Five years ago.

Tiffany still couldn’t fully understand why most of her friends told her to stay away from Luhan. They said that there were rumors that he was involved in a gang, or something like he was actually the son to a wanted criminal. But they were rumors, right? No one was able to say confidently that they were true.

Even though Luhan was rather aloof and was always seen isolating himself from the rest of his peers, Tiffany had a strong urge to be friends with him. She would always wave at him whenever they bumped at school but he would ignore her everytime. Last time, Tiffany found him sleeping at the library. She secretly sat next to him and did her studying until he woke up. When he did, she tried talking to him but he left with an annoyed sigh.

She wasn’t planning to give up any sooner though.

The boys were having a soccer match at the school that evening and Tiffany heard that Luhan was quite the star player. Tiffany and her girlfriends sat at the bleachers and rooted for their favorite players, though Tiffany did so secretly because apparently, rooting for Luhan was frowned upon. He was like an unspoken taboo; he was there, but everyone chose not to see him. It seemed as if he didn’t exist.

Just as the rumors claimed, Luhan really was good at soccer. Her heart skipped a beat everytime he managed to gain control over the soccer ball and dashed towards the goal. He had scored the first goal for his team and was on his way for the second. However, another player from the opposing team made a rash dash towards him and the two boys had a bad collision. Both of them lied on the grass, far apart from each other, groaning in pain. Tiffany stood up from her seating in reflex as the team members began to dash towards the injured player.

To her surprise, no one was paying attention to Luhan. Everyone was so busy attending to the other player while Luhan pushed himself up and walked limply to the side of the field. Tiffany ran down the bleachers, ignoring her friends’ questions and ran straight towards Luhan. She quickly crouched in front of him who was already seated on the bench.

“Luhan, are you okay?” There was a tiny panic heard in her voice. She tried to touch his leg but he quickly shoved her hand away.

“I’m fine. I don’t need your concern,” he said with a constant wince on his face.

“You look like you’re in so much pain! We need to get you treated immediately!”

“I said I’m fine! Just leave me alone!” His voice slightly rose.

“I can’t leave you alone!” Tiffany lost her composure and yelled at him. Everyone, including Luhan, was surprised at her outburst, though everyone else was just more bewildered at the fact that Tiffany was trying to help Luhan.

“You hurt your leg and it needs immediate attention! Now stay still and wait until I comeback with a first aid kit!” Her shouting rendered the younger guy speechless. He did as Tiffany told and stayed still. She ran towards the Soccer Club members’ seating and asked them for a first aid kit. She came back to Luhan with a Soccer Club member who had a know-how in first aid and proceeded to put the appropriate bandage on Luhan’s leg. Afterwards, he suggested taking Luhan to the school clinic for a proper diagnosis and treatment. Tiffany helped Luhan walk on his feet since everyone else was busy sending the other injured player on a stretcher.

-

After she got back from school that day, she couldn’t stop thinking about Luhan. He was in so much pain, and yet everyone ignored him. If she were to put herself in his shoes, she would have felt so lonely and yet Luhan didn’t complain at all. He must had been used to it, to be painful alone.

She was glad that his injury was nothing serious though.

Tiffany couldn’t bring herself to study or even sleep so she decided to go to the night market nearby. Ever since her first time, she had gone there every week and learned to love the fun that a night market offers. She also had learned a few tricks to avoid persistent and fierce sellers.

To her pleasant surprise, she saw Luhan at the night market. She didn’t go to him and said hi right away, but chose to watch him from afar instead. He was sipping on his favorite drink while walking along the street, stopping briefly to browse some stuff sold there. He was limping, of course. Tiffany chuckled to herself. He still wanted to go to the night market even when his leg was hurt.

All of a sudden, thunder struck the black sky, splitting it in parts and deafened ears with its sound. People started to move faster when it began to drizzle. In mere seconds, the drizzle turned into a heavy downpour. Some people put up their umbrellas while others scattered away to find shelter.

Luhan just stood there. In the middle of the street, letting the rain soaked him head to toe. He looked up at the sky, staring blankly at the infinite darkness as if he was sending telepathic messages to the sky before he slowly hung his head low again. As if sensing that he was being watched, he slowly looked back.

Their eyes met. To his surprise-though he didn’t show it at all-Tiffany was watching him under the rain too. She was too occupied with watching him that she let herself got soaked. Her eyes looked mellow, her arms limply hung by her sides. Their eyes locked them both in that moment where it felt as if time had stopped. Neither felt self-conscious for being stared at by each other because they both were too busy in their thoughts, thinking and asking countless questions about each other.

Luhan let out a small sigh and shook his head. He ignored the girl and left his spot, looking for a shelter between two buildings of shop lots.  

“Why are you still following me?” Luhan asked, his back was facing her. Tiffany was startled that Luhan knew. He slowly turned around and leaned against the wall, only to see his expectation came true; Tiffany standing stiff in front of him, soaked head to toe, damp hair stuck on her forehead and neck, her clothes stuck indecently to her body.

“I-I was just curious,” Tiffany stuttered a little, startled at Luhan’s sudden question.

“About what?”

Tiffany paused for a while to construct a sentence in her head. Her heart was doing funny things to her brain that caused her to be struggling with her words.

“About why I don’t have any friends? Or whether those rumors about me being involved in a triad organization was true?” Luhan suggested. Tiffany shook her head.

“I was just curious about you,” she paused, “about why you’re so cold to me.”

Luhan looked away and sighed. “The rain isn’t going to stop anytime soon,” he mumbled to himself.

“I don’t mind. Because I’m with you.”

Luhan let out a sarcastic chuckle. “That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Tiffany frowned. “Why?”

“It’s true. All those rumors are. I am the son of a wanted criminal. I am destined to be the successor of the triad he leads. What do you think? Do you still think it’s okay to hang around me?”

“Are you happy to be a part of that organization? You don’t look happy to me. If that’s the case, you’re still a good person and I don’t see any problems with befriending you.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Luhan stared at her. His glare was so intense that he seemed as if he was going to swallow her whole. Tiffany was a little intimidated, a little anxious, but a little fuzzy inside too so she braved herself to not look away from him.

Suddenly, a tricycle that had a full carriage sped through the small street between the building. Luhan grabbed Tiffany by the shoulders and quickly pushed her to the wall, his body slightly pressed to her protectively. Their brief physical contact sent their heart pounding against their chests, but none were trying to show it on their face. As Luhan slowly created a gap between them again, their eyes met. Tiffnay’s round, innocent looking eyes pierced into his.

“Are you okay?” He asked her.

Tiffany nodded. Her eyes slowly traveled downwards and lingered at his beautiful thin lips.

“Are my lips that interesting? You’ve been staring at it for too long.” Luhan whispered with a smirk.

Tiffany quickly blinked her eyes and looked somewhere else.

“I’m going to warn you just this one thing.”

Tiffany looked into his eyes again. Luhan’s playful smirk had long gone from his lips. Instead, his piercing, ice cold stare returned again.

“You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into,” he whispered.

Her heart raced faster as Luhan’s face gradually inched closer to her until her lips were fully sealed with his. Her eyes closed at the new sensation. He was soft, sweet, and unlike his exterior, he was totally warm.