All circulation in Ji Min's body stopped at that moment.

Then came the rush. Ji Min flushed at the close contact as her blood pumped harder than before and swore there must have been steam coming out from her ears. She was baffled, unknowing what to do.

Dae Hyun, oblivious in his sleep to Ji Min's reaction, pulled her waist in tighter.

Her heart was sprinting at a pace she couldn't handle. After some debate inside her head - one telling her not to disturb the beautiful boy's sleep and one telling her that he was still a stranger - Ji Min felt she had to wake him up.

However, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She didn't want to break this moment of peace she so barely felt. She knew what would happen once she woke Dae Hyun up; they would realize that her clothes had dried a long time ago, and then come to the conclusion that it was time for Ji Min to go home. And Ji min would be left alone all over again, in her empty home, listening to the rain with no one to comfort her.

Dae Hyun shuffled again, releasing her waist and lying on his back. Ji Min's heart skipped a beat when she saw Dae Hyun slowly open his eyes. They were half opened and lazy, and Ji Min found that Dae Hyun was only partially awake, half of his conscience still roaming the clouds.

"Ji Min-ah," he whispered, his eyes locking on hers. She found the blue specks in his dark eyes dancing again. "Why... were you talking... to an umbrella?"

At the question, Ji Min sat shocked for a while before cracking a small smile. Of course he would be wondering.

"I was actually talking to my mom," she whispered back kindly, feeling comfortable that Dae Hyun was probably more asleep than awake. Gathering up her courage, she took her hand and brushed some of Dae Hyun's bangs out of his eyes. He seemed to like her touch.

"Mom?" he repeated, his eyes starting to get heavier.

"Mhm, my mom. You see... she's very sick..." Ji Min spoke softly, her voice wavering.

His sleepy eyes stared into her own before Dae Hyun brought up his hand. He softly caressed her cheek with his hand and Ji Min instinctively nuzzled into it, feeling his smooth skin.

"Don't be sad, Ji Min-ah..." he mumbled, his hand dropping gently and his eyes closing fully, signalling he was completely in his dreams once more. She watched Dae Hyun slowly fall back asleep, with his head still in her lap.

Ji Min let out a bittersweet smile at his consoling words, but saddened all the more as she recalled her mother.

"You see... she's going to die..." she muttered out, barely containing the tears about to flow over.

Some time had passed before Ji Min did anything besides watch Dae Hyun sleep in her lap. She watched his relaxed face and the rise and fall of his chest. And as she watched him, something in her changed. It was a very tiny part that moved, but it was significant. Ji Min didn't believe her life was going to get any better, nor that was she never going to be alone. These truths did not change, like the truth that her mother was going to be gone in a few months, or maybe even weeks. But the small part that did change was that... she didn't want to follow her mother across death's river anymore. The warmth and kindness that this boy showed her changed her mind. That was enough.

She was careful in lifting his head and slipping out. She replaced the support her legs had given Dae Hyun's head with a cushion nearby. She was cautious not to wake the peacefully sleeping boy.

When she was free from the sofa, Ji Min stood up and looked around for a clock. She spotted the time on the microwave: 4 am. It was nearly morning. She sighed quietly and tiptoed out of the living room. She needed to retrieve her clothes if she were to leave. She opened the door to what she thought was the laundry room.

She was highly mistaken.

She saw Him Chan on the bed - still in his wife beater and shorts - reading a book. She couldn't help but feel a little surprised at the sight. She thought Him Chan would be sleeping, and didn't take him for an active reader, no less. She saw one of his hands fiddle with a cigarette pack and figured he wanted a smoke but couldn't.

Him Chan looked up as the door opened, noticing Ji Min. She stood awkwardly. "I thought this... was the laundry room," she mumbled quietly. "Sorry."

She took a step back to close the door when Him Chan spoke to her, "Leaving so soon?"

"It's already really late. Or really early... I'm sorry I was a bother..."

