#Ch4 Rain

Seo Jiwon had not meant to start looking for Han Taeyang everywhere.

It just… happened.

At first, it was unconscious.

A habit his mind formed without permission.

He would enter the classroom and immediately glance toward the back window seat before realizing what he was doing. During lunch, his eyes automatically searched the rooftop door. Even in crowded hallways filled with students, he somehow noticed Taeyang instantly every single time.

It was irritating.

Worse, Jiwon did not understand why.

Taeyang was quiet.

Stubborn.

Annoyingly difficult to provoke properly.

There was nothing special about him.

At least, that was what Jiwon kept telling himself.

Unfortunately, his actions were starting to disagree.

“You’re doing it again.”

Jiwon looked away from the classroom window slowly.

His friend Kang Minhyuk sat beside him with an expression somewhere between amused and concerned.

“Doing what?”

“Staring at Taeyang like you’re tracking him.”

Jiwon frowned immediately.

“I’m not.”

Minhyuk snorted.

“You literally stopped talking mid-sentence because he walked past the window.”

Jiwon stayed silent.

Because annoyingly enough, it was true.

Outside, Taeyang crossed the courtyard while reading something on his phone, completely unaware of the attention following him from the second-floor classroom.

Dark circles rested faintly beneath his eyes again.

Jiwon noticed that too.

“You’re weird lately,” Minhyuk continued carefully. “Usually you get bored of people fast.”

“I’m bored now.”

“Then why do you keep following him around?”

Jiwon’s jaw tightened slightly.

Because that was the problem.

He genuinely did not know.

That afternoon, rain started pouring before classes ended.

Heavy rain.

The kind that turned the school windows gray and filled the hallways with the sound of water hitting the ground relentlessly.

Students immediately began complaining while calling drivers and parents for rides home.

Taeyang looked outside quietly from his seat near the window.

No umbrella.

Again.

Honestly, he should have checked the weather forecast this morning, but after sleeping less than three hours the night before, remembering small things had become difficult lately.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly.

“You okay?”

Taeyang looked up.

For some reason, Jiwon was standing beside his desk again.

Taeyang frowned slightly.

“Why are you here?”

“You look half-dead.”

“That’s not an answer.”

Jiwon ignored that completely and glanced toward the rain outside.

“You don’t have an umbrella.”

“I noticed.”

“You’re going to walk home like that?”

“I work after this.”

Something unreadable crossed Jiwon’s face again.

Lately, he had started making that expression often whenever Taeyang mentioned work.

Like he disliked hearing about it.

“That’s far from here,” Jiwon said.

“I know where my job is.”

Taeyang started packing his bag calmly before standing.

Jiwon watched him quietly for a second longer.

Then—

“Skip work.”

Taeyang blinked.

“…What?”

“You look exhausted.”

The words came out more serious than Jiwon intended.

For a moment, Taeyang simply stared at him.

Then he laughed softly under his breath.

Not mockingly.

Just tired.

“You sound like an old man.”

Jiwon frowned immediately.

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

Taeyang swung his backpack over one shoulder.

“I can’t skip work because I’m tired.”

Something about that answer irritated Jiwon deeply.

Not because Taeyang disagreed with him.

Because he said it like exhaustion was normal.

Like nobody had ever told him he was allowed to rest.

Taeyang started walking toward the door.

Jiwon moved before thinking.

“Wait.”

Taeyang looked back.

Jiwon hesitated.

Which almost never happened.

Then, awkwardly, he held out his umbrella.

The black handle looked strangely expensive even for an umbrella.

Taeyang stared at it.

“…You need that too.”

“My driver’s outside.”

“Then why are you giving it to me?”

Jiwon immediately regretted this entire interaction.

Because honestly, he did not know.

Seeing Taeyang walk home alone in heavy rain suddenly bothered him more than it should have.

A lot more.

“Just take it,” Jiwon muttered.

Taeyang studied him carefully.

The silence stretched long enough to make Jiwon uncomfortable.

Then finally, Taeyang accepted the umbrella slowly.

“…Thanks.”

Again.

That stupid tight feeling returned to Jiwon’s chest immediately.

He hated it.

The convenience store remained nearly empty that night except for the sound of rain hitting the windows outside.

Taeyang stood behind the register quietly organizing receipts while suppressing another yawn.

His body felt heavy.

His head hurt slightly.

Still, compared to school, work usually felt easier.

Customers came and left.

Conversations stayed simple.

Nobody cared how much money he had there.

The automatic doors slid open suddenly.

Taeyang looked up automatically—

Then froze.

Seo Jiwon walked inside wearing a black hoodie with rainwater still dripping lightly from his sleeves.

Taeyang blinked slowly.

“…What are you doing here?”

Jiwon shoved his hands into his pockets casually.

“Buying something.”

“At midnight?”

“You sell things at midnight, don’t you?”

Taeyang stared at him suspiciously.

Jiwon avoided eye contact almost immediately, wandering toward the drink aisle instead.

Which honestly made him look guiltier somehow.

A few minutes later, he returned carrying cat food.

Taeyang looked down at it.

Then back at him.

“…You have a cat?”

Jiwon’s shoulders stiffened slightly.

For the first time since meeting him, Jiwon actually looked caught off guard.

“No.”

“Then why are you buying cat food?”

Silence.

Taeyang watched Jiwon carefully.

Then suddenly remembered something.

A rumor he overheard during lunch last week.

“Someone keeps feeding stray cats behind the gym building.”

“Probably some teacher.”

Taeyang’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Jiwon noticed immediately.

“Don’t say anything weird.”

“You like cats.”

“I tolerate them.”

“You buy them premium food.”

“They refuse cheap food.”

Taeyang stared at him for another second.

Then unexpectedly—

He smiled.

Small.

Soft.

Brief.

But real.

Jiwon forgot how to breathe for a moment.

Because that was the first genuine smile he had ever seen from Han Taeyang.

And somehow—

It felt unfairly warm.

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