It’s been two months, I thought. I sat there and looked out the window, staring as the rain began to fall. Drizzling at first, then slowly turning into a pour. “Look, Seo. The sky is crying. It’s weeping for those who are lost,” I whispered quietly. I stayed like that, for maybe five hours. I liked the way the rain splashed against the ground. I like the way it pooled on the sidewalks and on the road. I like the way it raced down my window. I watched the raindrops play a game of tag until they disappeared into the trellises.

After quite some time, something caught my eye. I strained my eyes to see the figure of a man walking down the side walk. He stopped and turned, looking at my house for about a minute, and then he began to walk again. Before disappearing from view, he turned around and did the same thing. He walked back and forth, pacing on the sidewalk across the street. He couldn’t have seen me through the pouring rain, but when he began to cross the street, I began to doubt myself.

I ran to the front door and locked it, leaning against it with a sigh. This is really strange. Why would a man be watching my home like this? After a few seconds, a knock sounded on my door. I waited to see if he would go away. Silence. Knock knock knock! I slowly gathered the courage to look through the ‘peep’ hole. There he stood, the man I met on my birthday three and a half years ago. I unlocked the door and opened the door with caution, “Sun Woo-ssi?”

The man sighed with relief and shot me a quick smile. “I’m glad you remember me,” he said, almost sounding… excited? I guided him inside, taking his wet coat and hanging up. I rushed to the bathroom to grab a towel for him. When I came back into the dining room, he was seated at the table. I draped the towel around his shoulders and sat across from him.

“What brings you here?” I asked, a little confused. He just smiles again and rubs his hair with the towel. “I read about your accident in the newspaper three and a half years ago. I visited you in the hospital,” he explained. I furrowed my brow and cocked my head in a silent why? He didn’t answer and just continued his story. “I visited you once every month for the first three months, but I felt as if you could use company more often, so I began to visit every two weeks. After the first year passed, it quickly turned into once a week every week and then twice a week.”

The room fell silent as he hit a lull in his story. It stayed that way for a little more than a minute, and I dared not say anything yet. Soon enough, he sighed and continued, “I collected all the articles about your work and anything they released on your condition, as well as your friends’ families and the like.” “Why?” I asked, unable to control my burning curiosity. He shrugged, “I don’t really know, I had wanted to see you again since we met that Christmas. I wanted to talk to you, hear your voice, I guess.”

I didn’t realize that tears began to form in my eyes until Sun Woo looked at me with concern. He didn’t comment on it though as I wiped my eyes. “I’d decorate your room according to the seasons. The nurses thought we were a couple, and I had to continuously assure them that we weren’t,” he rubbed the back of his neck with a shy smile. It was cute. “You really did that for me?” I asked, “You really didn’t have to.” He nodded, “I know I didn’t. But I wanted to. You were all alone and I didn’t want you to go through all of that without anyone.”

A smile tugged at my lips and I’m sure he caught onto it, because he began to smile too. “I visited you on Christmas the first year and the nurse explained to me that it was your birthday. I ran out in the snow and bought you a gift at the only store still open…” he trailed off and looked at his feet. A few seconds passed before he picked it up again, “I bought you two gifts each Christmas. I was going to bring them, but it was pouring rain.”

“I don’t understand, Sun Woo-ssi. Why would you do all this for someone you’ve only met once?” I asked, tears filling my eyes. He shook his head, “I don’t understand it either, Seoyoung-ah.” A looked over at my wall, filled with thousands of pictures I’ve taken in the past five years. “I have some photos to add to that wall of yours,” he said, nodding in that direction. “Oh?” “I’ll bring them over sometime soon,” he said.

I shifted in my chair, slowly becoming aware of how uncomfortable it was. “Let’s move to the living room?” I offered and he only nodded, standing up. I stood up and we walked into the living room. When he took a seat on the arm chair, I chose a seat on the couch. “Why didn’t you come after I woke up?” I asked him. He sighed and avoided my eyes, “I was afraid you wouldn’t remember me. I thought you might tell the nurses to kick me out. So I decided not to risk it.” “Ah,” was all I could manage.

We talked for another hour or so and I asked him if would like anything to drink. “Do you have any warm sake?” I nodded with a smile, “So you would like to drink together?” He also nodded. I went into the kitchen and pulled the sake from the cupboard. I leaned against the counter as I waited for the sake to heat on the stove. A few minutes pass and I pour the warm sake into a pitcher. Taking two cups in one hand and the pitcher in another, I made my way back into the living room.

When Sun Woo saw me, he stood up to take the cups from my hand and set them on the coffee table. He smiled at me as he held his cup. After I poured his, he poured mine and together we took a swig. After I was a little tipsy, I was courageous enough to motion him to sit by me. He stumbled a bit, but successfully took a seat next to me. I leaned on his shoulder, thanking him over and over, slurring all the while.

I woke up, not remembering falling asleep. I look to my pillow and I flail in surprise, falling off the couch with a thud. “Sun Woo-ssi?!” I squeaked. He slowly opened his eyes and they grew wider in wider as he realized where he was. “Did we…?” he asked before looking at his clothes. They were still on, and so were mine. We both sighed in relief and laughed at our foolishness. We spent a few minutes cleaning before saying our goodbyes.

I sent him off with a hug and a quick thank you. I ran to my room with an excited squeal, jumping onto my bed and praying for sleep.