Hana always wondered if there was always a silver lining for the hard times she went through. The nights she spent alone along with the sound of her sobs, the pitiful treatment she received every and any path she walked on and the taunts about her lifestyles she didn’t deserve.

 

Therefore, she wondered if that man was a silver lining to all of the troubles she went through. A memory to help through the times she wanted herself to be non-existent.

 

“Are you fine?” he asked softly, the murmurs of the rain dissolving in the background.

 

“Huh?”

 

Hana was woken from her stupor before noticing that she was staring at his eyes all of this while. She averted her eyes, looking at her shoes.

 

“I’m fine.” she mumbled, rubbing the back of her palm against her cheeks.

 

“Sure.” he scoffed, before letting his thumb pads remove the remaining of her tears from her skin. She was too overwhelmed to care, so he let him continue.

 

While they walked towards the front door of the cafe, a separate umbrella above her head protecting her from the merciless pour. The rainman, is what she decided to call him, was right behind her, eyes glued to her slumped shoulders.

 

“You know, there is this myth-”

 

Hana stopped as the man behind started to initiate a conversation. She looked back, however she could only see his tight fitted jeans along with a small glance of his white shirt tucked in since her umbrella was lowered so much.

 

“You may walk.” Hana continued walking. Arriving at the front entrance of the cafe took a few minutes considering that it was the other side of the road, but she didn’t mind. She could take all her time just listening to his deep breaths and the melody of his voice.

 

“There is this myth” he continued, “that if it rains on St.Swithins day , it would rain for the next 40 days constantly. Did you know about it?”

 

Hana shook her head, hoping that he would see it. The rainman gave a hum of realization, letting the matter dissolve in the background.

 

I wish it would rain on St.Swithins day, Hana thought.

 

So that I could see you everyday it rains.

 

Hana didn’t know, but somehow, the rainman was sharing the same sentiments as hers.

 

Once they reached the front door, Hana closed the wide opened umbrella with much effort. She watched the rainman do the same thing before resting it inside the umbrella dryer. She took a glance at the umbrella on her own hands, realizing that it belonged to the rain man, she tried to return it back to him.

“Keep it. Since everytime I see you, you are without an umbrella.” he chuckled. “It will save from the rain and perhaps…” his voice was lowered to a small hopeful whisper,” it will give you an excuse to see me again.”

 

Hana could feel her cheeks heating in response, hair standing under her uniform so she took on her heels and pushed the glass doors quick. She shut herself behind the staff’s door, and rested her back against it. Rain dripped from the stray strands of her hair, meeting the ground. Her heart was beating so fast that unknowingly her hand reached to her chest as a way to calm it down.

Opening the door, she found herself breathing the humid air, which smelled particularly of the damped soil and coffee beans. She didn’t mind as she proceeded towards the marble table top to clean it with a wet cloth. Her apron was tightly fitted against her waist, maybe suffocating her of breath, as her shoulders were drenched due to the exposure to the rain earlier.

 

Seemingly the shower stopped long before, the ambient pitter-patter of the droplets not hitting the roof anymore.Hana sighed in relief because she couldn’t afford wasting anymore time drying her sneakers. However, while she cleaned the table top, her eyes trailed towards the rain man, who seemed to be concentrating on a work on his laptop, typing occasionally as his figure was slumped over. His glasses lightly slid on his nose bridge, the end of his nose scrunching and relaxing ever so often.

 

Hana liked the little miniscule movements of his, for example his slender fingers tapping against the wooden table and such. Halting her cleaning activities, Hana prepared a latte and a small carrot cake and served it to the rain man. The rain man looked at her with gratefulness and thanked her as he later returned to the screen, focusing.

 

Hana stood there for a while, holding her tray tightly. Her name badge was illuminated by the sun rays through the glass windows.

 

She didn’t know what she was feeling. The small surge of happiness, the heart skipping a beat and her chest getting a little tighter making it difficult to breath.

 

“Hana. Lee Hana” Her manager chirped breaking her away from her stance. She watched the rainman being a startled by the sudden holler, but he relaxed his taut position. He craned his neck to take a look at her face, his eyes reflecting a confusing emotion, as his gaze trailed to her name badge.

 

Her eyes met his but he looked away, not holding the gaze anymore. He cleared his throat and returned working.

 

“Coming!” Hana wet sneakers squeaked against the tiled floor. However, she stopped as she heard the chair screeched and the bells chiming some seconds after. He left.

 

The rainman left. When she looked back, she saw the uneaten cake and half-finished latte.

 

It gave her an unsettling feeling in her chest but she cared less and went back to work.

 

It always ends like that for her, Irene thought. Her silver lining always lasts for an ephemeral.