The air was gruesomely warm and thick with a heavy fog. Did it rain? Or was it about to? The street lights seemed to change color every time we walked downed the small alley. Now it was a very dim pink with a blue glow that outlined the dark sky.

     The damp pavement glistened with a musty shine even in the dark night. All seemed at calm...except for my heart.

There was a bit of jitteriness in me and every step I took, I was wary. Was it because I hadn't seen him so long?

      Jiyong on the other hand looked completely at calm. His hands in his pockets and his head sunken down, he almost looked too serene.

"So what have you been up to?" Jiyong asked in a cool tone.

    "Just working and looking around for a job as a teacher in a high school." 

    "Oh yea...I keep forgetting you're just a substitute teacher for us." He frowned, "Wait where do you work?"

    I pointed as we reached the Ji-market. "Well right here actually, I work part time."

    Jiyong clasped his mouth and bent down when he read the sign. I could see him trying so hard to keep from breathing heavily. 

Was he laughing? At the sign? Well of course it was kind of ridiculous even from my point of view. Pretty lame of a name.

 He quickly composed himself and tried to hold in little escapes of laugher as he avoided my eyes. "So... You work here?"

 

Jiyong put down the bag and looked at the other instant foods in the isle.

       "Well you two sure look pretty friendly." He said bluntly with a hint of accented anger in her voice. Ohh wait, something was up with him. 

       "Jeez, jealous much?" I giggled and snatched the food out of his hands. 

      Jiyong looked flustered and blinked in frustration. 

     "W-What? No! What are you...talking about? I'm not..." Jiyong scoffed and smiled as he shook his head. "...jealous."

       "Why are you so flustered about it then?"

"J-just, give me that back. I was reading it!" He snatched it back out of my hands.

      I laughed at his reaction and the way he was so worked up about it. 

Along with my laugh, I could see a small smile forming at his lips and his eyes soften gradually.

      "Come on, we should find stuff to eat." Jiyong said pushing me towards the frozen isle.

      We picked out snacks and junk food to pig out on and after much argument we finally organized what we wanted to buy. 

      "Hey does the spicy flavor taste better..." Jiyong held up one of the chips beside his head. "...or the mild one?" He held the other one up to the other side of his head.

      "Ummm definitely spicy!" I said picking it out of his hands.

      "Good, I like spicy." He smiled deviously.

 At the drinks section, I picked out a Sunny 10 can with Jiyong's face on it. "Oppa! You look younger here, and cute." I said trying to imitate his look on the can.

        He took the can and smiled, "What are you trying to say? That I'm old and ugly now?"

"Ashhhh, I hate the rain." Jiyong said as he took the plastic bag away from my hands. He put his hand above his eyes and squinted to make out how far our house was. 

      "What do we do?" I said worriedly. 

      Jiyong took off his sweat shirt and revealed a white undershirt underneath it. It exposed his lean and toned muscular arms. Whew, was it hot or what? He took off his hat and it revealed his tousled golden blonde hair which shone brightly even in the rain. After shaking his hair around to fix it, he put his hat back on.

But then he did something unexpected. He put his hoodie over my head and helped me put it on. Tucking my hair out of the hoodie and behind my ears, he pulled up the hood over my head. I felt like a little kid being dressed up. 

     "W-wait, what are yo-"

     "There's only one thing to do now." Jiyong gave a sly smirk and his eyes sparked in reflection to the rain. He gave a final adjustment to the hoodie and reached out to grab my hand. Without giving much thought, i held my hand up to his. His lean fingers locked across mine and I felt as if we connected. Not just physically but within our hearts. His smile immediately placed a brave grin on my lips. And for some reason, I trusted him that he would lead me well. Whether it was rain or any other thing. 

      And then we ran into the rain.