The month of March had arrived, bringing with it restless winds and an endless drizzle that tapped softly against the windows.

Lu Mingyu lay on her bed, absentmindedly scrolling through social media, trying to pass the quiet afternoon. At twenty-one, her life felt simple… almost too ordinary.

Then, suddenly, a notification popped up on her screen.

A message from a stranger.

Username: Duanxiu._

Her fingers paused for a moment before she opened it.

“Hey cutie, what’s your name? Where do you live?”

It was unexpected. Random. Maybe even a little strange.

She didn’t know who he was or why he had messaged her…

And yet, for some reason, it didn’t feel uncomfortable.

In fact, there was something oddly familiar about it.

That was the moment Duan Xiu entered her life—

Quietly, unexpectedly…

And from that moment on, everything began to change..

Lu Mingyu stared at the message for a while, unsure of what to do.

It wasn’t the first time a stranger had texted her, but something about this felt different.

Maybe it was the way he wrote… or maybe it was just her curiosity getting the better of her.

After a few seconds of hesitation, she finally typed a reply.

“Who are you?”

She didn’t know why she replied.

Maybe it was boredom… or maybe it was the beginning of something she couldn’t yet understand.

Her message was delivered… but there was no reply.

Just a few seconds later, the stranger went offline.

Lu Mingyu stared at her screen, waiting for the typing sign to appear—but it never did.

A slight frown formed on her face as curiosity slowly took over.

Without thinking much, she tapped on his profile.

It was public.

Username: Duanxiu._

He had around a thousand followers, yet there was nothing else—no posts, no stories, nothing that could tell her who he really was.

It felt strange… almost mysterious.

The more she looked, the more confused she became.

Still, she waited.

Minutes passed, turning into an hour… and then two.

To distract herself, she scrolled through random reels, pretending she wasn’t waiting for a reply that never came.

Eventually, with a quiet sigh, she locked her phone and decided to ignore it.

It was just a stranger, after all.

Life moved on.

She walked into the kitchen, where the warm, familiar smell of food filled the air.

“Mom,” she called softly.

Lu Luna looked up with a gentle smile, listening as Mingyu talked about her university and the small things that had been on her mind.

Not long after, Lu Guwon returned home from work, his presence bringing a calm sense of normalcy.

The family sat together for dinner, talking casually, laughing softly—everything felt peaceful, just like any other ordinary day.

Nothing seemed out of place.

Later that night, Lu Luna gently called out,

“Ruru, you have college tomorrow. Go to sleep early. Don’t stay up on your phone.”

Mingyu smiled faintly at the nickname she had grown up with.

“Goodnight, Mom.”

Luna leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek before heading to her room.

One by one, the lights in the house dimmed as everyone went to sleep.

Mingyu returned to her room, quietly arranging her bedsheets and wrapping herself in her blanket.

The night felt calm, almost too quiet.

She lay on her bed, her phone still in her hand, pretending to study online—but her focus kept drifting.

The clock showed 11 PM.

And then—

A notification appeared.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Username: Duanxiu._

For a moment, she just stared at the screen, her heartbeat suddenly racing faster than before.

It didn’t make sense.

She didn’t even know him… so why did it feel like this?

Almost nervously, she tapped on the notification and opened the chat.

Outside, the rain suddenly grew heavier, the sound of it echoing against the windows—

The notification lingered on her screen for a second longer than usual, as if waiting for her to make a decision.

Lu Mingyu’s fingers hovered over her phone before she finally tapped on it and opened the chat.

For a brief moment, she just stared at the screen.

Then, slowly, she typed—

“Who are you?”

The message was sent.

Seen… almost instantly.

Her heartbeat unconsciously quickened as she waited.

A reply came.

Duanxiu._:

“My name is Duan Xiu. And yours?”

“You’re a student at the University of Seoul, right?”

Her eyes widened.

A sudden wave of surprise hit her, followed by a strange uneasiness.

How does he know that?

Without wasting another second, she quickly typed back—

“How do you know that?”

The rain outside grew heavier, the sound of it echoing against her window, blending perfectly with the restless thoughts inside her mind.

