If I were asked what would be my favorite moment in my life, I wouldn’t be able to answer. Because there are so many moments I do cherish. My birthdays, my family’s dinner everynight, my graduation day, I’m kind of a person who cherish every moments in my life. But if it were about  which period of time when I could temporary forget those moments, it would be after rain.

What could anybody hate from after rain? The mild weather, fresh air just got cleaned out by rainwater. Cool wind blowing gently not as cold as freezing winter.  Wet leaves and trees protecting you from light and refreshing sunlight as if they just took a shower. Everything seems perfect, but there is something that makes it even better than perfect, my magical umbrella.

As if my thought was giving a cue, rain is falling. I get my phone, sending my best friend a text.

It’s raining now.  

Minah, hello. How have you been pal? Haven’t contacted you in a three weeks... I guess? Sorry, these stack of books are keeping me from my phone. Hope you’ve been fine.

                Mark was my best fr—scratch that. Mark is my best friend. We were classmates in highschool. He was such teacher’s pet back in school. Noble student with pretty good history of student’s organization experience. I would never ask why teachers love him that much.

 

                Hi, Mark. I’m good. No wonder I thought I saw a lawyer partying with friends in the photo you sent me last week. I’d say you’ll graduate in two years for a bar of chocolate.

 

                But after all, a teenager is a teenager. He loved playing under the rain the most. Getting home all wet, his mother used to pinch him all over his body. He didn’t even care, “That’s when I feel the most happy. I just feel veeeeeeery happy and free.” He used to say. And that was also the time I saw his brightest smile. His proud smile being the top of the school couldn’t even  win over that smile when he was playing under the rain.

 

“Darn, It’s raining!” Mark looked outside the window.

“Hey, what is it with rain. I love it” He frowned at me.

“I bring my umbrella when it’s not raining and I don’t when it is raining. It’s always like that.”

“I never bring one.”

“Thanks for your useful information, dear friend” I scoffed.

“Then, you’re waiting for it to stop?”

“What can I do?” He titled his head, then take his jacket out from his bag.

“Y-you could use this if you want to” I looked at him unbelieveably. He shrugged.

“Are you kidding? It doesn’t realy help, Mark”

“Well, just offering help”

He stood beside me whistling, waiting with me. But It had been half an hour , and the rain didn’t even look like it was about to stop.

“Still no to my jacket?” He said breaking the silence.

“Then, you?”

“Told you i love the rain.”

“Why didn’t you go then?”

“Then you’ll be alone” I took the jacket from his hand. Covering my head and bag.

“Let’s go on three!” I said to him.  But he walked. “I told you on thr-“

“I’m fine. I love it. He laughed and opened his arm widely. “Aaaaah! It’s so refreshing”

As we walked through the street, the rain stopped. I put away Mark’s wet jacket and gave it to him. He shook his wet hair like a puppy trying to dry its body. His smile was really wide.

“Do you like it that much?”

“Mmhm, you should try sometime”

“No, thank you”

As we walked down, I took a breath and the air was so fresh. The cool wind, the wet leaves and light sun. I love it all, but what I love the most was his wide smile.

 

Psh, not yet a lawyer. And I take your word, buy me a bar of chocolate because it’ll take me another 3 years. Anyway, I’m sure you don’t bring any umbrella now, do you?

 

“Why? Why? Why today?” I stomped my feet on the ground.

“What is it?”

“The rain!”

Mark opened his bag and threw his jacket. And that happened another time, another time and another time.

 

You still know me the best, I don’t but I guess there won’t be any jacket? Haha. I’ll just wait until it stops.

 

“Mrs. Bang, Is Minah home?” Mark bowed to her mom.

“She is. But she couldn’t even get up from bed.”

“C-can I meet her?”

“Sure. It’s upstair.”

Mark knocked Minah’s room, he heard a “come in” from inside and burged in.

“A-re you really sick?”

“Do you think I faked it?” I hit hit him lightly. He sat beside me, feeling my forehead.

“You really are. W-was it because the rain yesterday?”

“I think so, I had a headache when I got home.”

“I- I will buy an umbrella next time and bring it everyday.I will even buy a special one. I promise”

“It’s no use, though. I am sick already”

“I’m sorry” His expression was very... unread-able. He frowned a lot and bit his nail.I was trying to close my eyes  to sleep but I knew, something was wrong.

“What is it?” I got up and asked him. He was surprised.

“Umm... if I buy some umbrella for you, promise me you’d bring it everyday” He brought himself to sit on my  bed.I couldn’t believe that was what worrying him. I lied on bed while shaking my head in disbelief.

“Minah, I... I got accepted for law” I got back up again and hugged him excitedly.

“Oh My God Congratulation!! Seoul National University?”

“H.. Harvard Law” He said with a very small voice. I didn’t realize I stopped smiling for a split second.

“OH MY GOD, MY FRIEND IS A GENIUS!!!” I hugged him again. He avoided my gaze. “You didn’t tell me you applied to Harvard!”

“Y.. yeah I wasn’t really expecting any Letter of Acceptance”

“The good thing is you got accepted!” I patted his back. He didn’t say anything. He slowly wrapped his arm around me very tightly. I couldn’t breath properly, although I didn’t really think it was from his hug.

I didn’t know what happened, but when I realized, his shoulder was already wet, from tears going down from my cheeks.

 

I thought you promised me to bring the umbrella I gave you everyday? Anyway I wanted to visit you. I had the ticket booked for tomorrow. But something comes up so maybe I’ll wait for next semester break.

 

It rained again. I found a bus stop to take shelter. I looked inside and my bag and felt relieved. I opened my umbrella and walked to home. It happened again, I took a breath. The fresh air, the scent, the wet leaves falling, and the light sun. But he was missing. His wide smile that I loved the most was missing. I could no longer deny herself. I missed him.I was mad. I was so mad that he left.

 

Ah.... too bad. Another 6 months then? I couldn’t believe you haven’t visited me even once for 2 years. It has been raining for almost an hour. I could really use a jacket right now.

 

I could only sat on the floor in front of my college department building, starring at the rain. Sometimes, I  did wonder how does it felt drenched in the rain. Upon hearing a bell from my phone, I checked it anticipating another message from Mark. It wasn’t my phone apparently,  how silly I must’ve looked. It was was so boring  that I waited for his message.

I took a breath again, the fresh air, the scent, the light sun, I missed him again. I decided to try. I walked towards the rain and expected to finally felt some raindrops on my head. But Ifelt nothing. I looked up and found a jacket covering over my body.

 

“You said you could use a jacket right now” Mark smiled. “Do I really have to hold the jacket for you or?” He put the jacket over my head and spreaded his arms while looking up to the sky.

“AH! IT’S SO REFRESHING!” He screamed and smiled at me widely.

That smile. That wide smile I missed the most. Everything is back to its place. He is right here with me. I realized,  that he’s really here and hugs him.

“Were you trying to drench yourself in the rain though?” He whispered to me.

“YOU SAID YOU WEREN’T COMING” He was lying.He lied to me that he wasn’t going to visit me. I hit him real hard on his chest.

“I’m sorry, I wanted to surprise you” He smiled. His arms found its way and he pulled close. “I miss you” He whispered. I  looked at his grinning face and smiled. As he stared, he brought his face close and finally locked his lips to mine.

 

It wasn’t my ring earlier, it was from his phone for my message.