"Ah, dammit."

Hyunjin curses at the dark clouds that continue to pour down rain. She tries to be a good friend, wanting to pick up Jiwoo's favorite snacks in an attempt to help cheer up her somber roommate. But here she is, soaked to the bone with an upturned and ruined umbrella. During her walk to the convenience store, the wind had funneled and burst through an alleyway as she walked by, turning her favorite yellow umbrella inside out and throwing it away from her body, allowing rain to pelt directly on her.

At least she could run to the store and buy Jiwoo's snacks, but with little luck, they had sold out of umbrellas. Hyunjin takes a deep breath, preparing to run back to her apartment to return indoors as quickly as possible. As she takes her first stride, she feels a tug against her sleeve and is jerked backward, her vision filled with a vibrant pink.

The ravenette is shell-shocked by the sudden fabric shield that shelters her. She looks around and finds familiar deep coffee eyes staring back at her. Hyunjin unknowingly holds her breath as her heart's beating rises, and her inner body temperature rises at the sight of her crush, Heejin, so close to her.

The two girls continue to stare at each other. They don't speak, only the sound of rain pattering against the surface of Heejin's umbrella, and the ground encases them in their own world. The compact pink umbrella Heejin held was only meant for one person, so it was only natural that their shoulders would be touching. Heejin's hand practically hooked into Hyunjin's arm to tug her close, to keep her sheltered from the rain.

Neither was unsure if they were blushing or merely from the soft light that seeped through the pink waterproof fabric reflecting off their cheeks.

Heejin had a plan; she had seen Hyunjin enter the convenience store and decided to take her first step to fluster and make the barista back to her every call as her act of "revenge." 

But just like all of her previous plots that involve the latter, once Heejin was right in front of her, her mind completely blanks out. As if all her careful plans seemingly sputter out and disappear when she is shocked at how stunning Hyunjin is up close, Heejin's memory never serves Hyunjin's beauty justice. Even when the ravenette was soaked from head to toe in an oversized university jacket, a loose gray sweater, and leggings, as if she was meant to laze around at home all day, Heejin couldn't help but think Hyunjin was still unfairly and breathtakingly beautiful. The ravenette's hair stuck and clung against her face in a messy and tousled fashion, but it somehow still seemed as if it was done on purpose. Heejin couldn't fathom that anyone without makeup could look so flawless, with skin that was so perfectly smooth water seemed to roll down her neck effortlessly. Frustrated, this always happens whenever she is with the taller girl, and Heejin can't figure out why.

Heejin then recalls their last encounter at the cafe, their shared moment sitting together with Eun, and when they nearly kis-

The shorter girl's face rapidly heats up, and she is the first to break eye contact and stares down at her wet Converse. The thought of their almost kiss seeps into her mind and invades her senses, and it happens quickly. Her thoughts are flooded with the ideas of feeling Hyunjin's breath ghosting her lips, the what-ifs of what Hyunjin's lips would feel and taste like against her own.

It has at this point for Hyunjin to glow bright red, though the reflecting light from the pink umbrella continues to hide their blushes from one another. The taller girl wasn't sure if she should say something, thinking it would only ruin the intimate atmosphere and tension they had unknowingly created without speaking a single word. 

Without realizing it, Heejin had ceased her downward cast from her shoes and, with half-lidded eyes, has been shamelessly staring at the Hyunjin's pink lips. Subconsciously, they draw towards each other, the brunette clutching the taller girl's arm to be closer, pulling her in as Heejin slowly flutters her eyes close as their faces inch closer.

Mewww

The two suddenly come to their senses when they hear a cat whine. Both turned away with crimson cheeks from the heat burning at their face. 

Mewww

Another soft whine is heard from an alleyway behind them. Without a word, the two turn around in search of the source, excusing each other from the intimate bubble they were stuck in. They come to an alleyway and find a small soggy cardboard box on the ground. The floppy flaps of the box nudge and move a bit as they step closer to it. Hyunjin kneels quietly and slowly over the box as Heejin holds out her umbrella to shelter them both as best as she can from the rain.

Heejin watches the latter as if she could keep her eyes off of Hyunjin and observes how graceful and careful the ravenette's hands move. Something as simple as opening a worn and weathered box couldn't have been done so perfectly, as if that was a skill for someone to notice. But Heejin now realizes why Hyunjin do as soon as a trembling and scared kitten cowers against the corner of the box once its makeshift shelter is opened with strangers towering over it. Not wanting to startle the baby kitten any more than she already has, Hyunjin holds out her hand, inching towards the kitten and pausing just in front of it, letting the small creature come to her the rest of the way. The kitten cautiously approaches Hyunjin's held-out hand; the poor baby reels back for a second, unsure to trust the stranger, but it doesn't take long for the kitten to give in. The kitten sniffs Hyunjin's hand curiously for a few seconds and immediately closes the distance, rubbing its head against Hyunjin's finger and even nudging its head under the ravenette's palm, purring as if permitting to touch its fur. 

The two girls' hearts melt at