Looking For Someone Without Realizing

The dangerous thing about habits—

is that they never announce themselves.

Nobody wakes up and says—

Today this person will become important.

It happens quietly.

One repeated action.

One extra message.

One small expectation.

Until one day—

their absence feels louder than their presence.

Yuna noticed something was wrong on Thursday.

Not wrong in a dramatic way.

Nothing bad happened.

Classes ended.

Assignments existed.

People complained.

Life moved normally.

But something felt—

off.

She ignored it.

For thirty minutes.

Then realized.

She kept checking her phone.

Not because she was waiting.

Obviously not.

Just…

checking.

She unlocked.

No message.

Locked again.

Unlocked.

Nothing.

Locked.

Her friend Mina watched this for five minutes.

Then narrowed her eyes.

“…Who?”

Yuna looked up.

“What?”

Mina pointed.

“You've checked your phone seven times.”

Yuna immediately denied.

“No I didn't.”

Mina stared.

“…You counted?”

Yuna froze.

Bad move.

Mina slowly smiled.

“Interesting.”

Yuna looked away.

“It's nobody.”

Mina nodded.

“Which means it's somebody.”

Yuna sighed.

Why were friends like this?

After class—

she packed slowly.

Too slowly.

Even she noticed.

Then her phone vibrated.

Unknown Number.

Adrian:

Busy today.

Yuna stared.

Then immediately frowned.

Busy?

Why tell her?

Then she frowned harder.

Why did she feel disappointed?

She typed.

Deleted.

Typed again.

Deleted.

Finally—

Okay.

Sent.

Three seconds later—

she regretted it.

That sounded cold.

Before she could think—

another message came.

You sound disappointed.

Her eyes widened.

She typed immediately—

I'm not.

Reply:

Okay.

Pause.

Another message.

You checked though.

Yuna stared.

Her mouth slowly opened.

This—

this was illegal.

She immediately typed—

You're annoying.

Reply came instantly.

Okay.

She looked at the screen.

Then suddenly laughed.

Mina looked over.

“…Who texts like they're eighty years old?”

Yuna quickly locked her phone.

“Nobody.”

Mina stared.

Dangerous silence.

Then—

“Oh.”

Yuna ignored her.

But the strange feeling stayed.

Busy today.

Simple message.

Nothing serious.

Still—

something felt empty.

That evening—

it started raining.

Light rain.

Not enough for umbrellas.

Enough to make the world quieter.

Yuna sat in a small café near campus.

Laptop open.

Essay untouched.

She drank coffee.

Looked outside.

Then stopped.

Across the street—

someone was standing under the convenience store roof.

Black hoodie.

Adrian.

She blinked.

Busy?

Then she noticed.

He wasn't on his phone.

Wasn't shopping.

Wasn't waiting.

He was just standing there.

Watching rain.

She frowned.

Closed laptop.

Walked outside.

Crossed road.

Stopped beside him.

He looked sideways.

Not surprised.

She stared.

“…Busy?”

He looked at rain.

“…Finished.”

She narrowed her eyes.

Then looked around.

No bag.

No books.

Nothing.

She asked—

“What were you doing?”

He stayed quiet for a second.

Then—

“Thinking.”

She blinked.

That answer felt too honest.

She looked outside.

Rain continued quietly.

Then she said—

“…You could've sat somewhere.”

He shrugged.

“I like rain.”

She stared.

“…Who likes standing in rain?”

He looked at her.

Then said—

“You came.”

She blinked.

He looked forward again.

“…You also like rain.”

Silence.

She immediately defended.

“I came because I saw someone standing alone.”

He nodded.

“Okay.”

Pause.

“…You checked though.”

She stared.

Then laughed.

She pointed.

“You're abusing that joke.”

He looked confused.

“Can jokes be abused?”

She stared.

Then laughed harder.

After a while—

they walked.

No destination.

Just slowly.

Rain became lighter.

Yuna looked upward.

Then asked—

“What do you think people regret most?”

He looked at her.

Unexpected question.

She shrugged.

“Answer.”

He thought for a long time.

Then quietly said—

“Not saying something.”

She blinked.

Then smiled.

“That sounds specific.”

He looked away.

“…Maybe.”

She looked ahead.

Thought.

Then said—

“I think people regret waiting.”

He looked at her.

She smiled lightly.

“Waiting for perfect timing.”

Rain fell softly.

She continued—

“Most things never become perfect.”

He looked at her quietly.

Long enough that she noticed.

Then—

“…That's a good answer.”

She smiled.

“Thank you.”

They kept walking.

Eventually they reached the station.

Her train.

His direction opposite.

She stopped.

Looked at him.

Then suddenly asked—

“Were you really busy?”

He looked at her.

Thought.

Then said—

“…No.”

She blinked.

He looked away.

Then quietly added—

“I wanted to see if I'd notice.”

She became still.

Rain continued.

She asked softly—

“…And?”

He looked at her.

Calm.

Simple.

“…I did.”

Silence.

Then he nodded once.

Turned.

Started walking away.

Yuna stood there.

Rain touching her sleeves.

Coffee smell still lingering.

Night becoming darker.

Her phone vibrated.

Message.

Adrian:

You forgot your umbrella. Again.

She looked down.

His umbrella.

In her hand.

She slowly smiled.

And for the first time—

she wondered—

when exactly did seeing someone become part of her day?

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