They were silent for a while. No one said a thing as soon as they break free from each other’s hug. Bom went back to her spot, still standing and watching the clouds. Taeyang was sitting just beside her. Bom still looked troubled. Taeyang doesn’t know what to do. Every now and then, he can hear Bom mumbling something very inaudible for human ears to hear. But sometimes he can make out his name, but nothing else. He thought she was speaking in a foreign language he has never heard before.

Friends. Just friends. Bom thought. Then she sighed and looked down to the ant-sized students below, and then added in a much louder voice. “I understand.”

Taeyang stared at her. It’s the first sentence she said since they broke free from their embrace. He can’t help but speak too. “You know how much I love Dara, right? As a man, I think it’s better to tell you this. Well I really have to fight for my feeling for her before any other man steals her from me.”

Bom felt another tear roll down her cheeks. Somehow, she’s thankful that the wind stopped blowing so her hair just flowed straight and covered her face so Taeyang wasn’t able to see her crying again. “I guess I have to fight for what I feel for you too,” she said in a whisper but now audible for Taeyang to hear. She heaved a sigh, “I’m going now. The bell is about to ring.”

She walked away, not caring to wipe the tears off her face, maybe Taeyang would notice and she doesn’t want that.

She was about to reach the door when Taeyang called. “Bommie!”

She didn’t turn, but she stopped on her tracks.

“Please give back the rowdy Bommie I know. I don’t know you anymore. I don’t know the Bommie I just talked to anymore. Will you go back to your normal self again? I am not used to seeing my childhood friend like this.”

Bom didn’t nod. She didn’t say yes either. She just smiled. But she left Taeyang without a word to him.

She was now standing before their classroom door. I’m doing this for our friendship, Taeyang. Then she opened the door.

“Hey, classmates!” she greeted too loudly. “Not used of not seeing your loud classmate, Bommie? How are you all?”

Dara smiled. “I’m glad to see that the old Bom has returned,” she said and hugged her best friend.

It was the end of the day…

Dara left Bom to go home alone again because she has to tutor Jiyong again. Next week’s going to be their finals already and they have to work hard, according to Dara. Both Dara and Jiyong suggested her to go the gymnasium knowing that Taeyang would be there to practice basketball with the team. Bom hesitated but she has to face him and show him her old self again.

Now, Bom was chatting with the team. She has this kind of friendship with them.  Being a sporty girl she is, she is closed with them. But she noticed something.

‘’Where’s Taeyang?” Bom asked, peering behind their shoulders.

“Here,” Taeyang said appearing behind her. Bom turned and showed her “old self” again, not a trace on her face of her confession to him. She shows him the face he usually sees, the rowdy and loud Bom he knows, as if nothing happened this lunch. They even did that handshake they do, which no one even Jiyong knows how to do. They have been doing this since they became closed with each other.

“Bom!” Seungri, a teammate called her and threw the ball towards her. “Let’s have a match. Our team versus you and Taeyang.”

“Game!” Bom said.

The librarian rang the bell. It’s time for the library to be closed. Another tutorial day has passed and Dara thinks that Jiyong is not yet ready.

“It’s a wrap,” Dara ordered. “Let’s not go home first, accompany me to the jewelry store again.”

“Jewelry store?” Jiyong gasped.

“Why?”

Jiyong just loosened his necktie, a sign of him being nervous of something. “Nothing.” He knew she wants to check the bracelet again. He felt bad that she won’t be able to find the bracelet once she gets there. But, he doesn’t know why, he just wants to surprise her. When? He still doesn’t know.

As they neared the store, Jiyong kept on fidgeting. Good thing, Dara hasn’t noticed.

“Oh no!” Dara gasped.

Jiyong pretended to be surprised too. “Why?” he said, peering over her shoulder.

“The necklace was sold already.”

The saleslady from before just stared at Jiyong and giggled.

Noticing this, Dara elbowed Jiyong and whispered. “Looks like she got attracted to you.”

Hearing this, Jiyong nearly laughed aloud. He just kept it to himself.

Stepping out of the store, they walked straight home. But later, Jiyong felt his side empty. He turned and saw Dara gazing at the sky. Then he felt droplets of rain against his face.

“Hey!” he called. “Let’s get out of here, we’ll be wet.”

Dara ignored him; instead, she stretched out her arms as if welcoming something falling from the sky.

“Hey! Are you crazy?” Jiyong said, already covering his head with his bag.

Dara ran towards him and pulled him. “Come on. Let’s play. I know you want to.” Then she started to run around.

The people around started evacuating. People ran past them. Some people stared at them as if they were two people who are out if their minds. But Dara seemed to not notice, though if she did, she ignored them. She enjoyed the rain as if it’s the first time in years that it poured. She ran around like a child.

This made Jiyong smile. She looks like a cute kid, he thought.

Dara stopped and noticed Jiyong just standing and smiling at her.

“Omo!” Dara gasped. “You smiled! I thought you don’t know how to smile. Show it to me again!”

Jiyong and stayed serious, though.

“So, this is how you want to do it, eh?” Dara creased her forehead and crossed her arms.

She attacked Jiyong to tickle him, but Jiyong was fast to dodge her. They chased each other under the rain, Jiyong stil managed to not crack the littlest smile or break a laugh.

