The Umbrella That Followed Me

Mina forgot her umbrella on Tuesday. When school ended, dark clouds covered the sky. She ran down the street because the rain suddenly became heavy.

Then Mina heard a soft tap behind her. She turned around and saw a blue umbrella floating in the air. It was open, but no one was holding it.

Mina walked faster. The umbrella followed her. She stopped in front of a bakery, and the umbrella stopped too. A baker came outside and laughed.

“That umbrella belongs to our shop,” the baker said. “The wind took it away this morning.” Mina pointed at the umbrella. “But why is it following me?”

The baker looked at Mina's bag and smiled. A small paper bag from the bakery was inside. “It follows the smell of fresh bread,” he said. Mina had bought melon bread after school.

Mina returned the umbrella and shared the melon bread with the baker. The rain stopped before she went home. Across the street, a green door stood between two shops. Mina was sure it had not been there that morning. As she passed, a child's voice asked, “Are you early or late?” Mina thought it came from a television and kept walking. The next day, she brought her own umbrella, just in case.