Word Count: 738

As soon as Taemin steps out of the school building, translucent files in his arm, the gush of wind greets his face cold. It’s 5 in the evening, and the rainfall becomes heavier and heavier still, as if not letting anyone go home dry and neat. Good thing that Taemin leaves an umbrella in the staffroom for times like this.

“Oh shoot…” Taemin hears from the corner of the corridor. A student is busy rummaging through her bag, finding something that is certainly not there. “Wendy, I don’t have the umbrella.”

Her friend widens her eyes, somewhat mortified. “No way! You always bring one, Seulgi!”

Taemin tilts his head and looks down at the umbrella in his hand. Being a high school teacher is not always about educating them, is it? Calmly, he approaches both girls and offers the item in his hand, smiling gently all the while. “You can take mine.”

“S-sir Lee? It’s okay! It’s fine. The bus stop is just right there—”

“I’m taking the car,” Taemin lies. “You can use this and return it to me tomorrow, okay? It’s better than getting sick, really. Final exams are coming, correct?”

They seem to ponder at it and, after a moment, nod in unison, already taking the umbrella by its handle and smiling in gratitude at their literature teacher. “Thank you so much, Sir Lee!”

“Don’t forget to bring an umbrella tomorrow!” Taemin reminds the girls, just in time for them to scurry away under the round lilac shield before disappearing from his sight. Only then does he let a sigh out.

Good. Now Taemin is the one who needs to run for protection. He tightens his grip on the files and braces himself for the shower, inching closer to the edge of the steps so he can simply bolt off under the rain.

“Are you really going to run back home?”

Taemin stops on his track upon hearing the voice—a voice so familiar to his ears and close to his heart.

The man, who already stands beside Taemin by then, continues. “It’s not going to stop anytime soon, you know?”

“I know,” Taemin answers, now looking at him, confirming his identity. “But I have no time to wait either.”

Then Taemin hears the sound of an umbrella unfolding and spreading into its full size, the black cloth covering their heads. It’s not big enough to fit two men, but it’s still bigger than the one Taemin has handed to his students.

When the teacher stills, the man only snorts. “Now you suddenly have time to wait?”

“No,” Taemin retorts with a soft, disgruntled hum. A pair of small feet inch closer until his arm presses against the other, and they begin trudging through the rain.

All that matters to Taemin is the files, so he clutches them tight to his chest and curls inwards slightly, plinking puddles wetting their leather shoes. 

Though suddenly, the man picks up his pace. His long legs take even longer strides, and Taemin quakes in surprise, attempting to follow, to mimic the speed, to seek protection yet again, but the man only goes faster.

“Minho!” Taemin calls him aloud, acknowledging the name for the first time that day. “Stop running! My sleeve is about to get wet!”

Minho only laughs and wraps one arm around Taemin’s shoulder, pulling the pouty man in, granting access. “Just like old times, no?” He grins cheekily, an act that sends warmth spiralling down Taemin’s cold body.

“You’re still very annoying about it, that’s for sure.” Taemin huffs.

“I can tell,” Minho chuckles before giving Taemin’s hair a nose kiss, leading their way towards the pavement carefully. “Maybe if you stop forgetting your umbrella–and let’s say you have it with you, maybe stop giving it to people, too?–then I would stop being annoying.”

“How did you know?”

“About what?”

“Me giving away my umbrella. Or me not having an umbrella, to begin with.”

The taller man shrugs. “I don’t know. I like thinking of myself as a rain man, you see. I’m here for you when it rains, am I not?”

Taemin laughs with a punch on Minho’s shoulder, “Shut up, sap.” 

“You know it’s true.”

And so Taemin makes it home safely, completely dry, files protected.

Meanwhile, Minho has his entire left side drenched from making space for Taemin under the umbrella, and already starts sneezing on his way back towards his car. 

AN:

Subscriptions and comments are greatly appreciated. It's short, I know. Special thanks to my dear friend, Babs, for the prompt. <3