The rain pounded the windows of the classroom, tapping an urgent rhythm that echoed in Ha-eun's mind. She was staring out of the window, her thoughts drifting away as the teacher rambled on about some obscure history lesson. She didn't care about the past; she was living in the present. Or at least, that's what she kept telling herself.
"Ha-eun!" The sharp voice of her best friend, Jiwon, snapped her back to reality. Jiwon was sitting next to her, her long, dark hair cascading over her shoulders like a glossy waterfall, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling even in the dim classroom light. She was effortlessly beautiful in a way that made heads turn, but it was her quiet confidence, her kindness, that made Ha-eun adore her. Jiwon had a soft smile that could brighten any room, and it was in full display as she playfully teased Ha-eun.
"Could you at least pretend to listen?" Jiwon's voice held a teasing edge, but there was concern there, too. "You know, I could help you with this if you weren't so busy daydreaming."
Ha-eun rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair. "Math homework on a rainy day? Honestly, Jiwon, it's not like the world's going to end if I don't know how to find the area of a triangle."
Jiwon snorted. "Well, it might not end, but your grades could. You know, for someone who's always acting like the school's biggest rebel, you sure do care about your grades."
"Rebel? Pfft. I'm just... you know, practicing my 'free-spirited' look," Ha-eun said with a wink, leaning forward and grabbing her half-eaten sandwich from her desk. "Besides, I'm not worried. We both know I'm going to ace the test anyway."
Jiwon shook her head, laughing softly. "You always say that. One day, it won't be enough, you know?"
Ha-eun just shrugged, unbothered. Jiwon's family had money, power, and connections. She could afford to worry about grades, but for Ha-eun, who'd spent most of her life juggling part-time jobs to help her mom, grades were more of a survival tactic. It wasn't just about doing well; it was about making sure the next step was possible, no matter how tough it got.
The bell rang, cutting through their conversation. Ha-eun grabbed her bag, preparing to leave for the next class, but something caught her eye.
A glimmer of something unusual in the hallway outside—an umbrella, lying alone by the janitor's closet.
"Hey, Ha-eun," Jiwon called, noticing Ha-eun's distracted gaze. "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Yeah, I'm good," Ha-eun said, brushing off the weird feeling that washed over her as she quickly turned her attention back to Jiwon. "Just thought I saw something."
Jiwon looked skeptical but shrugged it off. "Alright, if you say so. Anyway, let's go. The cafeteria's calling."
Ha-eun stood up, her gaze still lingering on the abandoned umbrella. There was something about it—something oddly... magnetic. She couldn't explain it, but it felt like it was meant for her. She hurriedly joined Jiwon, who was already halfway down the hallway, trying to shake off the strange thought, but that umbrella stayed with her, an unspoken curiosity gnawing at her.
---
Later that day, after school...
The school bell rang, signaling the end of another day, and Ha-eun and Jiwon stepped out into the rain, their uniforms soaked from the downpour.
"Seriously, who scheduled all this rain for today?" Jiwon complained, pulling her hood up. She always looked so put together, even in bad weather, her clothes perfectly dry no matter what.
"Tell me about it," Ha-eun replied, glancing up at the stormy sky. "But, I'm not complaining. I like the sound of it."
Jiwon looked at her, her eyebrow raised in mild amusement. "You like rain? You do realize it's making everything a mess, right?"
Ha-eun smiled. "It's peaceful, in a weird way."
As they reached the bus stop, Ha-eun's eyes strayed to the spot where she had seen the umbrella earlier. It was still there, as though it was waiting for her. Her heart skipped a beat as she walked towards it, grabbing it absentmindedly.
Jiwon watched her. "You're not thinking of keeping that, are you?"
Ha-eun shrugged, feeling the weight of the umbrella in her hands. "Just taking it home for now. I'll drop it off at lost and found later."
Jiwon was quiet for a moment, then rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "You really can't leave anything behind, can you?"
"I'm just taking care of it," Ha-eun muttered, trying to hide the sudden unease that crept over her. There was something about this umbrella, something... off. But she couldn't explain why it felt so important