Then Dara noticed something. “Hey!” Dara called while trying to catch her breath. “What is your bag doing over your head?! Your head is still dry!”

Now, their subject of chasing is Jiyong’s bag. Jiyong stopped and stretched his arms up taking advantage of Dara’s short height. He was about to smile at the sight of Dara trying to reach his bag.

Dara’s smile never once faded. She was enjoying this time with Jiyong. She was happy with him. She never even thought that Jiyong would join her under the rain.

Meanwhile, Jiyong's arms strained from staying stretched up. Then Dara was able to grab it from his hands. She ran away and Jiyong chased her. For a while, she saw Jiyong cracked a smile. She suddenly stopped and just stared at his smile, now glued on his face. She hasn’t even noticed that now she was already on the middle of the road. She was too entranced with Jiyong’s smile.

Suddenly, a car was approaching. With Jiyong’s fast reflexes, he was able to grab Dara away from the road. Jiyong got wet and dirty with the mud puddle sprayed on him. Now, his back is covered with mud.

“Do you want to die, b*tch?” the driver of the car shouted when he passed by.

Dara was in a shock, her eyes wide. Her face is buried on Jiyong’s chest. She can hear his heart beating very hard. He was gasping for breath. His chin was resting at her head. She can feel his breath on her hair.  His arms enclosing her in a tight embrace as if anytime, the car would be turning back and bump them and he’s there to protect her. She’s trembling, not from the cold. She was scared. She looked up at him, he was looking away, grimacing at the car that just passed by, muttering something, maybe a curse or something. Then later, Jiyong looked down at her. They were now looking into each other’s eyes. She can see right through his worried eyes. Thanks to him I’m still alive.

But Dara was afraid that he would scold her like a mother does to a child when a child did something wrong. So she lowered her head.

“Are you alright?” Jiyong said in the softest voice.

Dara again gazed at his eyes. She was tearful. She’s expecting the worse from him but here he was, gently speaking to her, as if very careful to not break something fragile on her.

But Jiyong smiled. Dara did too but still in tears.

“You’re safe,” Jiyong said in a smile.

The rain hasn’t stopped pouring. Instead, it became stronger. But Dara and Jiyong are walking in a slow pace under the rain, unprotected from the cold. Their uniforms are drenched. Their bags are, too.

Dara came to a halt suddenly. Jiyong turned. She has her head lowered. She stared at her drenched and muddy shoes. She felt her eyes sting from tears.

“Dara?” Jiyong called. He walked towards her when she didn’t respond. “Are you crying?” he lifted her chin to gaze into her eyes. She has her eyes closed, not wanting him to see her crying. “It’s okay now,” he said gently. “You’re safe. Why are you crying?”

“You’re—“Dara stammered. “You’re… dirty.”

Jiyong chuckled very lightly to not upset her. “It’s okay. What’s important is that you’re safe. And you’re still here…” he said and then added in a whisper. “…with me.”

She sobbed and opened her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

 Jiyong saw sadness in her eyes. He was tempted to hug her, to comfort her.

And he did.

He shushed her. “It’s alright,” he said, resting his chin on her head.

When they arrived at Dara’s home, Dara insisted him to stay until the rain stopped. Jiyong hesitated but still he went in.

Dara saw a note.

                Went to buy groceries with Minzy. – Mom

“Wait here,” Dara ordered. “I’m going upstairs to get Dad’s clothes.”

When she came back, she saw Jiyong still glued at the same spot where she left him. A polite one, she thought.

“The bathroom’s there. Just leave your uniform there; I’m going to wash them.”

“No,” Jiyong said. “I have my maids to do that.”

“No, please.”

“It’s alright, okay?” Jiyong assured her and entered the bathroom without letting Dara protest anymore.

In the shower… Jiyong contemplated what he had done today.

“Play under the rain,” Jiyong whispered and chuckled. “Certainly a first.”

Upstairs, Dara was also contemplating the things that just happened. She just played with Jiyong under the rain. She used to play this with someone else. Jiyong would be the first other than the other one. And incredibly, she enjoyed it with him. She never once imagined that Jiyong would even do that. Jiyong is too mysterious for the people to predict that he would even do that. She finds this very amazing. Jiyong has this side too, who would have known. Also, he thought of how he held her when he saved him from the car. She felt her heartbeat, it was fast. He was nervous too. She can see all the emotions he had during that time. She was so close with him. And as if it was not enough, he again hugged her when she cried because of guilt. Again, she felt his heartbeat. The way he comforted her was so overwhelming she felt the rain stopped falling. She felt as if they had their own world, as if the time stopped and all she could hear was his heartbeat and his breathing. And all she could feel was happiness despite of tears. She wanted nothing more but to stay like that. But they have to let go of each other because of the rain.

“It was such an overwhelming feeling,” Dara said, feeling the water showering against her face. Then she sneezed. “Stupid rain,” she said bitterly, but added, “But thanks to you, we became closer.”

Oddly though, she has the feeling of thanking the driver who was about to bump her, if not with him, she wouldn’t feel and see the protective side of Jiyong.

Dara giggled. “This might be the beginning of something.”