"Y'know, Dae Hyun will be pretty upset if you don't say good bye before you go..." Him Chan said, putting his book down and walking towards her from the bed. He stood right in front of her before he smirked.

"Send him my thanks, would you?" Ji min asked politely, feeling a little guilty towards Dae Hyun that she was leaving without a word.

"Yeah, sure," Him Chan said nonchalantly. He still fiddled with his cigarette pack. "By the way, are you okay?"

Ji Min tilted her head at his question. That was one question she least expected a character like Him Chan to ask her.

"...You had the look in your eyes... The one where it's as if you have nothing to live for," he explained, looking straight at her. Ji Min couldn't glance away as he searched her eyes, seeking the truth. "You still have a little bit of it."

Ji Min stared at him, wide eyed in shock, after hearing his words. She wondered how he had known. He was reading her like a book. Had it been that obvious?

"Y-yeah... I'm... okay now," she managed out weakly after recovering herself.

Him Chan nodded knowingly before planting the palm of his hand on the top of her head and ruffling up her hair.

"Good. The world's pretty large and you're still pretty young. I'm sure you can find something to live for," he gave Ji Min a reassuring smile, followed with a wink. Butterflies flew in Ji Min's stomach. He pointed to another door out in the hallway. "The laundry's right over there, kiddo."

Ji Min bowed to him before she stepped out and Him Chan closed the door. She stood blankly while she heard Him Chan groan from the other side of the door, "Ah, Jun Hyo Sung~ Get back soon." That was an interaction that she hadn't foreseen at all, especially with Him Chan. But his words were comforting and she was definitely feeling better with his words in her ears.

She went to the laundry room and fetched her clothes from the drying machine. She changed into them, folding Hyo Sung's clothes after she took them off. She left them on top of the machine. She walked back into the living room and kitchen area, seeing Dae Hyun still asleep on the sofa.

She walked up to him. She crouched down to closely observe Dae Hyun's face, even though she had been staring at it for so long beforehand. Ji Min couldn't be more grateful that he talked to her when he did. She sent him a sincere smile, knowing he couldn't see. She whispered to him, "Thank you." 

She memorized his face for the last time when an impulse took over her. Gently, she took her hand and pushed back his bangs. Her heart was beating faster now. She leaned down until her face was only millimeters from Dae Hyun's. She took a small breath in before she closed the distance, planting a light kiss on his forehead. With her heart almost jumping out of her chest, she pulled away from Dae Hyun and grinned at him.

I think I may have found it... Something of value, she thought. Even if I never see you again.

She stood up and walked towards the front door. Ji Min took a look at the umbrellas lined up. Him Chan's, Dae Hyun's and her own broken one. She hesitated which one to take, though she didn't know why. The old umbrella was the one that was hers, the one that she had cherished all this time. Yet she couldn't make herself grab it.

My gift to you.

Dae Hyun's voice lingered in her ear.

A gift... She reached for Dae Hyun's umbrella. She took one last look at the sleeping Dae Hyun with a muffled giggle. You told me to, she reminded him in her mind. She left her own umbrella, knowing that it would be only garbage to the two boys; it would be up to them to throw it out or not. She wouldn't look back on it. She wouldn't. Ji Min walked out with the Dae Hyun's umbrella, softly closing the door behind her.

She went down the elevator and past the lobby (where the guard gave her a strange look).

It was still raining outside, but it had eased up now to a soft drizzle. The sun was rising, tinting the dark sky with colour once more. She felt refreshed. Ji Min opened up Dae Hyun's umbrella and walked into the rain, feeling infinitely better than she had previously. She smiled, walking down the street under the protection of the umbrella.

The new umbrella.

Ah, that brings an end to this short story. I'm sad to be saying good bye to sweet Dae Hyunnie~ and I'm sorry if it was boring for you guys, but I had fun writing it, actually;;;;; I guess I'm just not a fast paced writer OTL..... ANYWAYS, thanks for reading all this time, I really appreciate it <3<3<3