I should have accepted Joochan's umbrella.
I rub my arms in an attempt to warm my shivering self in the middle of this pouring rain. I sneeze once, another follows. I feel my nose getting blocked. Great, I have a cold now. Adding this to my horrible headache - that I experienced all day, ruining my mood, I didn't even talk to anybody - my wet uniform, and still having no means of transport back home, I curse silently - more like mumble a swear word, I am too weak to even curse out loud.
Why are there no buses coming?
I feel stupid for not bringing an umbrella or a jacket despite knowing that it's already the rainy season. Joochan even offered me an umbrella a while ago but I was stubborn (because of the headache) and told him it wasn't going to rain. I was wrong.
I feel like a helpless, poor kitten drenched in the rain, searching for shelter. I do look like one. The only difference is that I'm still at the main gate of the college, shivering, and that I'm human.
Lightning strikes and I flinch at the sound of thunder. I shiver again, more afraid than cold. I pull my bag closer to me to give me warmth but all it did is dampen my clothes as it is already wet from the rain.
I close my eyes, as if that would help.
I always hated thunder and lightning. Seeing/hearing it always reminded me of the day my parents died. I didn't even know they were gone, not until I heard from the news.
Tears brim my eyes at the distant memory. I try my best to wipe it out but the tears are persistent. Tears start to turn into cries, and cries turn into wails. I hug my damp bag tighter, as if that would bring my parents back.
I don't even know how long I am crying.
I just let myself cry. I didn't care if someone would see me (in this time of the day, it would be rare for someone to catch me like this) nor if I looked like a weirdo.
It felt like years when I last cried about it.
And so I make the most out of it. I cry, cry, and cry.
"I miss you..." I whisper in between crying, joining the sky in its weeping.
I stop when somebody pulls me inside, inside where the rain can't be. I hear their panting, and I turn to the person who disrupted me.
"Minhee-yah," Jaehyun pants, still catching his breath. He holds both of my shoulders and looks staight at me.
"J-jaehyun..."
He finally regains composure and complete worry is etched on his face. "Why are you still in school? Classes ended an hour and a half ago."
"I-I know...I just..." I lose the ability to talk straight, stuttering because of the cold. "I c-can't go home...the bus to my house isn't coming yet..."
He notices my fingers fidgeting as it wraps around my bag and my body shivering due to the wet uniform. I sniff a few times, still not done crying.
"Minhee, what the hell were you doing outside? You could have stayed here," Jaehyun speaks softly.
"I-I'm sorry, I wa--"
"What are you being sorry for?" Jaehyun sighs. "God, never do that again, you're going to get sick if you let yourself be drenched in the rain again."
"..I'm fine..."
"No, you're not." He takes out a phone and texts a person. I didn't see who it is. Probably someone not important.
After sending his message, he turns to me, a small smile on his face. "Come with me, I'll help you dry up and get you home."
He goes first but I don't move an inch. He notices so he stops and looks at me sternly. "MM..."
"What?" I sniff.
"Let's go or you're going to get more sick," Jaehyun comes up to me and grabs my hand, leading me inside the campus. I didn't bother rejecting it, I am too weak and tired (from the crying) to even stop him.
I let him drag me through the halls of the slightly lit college, guiding me towards the lockers. From there, he gets a jacket and a towel from his locker and passes it to me. I gladly get it and dab the wetness out of my skin and clothes. My cheeks and eyes are puffed from the crying, my eyes red, and my nose stuffed. With a soft and croaky voice, I ask, "Why are you still here?"
"I should be asking you that question," Jaehyun removes the towel slung around his neck and wipes away the sweat on his face. This is the only time I get to notice what he is wearing. He's wearing a casual shirt paired with basketball shorts. "I'm here since the team is practicing. You?"
"The fucking bus doesn't want me in it." I rub my arms to warm myself as I roll my eyes. "It's avoiding me."
"You still have the energy to be like that when you're already shaking from the cold?"
"I'm like this no matter how I'm feeling."
"Where's the 'I-I'm s-sorry...I-I' girl from a while ago?"
I pinch his waist in annoyance and humphs.
He turns on his phone as he receives a text notification. He swipes it and looks at me. "Let's go? I'm going to get you home."
I hug him tightly. "Thanks so much, Jaehyun! You're a lifesaver."
He pushes me away and wipes his clothes. "You're wet, don't hug me."
"Oohh, I know you liked it~" I tease him, attempting to come close again for a hug but he runs away from me. "Jaehyun! Are you seriously going to leave me?" I shout but catch up to him, one of the brightest smiles I've ever done show up on my face.
◐
"A three-way car accident happened near xxxx street and is causing a widespread traffic. Buses coming from xxxx cannot move due to the serious traffic jam..."
Joochan perks up at the news. "So that means..."
Joochan looks outside the window of his house and notices the heavy downpour of the rain covering the night.
Then he remembers. "Minhee..."
Is she still stuck in the rain?
The boy shakes his head. I shouldn't worry about her.
Joochan goes back to his phone, ignoring the television and his conscience.
She's probably already drenched in the rain.
Joochan sighs and rolls his eyes. "It's her fault for not accepting the umbrella."
Lightning strikes from outside and he jolts from his seat, surprised at the sudden flash of light. Not even a second after thunder booms through the gray sky and Joochan's face pales. It was so near...
Is she safe?
Joochan is confused as to why he is worrying about the girl. Just the thought of her in danger makes him want to run and go to where she is just to save her.
Which is what he's doing right now.
He stands abruptly, grabbing the clear umbrella near the door and dash, hoping to still see her there. After all, his house is only a walk away from the college they go to.
He pants and catches his breath, his knees supporting his palms and his umbrella forgotten on the ground as he arrives at the main entrance. Joochan looks from side to side but he couldn't find a trace of the girl he is looking for.
He is about to give up when he hears the opening of a car door, the figures of Jaehyun letting a smiling (not to mention wet) Minhee with a jacket covering her shoulders in the car, him following next.
Joochan should be fine about it, but he is not fine at all.
A deep, sinking feeling envelops his chest. A frown slowly creeps up his lips. His eyes droop down and stare at the ground as the rain drops on the pavement.
The car zooms away, leaving a panting Joochan dumfounded.
He stand there stupidly, holding his chest for seconds until he finally realizes he was looking like a fool.
With one last glance to where the car went off to, he turns his back and walks back to his home, each step becoming heavy.
Whatever he is feeling isn't good at all.