A few seconds later, another message appeared.

Duanxiu._:

“Nice to meet you.”

“I’m a student at the University of Seoul too… your senior.”

“You probably don’t know me. You must not have noticed.”

Mingyu paused.

His words lingered in her mind longer than expected.

Not noticed…

If she was being honest, that part was true.

Lu Mingyu had never been the kind of person who paid attention to others.

She was focused, distant, and completely absorbed in her own world—her studies, her goals… and herself.

People came and went around her, but she rarely looked back.

Still, something about this felt different.

She tried to recall the faces she had seen in the university corridors… seniors she might have crossed paths with…

But nothing came to mind.

After a few seconds of silence, she replied—

“Oh… nice to meet you too.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you at the university.”

There was a short pause.

Then—

Duanxiu._:

“Are you going to university tomorrow?”

Her fingers tightened slightly around her phone.

Why did that question feel… different?

She replied anyway—

“Yes, I am. What about you?”

The response came quickly this time.

Duanxiu._:

“I’ll be there too.”

“Don’t worry, you don’t recognize me anyway.”

“I’ll come meet you during the break.”

Her breath hitched.

Meet?

In real life?

Her heart began to race, faster than before—so fast that she could almost hear it over the sound of the rain.

Outside, the storm had grown stronger.

The wind howled softly, and raindrops crashed harder against the glass, as if mirroring the sudden chaos inside her chest.

She didn’t know why she felt this way.

He was just a stranger.

Someone she had never seen… never known…

And yet—

She didn’t say no.

The conversation continued.

Slowly, casually… as if they had known each other for longer than just a few minutes.

They talked about small things—

What they had eaten that day…

What they were doing…

Simple, ordinary questions that somehow didn’t feel ordinary at all.

Time passed without her realizing.

The rain softened.

The night grew deeper.

And somewhere between those small conversations…

A strange sense of comfort quietly settled in.

Finally—

“Goodnight.”

“Sweet dreams.”

The chat ended.

Mingyu placed her phone beside her, staring up at the ceiling in silence.

A soft smile appeared on her lips without her even realizing it.

She was… excited.

Excited to meet him tomorrow.

The thought itself felt unfamiliar.

She turned to her side, closing her eyes, trying to fall asleep—

But sleep didn’t come easily.

Her mind kept replaying the conversation…

His words…

His tone…

And that one line—

“I’ll come meet you.”

Her lips curved again, a quiet smile forming in the darkness.

She didn’t understand it…

But she didn’t want to stop it either.

Eventually, after what felt like hours—

Her thoughts faded…

And she drifted into a deep, quiet sleep.

Unaware…

That tomorrow would change everything.

The morning unfolded with its usual quiet rhythm, the kind that felt comforting in its predictability. Mingyu awoke to the faint touch of sunlight sneaking through the curtains, soft and warm against her closed eyelids, though today it was dimmed slightly by the thick clouds that had begun gathering overnight. Stretching lazily, she tidied her bed with the habitual precision that had long become second nature, each corner tucked, each pillow fluffed as if it could somehow order the world itself. The air in the house was already infused with the inviting aroma of breakfast—rich, buttery, and perfectly seasoned—a scent that tugged gently at her senses, pulling her toward the kitchen. Mom was probably there, orchestrating the morning’s simple ritual with her usual care, though her presence was implied more than seen from the fragrant whispers of sizzling ingredients.

Minutes later, dressed and ready, Mingyu descended the stairs, feeling the cool touch of the wooden handrail beneath her fingertips. Luna, ever radiant in her gentle warmth, smiled at her from across the kitchen.

“Ruru, ready yet? Come, sit at the table. Eat quickly so you can head to university on time,” she called, her voice threading through the comforting symphony of breakfast preparations.

Mingyu returned her smile softly, a silent acknowledgment of her care, and settled at the table. Dad was in his usual place, engrossed in the morning paper, his presence a grounding constant amidst the rhythm of the household. The simple act of sharing breakfast—the subtle clinking of cutlery, the aroma of toast and eggs, the quiet murmurs of conversation—felt like a sanctuary, a bubble of domestic calm that she savored briefly before gathering her bag and saying her goodbyes.

