The Rain
492 Words
The rest of the day passed slowly.
As Seo-yeon walked through the hallways, whispers followed her everywhere.
"She's crazy."
"Did she really talk back to Yoo Na-ri?"
"She's definitely going to regret it."
Seo-yeon pretended not to hear them.
She kept walking.
She had learned long ago that some words were not worth listening to.
By the time the final bell rang, dark clouds had covered the sky.
Students hurried outside.
Within minutes, rain began to pour.
Seo-yeon stood beneath the school entrance, staring at the heavy rain.
Of all days...
she had forgotten her umbrella.
She sighed softly.
Her mother would be worried if she got home late.
Taking a deep breath, she was about to run into the rain when—
"Move."
A cold voice spoke behind her.
Seo-yeon turned.
Kang Min-jun stood there, one hand in his pocket and an umbrella in the other.
The students nearby immediately began whispering.
"Isn't that Min-jun?"
"Why is he standing there?"
Seo-yeon's eyes widened slightly.
She quickly stepped aside.
"...Sorry."
Without another word, Min-jun walked past her.
Seo-yeon blinked.
So he wasn't talking to her.
Of course not.
Why would he?
Just as she was about to step into the rain—
Something stopped above her head.
She looked up.
An umbrella.
Her eyes slowly moved to the person holding it.
Kang Min-jun.
The rain fell heavily around them.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
"...You'll get sick."
His voice was as cold as ever.
Seo-yeon stared at him.
"W-What?"
He looked away.
"I said you'll get sick."
The students gasped.
Did Kang Min-jun just... offer someone his umbrella?
This had never happened before.
Seo-yeon quickly shook her head.
"It's okay."
Min-jun frowned.
"It's not."
"I can walk."
"Then walk."
"..."
"..."
Seo-yeon looked at him, confused.
Why was he even doing this?
He didn't seem like someone who cared.
Min-jun sighed softly.
For some strange reason...
the sight of her standing alone in the rain bothered him.
And he hated it.
Without another word, he placed the umbrella into her hands.
"You can return it tomorrow."
Before she could answer, he turned and walked into the rain himself.
"Wait!"
He didn't stop.
Seo-yeon watched his retreating figure.
The rain soaked his uniform within seconds.
Her fingers tightened around the umbrella.
For the first time since coming to this school...
someone had shown her kindness.
Even if it was strange.
Even if it came from the coldest person in school.
Meanwhile, Min-jun walked through the rain, his expression unreadable.
Then suddenly—
A memory flashed in his mind.
A little girl.
Rain.
A small pink umbrella.
And a voice.
> "You'll catch a cold."
He stopped walking.
His eyes widened slightly.
...Why did that sound so familiar?
Slowly, he turned around.
Seo-yeon was still standing at the school gate, watching him.
For a brief moment—
their eyes met once again.
And for some reason...
his heart skipped a beat.
- Writer
