The rain poured relentlessly, drumming against the rooftops and soaking the empty streets. The occasional car rushed by, splashing water onto the sidewalk, but otherwise, the night was quiet—almost too quiet.
Yuna pulled her hoodie tighter around her as she curled up on the couch, flipping through a book she had no real interest in reading. The dim glow of the lamp beside her barely reached the other side of the small apartment, where the kitchen light flickered softly.
Jiyeon was late. Again.
With the rain continuing to fall, Yuna couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over the apartment. She tried to tell herself that Jiyeon was simply caught up at work, but the more time that passed, the more her worried thoughts kept swirling in her mind like the storm outside.
With the rain continuing to fall, Yuna couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over the apartment. She tried to tell herself that Jiyeon was simply caught up at work, but the more time that passed, the more her worried thoughts kept swirling in her mind like the storm outside.
Her older sister was always busy—either working overtime or meeting up with friends. Yuna was used to it by now, but that didn't mean she liked it. She glanced at the clock. 10:47 PM.
Just as she was about to put down the book and head to bed, the front door creaked open.
"Jiyeon?" Yuna called, turning her head.
"Yeah, it's me. Sorry, I'm late again," Jiyeon replied, shedding her dripping raincoat and hanging it on the coat rack by the door. "You don't have to wait up for me, you know."
Jiyeon stood at the entrance, completely drenched, her long brown hair plastered to her face. But what caught Yuna's attention wasn't her sister's soaked state—it was the boy standing beside her.
He was young, probably around Yuna's age, maybe a year younger. His black hair was dripping with rain, and his oversized hoodie clung to his frame, clearly too thin for the cold night. His head was slightly lowered, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.
"Jiyeon, who is this?" Yuna asked, her voice sharper than she intended.
Yuna's brows furrowed. "You… picked him up? What is he, a stray cat?"
The boy flinched slightly at her words but said nothing. He hadn't even looked up yet.
Jiyeon shot Yuna a glare before placing a hand on the boy's back, gently guiding him inside. "Don't be rude. He hasn't said much, but I think he's been out in the rain for a while. Can you grab a towel?"
Yuna was about to protest further, but seeing the boy shiver with cold and the stern look on her sister's face, she reluctantly got up from the couch and headed towards the bathroom to grab a towel.
"Here," Yuna said, holding out the towel.
For the first time, the boy looked at her.
His dark eyes were deep, almost empty, like he had long given up on expecting kindness from people. Yuna felt an unexpected pang in her chest but quickly masked it with a neutral expression.
As the boy took the towel from Yuna, their hands brushed for a moment, sending a strange shiver down her spine. His fingers were freezing, contrasting with the soft texture of the towel. He wrapped it around himself, his eyes still fixed on Yuna, as if trying to gauge her reaction.
"Thank you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Jiyeon smiled at him. "What's your name?"
There was a long pause before he answered.
"…Rin."
"Nice to meet you, Rin. I'm Jiyeon, and this is my sister, Yuna."
Yuna crossed her arms. "So, what's the plan? He can't just stay here forever."
Jiyeon frowned. "Obviously. But for tonight, he's staying. He has nowhere else to go."
Yuna opened her mouth to argue but stopped when she noticed Rin's expression. He was gripping the towel tightly, his knuckles turning white. He looked… exhausted.
Seeing the weariness etched on Rin's face, Yuna couldn't bring herself to push the issue further.
"He can sleep on the couch tonight, but he's leaving tomorrow," she said firmly.
Jiyeon nodded, understanding the firmness in Yuna's tone. She turned to Rin. "Can you manage a shower before bed?"