Stepping outside, the morning air greeted Mingyu with an unanticipated chill. The clouds had thickened into a solemn gray canopy, releasing sporadic showers that quickly grew heavier. She hadn’t brought an umbrella, a decision that now seemed careless as the rain soaked through her clothes in seconds, plastering her hair and chilling her skin. Despite the discomfort, she couldn’t help but move faster, her steps quickening with the urgency of not wanting to waste a single moment. The path to the university blurred under the sheets of rain, each puddle reflecting the dull morning light, each raindrop a small percussion against her hurried movements.

By the time Mingyu reached the university gates, she was drenched, her clothes clinging uncomfortably to her skin, yet she drew a long, steadying breath, refusing to let the weather or her soaked appearance deter her. Her gaze lifted to the familiar building, determination coiling in her chest. She hurried inside, her shoes splashing against the wet floor, and started ascending the stairs to her classroom, eager to reclaim some semblance of normalcy in the day.

And then—suddenly—everything froze.

A collision of sorts, though it wasn’t quite a collision. Mingyu’s steps faltered as her eyes met his, and in that suspended moment, it was as if the world had slowed to a hush. She was about to stumble, her foot catching the edge of the stairs, when a firm hand clasped hers, steadying her in a grip that was at once reassuring and electric. Time itself seemed to pause, the rain outside fading into an indistinct murmur, her heartbeat loud and insistent in the sudden silence.

Duanxiu.

He was impossibly tall, his presence commanding even in the confined space of the stairwell. Black waves of hair fell carelessly across his forehead, framing a face that was as handsome as it was enigmatic. The crisp lines of his university uniform clung perfectly, accentuating his broad shoulders and lean frame, while the slight coolness in his expression lent him a distant, almost untouchable air. And yet, there he was—holding Mingyu’s hand, grounding her with the subtle weight of his touch, a tether to prevent her from falling...

Nervousness gripped Mingyu, and she couldn’t respond immediately. Words tangled in her throat, leaving only a faint, almost imperceptible nod. She pulled herself together, offering a soft, fleeting glance before breaking away, her soaked form hurrying toward the classroom, each step echoing against the stairwell.

Inside, Mingyu found her seat next to Kim Jecy, her best friend, who immediately noticed the frazzled state she was in. Her clothes were still wet, the chill of the rain clinging stubbornly to her, and yet she tried to reclaim composure, focusing on the routine of school as if it could shield her from the lingering image of him—Duanxiu, frozen in the stairwell, his hand still poised in memory, his gaze an imprint on her mind.

“Why are you so nervous?” Jecy whispered softly, her concern threading through Mingyu’s ears like a gentle melody. “Did something happen?”

She recounted the moments of the encounter—the sudden stumble, the hand that caught hers, the way his eyes met hers with an intensity that left her momentarily breathless. Jecy listened intently, her eyebrows rising in quiet fascination, yet offering no judgment, just the comfort of a friend who understood the subtle tremors of a heart unexpectedly stirred.

Class passed in a blur, Mingyu’s mind torn between the practicalities of lectures and the vivid replay of that few seconds on the stairwell. When the break arrived, the rain had not relented, continuing its relentless drizzle against the windows, creating a rhythmic backdrop to the otherwise subdued hum of the university. Outside, the world shimmered under the persistent curtain of water, each droplet casting reflections that seemed almost otherworldly, as though the ordinary had been touched by something cinematic, a scene pulled straight from the frames of a K-drama.

And in that cinematic blur, Mingyu knew one thing with unwavering clarity: this was only the beginning. The encounter had been brief, almost incidental, yet its resonance lingered, etching itself deep into her memory. Duanxiu, with his cold exterior and sudden warmth, had arrived unbidden into her day, and though the rain had drenched her clothes, it had also, perhaps, awakened something she hadn’t anticipated—a tension, an anticipation, a quiet yet undeniable pull toward someone who had just as abruptly become central to the rhythm of her morning.