The feeling of the dust of old books, the scent of the wooden tables and chairs, the noises of the fan move side to side, it’s the place where he usually gone to after school.

 

Wherever he went, to other city, to other school, to everywhere, the very first he would looking for is a library.

 

The sound of the rain went down and clashed with the ground could be seen outside. He turned his head to the side and saw how the gray cloud cover the once blue and bright sky. It looked a bit depressing, with the solemn atmosphere that given, but somehow he felt comfortable.

 

He continued with what he’s doing, reading. To him, reading is like his usual routine, the same as when he takes meal and sleep.

 

Some people from his class called him a nerd because he always read and read. But, he wouldn’t care if people called him nerd. In fact, he felt proud because he could have wide knowledge about everything around the world that he couldn’t grasp and see directly.

 

“Kyungsoo.”A slim with olive-color uniform walked toward him.

 

“The library will be closed soon. Just take it and continue at home.”the librarian, Ms. Jean said.

 

“Thank you for reminding me. I often forgot the close time.”He said while gathered the books that scattered on the table.

 

Once he gathered his book, he went to the front desk and gave his card to check the books he wanted to borrow.

 

“Good night, Ms. Jean.”

 

“Good night. Be careful on your way.”Ms. Jean said.

 

Kyungsoo smiled before he pushed the door open and walked out.

 

Looking up, he saw how the rain still poured lightly and decided to cover the books he took with his jacket and walked under the rain.

 

Not long for 5 minutes, the rain became heavier. He quickly went aside from the pedestrian and found himself under the shade of a closed store. The rain still got him because of the wind that blew toward the store.

 

He cursed mentally at his misfortune and stared at the closed store behind him. He looked across the street and cursed himself more when he didn’t have a thought to go to the other side. He could went to the cafe that open across and not have rain slapped him on his face.

 

The rain poured heavier and heavier. The thought to go to the open cafe is useless. He couldn’t risk to go across the street. He bet that for two seconds, he would be drenched as soon as he went there.

 

As he busy with his thought, he saw a girl with bag on his head ran toward his place. The girl put the bag down and he saw her drenched hair stuck on her pale face.

 

Her clothes were drenched and he felt pity to her because she got the same misfortune as him.

 

The wind blew harder and the rain slapped him on the face again. He stepped back and tried to cover himself as best as he could on the corner. His back pressed on the closed door of the store.

 

The girl noticed him as she turned her head toward him and he saw how her big eyes turned to crescent smile.

 

“The rain will end soon.”she said as she turned her head to the sky and stared at the gray cloud.

 

Kyungsoo doubted the rain will stopped in short time, because usually when thick gray clouds covered the sky, it took minimum 3 hours. The mere thought 3 hours or more standing outside shuddered him.

 

This girl must be optimist to think like that. He thought.

 

But then, 10 minutes later, the rain stopped. He looked at the sky not believing and stared at the girl that turned to him again.

 

“I told you so.”she softly smiled and waved at him before she walked away while skipping happily.

 

He thought about how weird the girl, it looked like she somehow told God to stop the rain. That’s impossible!

 

Even so, he couldn’t help but repeating the image of her smile over and over again as he walked toward his home.

 

 

 

====+++++======

 

 

The next day, he found himself in the same condition as yesterday. He cursed at himself for not checking the forecast news about today’s weather. Although, it’s not completely his fault, he didn’t like watching TV though.

 

As he stared at the gray cloud that covered the sky, his thought wanderer toward yesterday when he met the weird girl. Will he meet her again here?

 

He shook his head as he thought about it. The possibility almost like 0.1%. It’s really impossible.

 

But, he’s wrong. The girl zoomed past the heavy rain and stood beside him, just like yesterday.

 

She smiled at him like yesterday and said, “We meet again.”

 

It’s like a destiny to meet a stranger in two straight days in the same place. It’s really impossible. Kyungsoo thought repeatedly inside his head.

 

“The rain will be stopped in 10 seconds.”she said.

 

He stared at her confusedly as she gave her gleeful smile as she countdown the time.

 

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1...

 

The rain stopped.

 

She smiled and waved at him before she walked away again.

 

He frowned at the strange occurrence that happened. His body and mind went speechless as he didn’t move for 5 minutes. Deep in thought at how she did it.

 

He determined, tomorrow, he will find out, for sure.

 

 

 

 

====++++==

 

Kyungsoo bid goodbye with his friend at the front gate and stared at the bright sky. He gripped the strip of his bag before walked at the opposite of his home direction.

 

He knew how fool he is, hoping to meet her again. He just recovered yet still stupidly go to that place where he got sick because of waiting of someone he doesn’t know.

 

But, he already prepared. Even the sky screamed there would be no rain, the forecast news said today will be sunny. Yet, he brought an umbrella inside his bag.

 

No less than 5 minutes, he arrived at the street across the closed store. For the third times he went to that place, he just noticed how that store always closed. He never question about it before, but he felt how his curiosity tickling him to know about it.

 

He looked around and saw an old woman who sold street food sitting not far beside him. Kyungsoo approached her and bowed a bit. She looked at the boy and smiled.

 

“Tteokkbeokki, young boy?”she offered.

 

“Ah, w-well. Yeah.”

 

He smiled awkwardly as he took paid small portion of the food. If he just asked without buy it, somehow he felt awful toward the old woman.

 

After he received the food and taste it, he felt grateful he bought it. The street food made by the old woman is delicious.

 

“Excuse me, may I ask something?”He asked as he took bite of the food.

 

“Sure. What do you want to ask, young boy?”She asked as she busily cooked the food.

 

“That store across this street. Why it always closed?”he asked while looking toward the store.

 

He kept eating his food, obvious at the sudden tense on the old woman’s face.

 

“That place is cursed.”said the old woman.

 

Kyungsoo raised his eyebrows in interest as he saw her looking back at him, “Cursed? Why?” he asked.

 

“I was here, watching everything that happened that day. 5 years ago, there was a girl stood there. She seemed the same age as you.”she stopped for a while as she turned her head toward the closed store.

 

“She came to that place for 2 days straight at the same time and when it was raining. Strangely, when she gone, the rain had stopped. On the third day, she waited at that place again when it was raining. Poor the little girl, she didn’t know it’s the last day of hers.”she shook her head in pity.

 

“The...end?”said Kyungsoo.

 

“The third day, I didn’t sold anything and decided to took a day off. But I passed by this street. I saw her fought with a boy that I thought maybe her boyfriend and he strangled her to death.”

 

The wind blew softly on his face as he stood in silent as he listened.

 

Deep inside his heart, he felt a knock. The knocking became louder and louder.

 

He didn’t know, but upon hearing the old woman story, he somehow felt fear creeped inside of him.

 

“T-thank you for answering me. I-I’ll be going now.”he bowed before walked away.

 

Walking far away from the closed store. There’s an unexplained feeling deep inside him that he couldn’t put his finger on.

 

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