The Umbrella He Left Behind

Episode 2

The Umbrella He Left Behind

Rain continued to fall long after Kang Do-hyun disappeared.

I stood there holding the black umbrella, unable to understand what had just happened.

The person I hated...

had just saved me.

"What's wrong with him?"

I whispered to myself.

Most people help others because they want something in return.

A favor.

A thank you.

A good reputation.

But Do-hyun simply walked away without even looking back.

It made no sense.

---

The next morning, the rain had stopped.

The sky was clear, and the campus was filled with students chatting before class.

I was carrying the umbrella he had given me.

I planned to return it immediately.

The sooner, the better.

As I entered the classroom, my friend Min-jae noticed it.

"Hey, that's not yours."

"It isn't."

"Then whose is it?"

"...Someone's."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Don't tell me you stole it."

I rolled my eyes.

"You're an idiot."

Before he could ask another question, the classroom suddenly became quiet.

Someone had entered.

Kang Do-hyun.

Just like always, he walked straight to his seat without greeting anyone.

Girls whispered.

Some boys moved aside.

He didn't react.

I took a deep breath.

Then stood up.

"What are you doing?" Min-jae asked.

"I have to return something."

He looked confused.

Then his eyes widened.

"No way..."

Ignoring him, I walked across the classroom.

Every step felt longer than the last.

Students began watching.

When I finally reached his desk, he slowly looked up from his book.

His expression didn't change.

I placed the umbrella on the table.

"You forgot this."

He glanced at it.

Then at me.

"You kept it."

"You told me to."

"I didn't think you would."

I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

For a second, he seemed about to answer.

Instead, he simply took the umbrella and said,

"Thanks."

That was it.

One word.

I turned around, slightly annoyed.

The entire class stared at me as I returned to my seat.

Within seconds, whispers spread across the room.

"Did you see that?"

"They talked."

"I've never seen Do-hyun thank anyone."

"What happened yesterday?"

I pretended not to hear them.

But rumors travel faster than truth.

By lunchtime, half the school seemed to know that I had spoken with Kang Do-hyun.

---

After classes ended, I headed toward the library.

It was the quietest place in the school.

Or at least, it usually was.

As I searched for a novel on the top shelf, another hand reached for the same book.

I pulled back immediately.

"So, you like mystery novels too?"

I looked up.

It was Do-hyun.

For the first time, there was no crowd around him.

No whispers.

No distance.

Just the two of us.

"I saw you borrowing this author last week," he said.

"You noticed?"

He nodded.

"I notice more than people think."

He handed me the book.

"You can take it."

"What about you?"

"I've already read it."

I accepted it awkwardly.

"Thanks."

He gave a small nod and started walking away.

Then he suddenly stopped.

Without turning around, he quietly said,

"Don't believe everything people say about me."

Before I could ask what he meant,

he disappeared between the shelves.

I stood there holding the book.

Something slipped from inside and landed on the floor.

It wasn't a bookmark.

It was a folded photograph.

I picked it up.

The picture showed a younger Kang Do-hyun standing beside another boy.

The other boy's face had been carefully torn away.

On the back, written in faded ink, were four words:

"You promised you wouldn't leave."

To Be Continued...

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