her back and cure her injuries. Ame really love her and did her best to nurse her. Within a few weeks, she was up and about.

Yume was a white kitty with a black butterfly on her back. That was the name I gave her. I was surprised when Yume doesn't mind Ame at all. Any animal that saw Ame will definitely run away. But Ame really loves animals. So she is just like a dream to Ame, and that's how she got her name.

But it wasn't long before Yume left us. She met with an accident when she was playing by the roadside. When we were there by her side, Yume was still breathing. She looked into Ame's eyes and let out a soft cry. As if she was telling Ame not to be sad. The moment she closed her eyes, it started pouring. I wrapped my arm around Ame and gave her a pat before carrying Yume. She showed no pain and in fact, I think I saw a smile.

"Hey Ame, you led Yume to a wonderful place, didn't you?"

"How can a guy like cute stuff? That is so disgusting!"

"He's your friend! You should like him for who he is!"

"No way! It's weird for a guy to like cute stuff. It just shows how weak he is!"

"That's not true! It's just what most people believe."

It was a school trip to a kindergarten near our high school. We went there to play and teach the students. Hiroki was the boy who was being laughed at by his classmates. He doesn't like to be so different and strange. So basically, he hated the way he was.

"You have to learn to like yourself first, so that others will grow to like you too." That was what Ame told Hiroki.

"Hey Ame, Hiroki said he's going to be a doctor. And he's going to help his patients find their happiness."

"Hey Ame, how are you feeling today?" She was in an upright position doing some paper crafts. She smiled at me and gave me two thumb-ups, and continued with her "work". I walked to her side and put down the things I was carrying. She's the fun maker here. Ame said it's her duty. After all, that was what she promised.

I looked at her and smiled to myself. When she found out that her illness got worse and might have to be hospitalized, she cried. Saying that her fate has been decided and she couldn't do anything about it. I yelled at her for the first time, reminding her of the promise she made. It was only then she realized and became strong again.

"All done!" she exclaimed, and showed me. Roses of many colors.

"Hey Ame, want to go for a walk?" She looked at me with sparkling eyes, and nodded her head.

It was cloudy that day, with no strong sunlight, and the weather was getting colder. I took out a scarf I knitted and wrapped it around our necks. I pulled her close to me and held her hand. We made our way to the park on the ground floor.

"You know, the doctor came in this morning and told me that I may not have much time left… But it's only a prediction." She broke out. I knew she was looking at me, but I did not turn to face her.

Earlier that week, the doctor called Ame's mother over to his office. Another problem arose, and she had to go for an operation. But it was too risky, and if she doesn't go through the operation, she won't have much time left. I wanted to convince Ame's mother to let Ame have the operation. But after serious thinking, I decided not to. Because the percentage of the operation being successful is very low. So if they did not succeed, she will leave while enduring the pain. So we both agreed that it's better for her to not go through the operation.

"I don't have any regrets!" She said cheerfully and continue walking. I felt awful, wondering why does it have to be like this.

"Hey Ame, are you happy?" I tried hard to hide my emotions that were pouring out. She paused.

"Ame will always be the happiest rain in the world!" She turned her head and smiled at me.

I felt a sharp pain in my chest, but at the same time, a feeling of relieve. Even though her time was up, Ame still remain as the Ame everyone loves.

I held her hand. Coldness was not what I felt. It was a warm and tender feeling that ran from her into me. I gazed out of the window, as tear smudge my vision.

"Ame, it's raining today. But I'm happy! Because I know you are too."

I closed the book and took another slip of coffee. I closed my eyes and listen to the surrounding sound.

Even though people may think that Ame is not around anymore, I know that she's somewhere nearby, watching us carefully. After all, that was what she promised.

"I am going to be the Ame that will bring happiness to everyone!"