The rain fell endlessly, filling mud puddles of water on the ground. Dark, grey clouds covered the sun, the wind's coldness made the people hugged their jackets or coats closer, if not, the arms of their lovers, while snuggling under the comfort of their umbrellas. Some people that were unfortunate enough not to bring their own umbrellas sought covers under the extensions of roofs, running, on the sole purpose of not getting caught with the rain. Our guy here, however, managed to laugh a little bit as he had observed the people run and squabble like ants after the rain started. It didn't start from a drizzle like usual, it just started to rain heavily that way, without any warning.

The man, like the others, sought cover under a roof of a store. He waited for the rain to subside, but when there was no sign of the rain abating, he knew he was going to be late for his class. He sighed again, for punctuality was always his thing. It's just that it's his worst day today, waking at the wrong side of the bed, straining his neck, also knocking his alarm clock off. Then he runs, only to find a neighbor dog hot on his trail. When he reached the bus stop, he finds that he just missed the bus for a split-second, and the next bus won't be around for two hours. The next option was to walk, which he did awhile ago. But then it started to rain heavily, having him stop his activities, thus leading to the situation where he waits impatiently for the rain to subside. He knew he can't rush in the midst of the rain, he was always prone to sickness, that's why he always wear thick clothes in the cold weather. He's an aspiring dancer, and his name is Jang Hyunseung.

Jang Hyunseung had orange hair, similar to the color of the leaves when it is autumn. It was cut short, so you can see his forehead. He had white skin, making his hair appear more like a fire, brown eyes with eyeliner at the edge, having him appear like a rocker. He wore a thick sweater and underneath was a undershirt. He had a coat around him, also a black sweat pants.

In Hyunseung's school, pressure and stress is always at its peak. One mistake is severe, so be sure that you have perfected the move thoroughly. There is also the fact that everyone is a rival, itching to take your place away from you. That's why to Hyunseung, he has to be perfect, perfect for his instructors, perfect for his fellow dancers, and perfect for himself, even though deep inside it is straining him. You see, Jang Hyunseung was not a city boy. He came from a province?. He was recruited immediately when an instructor saw him danced on he streets , thus having him as a scholar in that dance school. Everyone grew envy of him, that's why they always speak badly of him behind his back yet act sickeningly sweet in front of him. They watched his every move, waiting for him to make mistakes. Sometimes though, when the devil whispers to their ears they do things as sabotaging him, sometimes bullying him. 

Of course he didn't expect them to be like that. He thought the city was a lot nicer, seeing that he got lucky because of the instructor that saw him dancing. He danced freely during that time, but now his dance is more of a restrained one, since perfection is always necessary. Stick with the moves, they say when he want to adds little twist to it. He still executes it well though, because that is the man he is. Always flowing, like water, sometimes even a monstrous kind of perception to some people. The way his body moves, is simply amazing, that's why he earns a bunch of enemies every day. Every person however is like a dagger to his heart, piercing it, leaving cracks to his once trusting heart. Why can't they just enjoy his dancing? He just wanted to express himself by dancing, how every emotions is conveyed to every move. But most people didn't appreciate that. They envied him for it, hated his talent. It brought several floods on his pillow in the past, broke his usual pure smiles and deleted his happiness in dancing. His confidence wavered, but in no time it was brought back by a group of friends, also dancers like him. But it was a short relived experience, for they left him, in that harsh school all alone. He was about to debut with them, but he was rejected. He understood why though, because he gained a weakness during those times his confidence wavered. Hyunseung began to be conscious of everybody, paranoid, which led to something called stage-freight. He was now working to erase it out, as he changed into someone that no longer lets someone close to his heart. He denied his heart, when they mocked him. He rewired his brain that he was numb, and had no heart. He appeared apathetic, not smiling at all like the way he used to before. But still his dance conveyed every emotion inside of him, it was like a volcano erupting, a forest ablaze. It was amazing, but it would be more amazing, if he expressed positive emotions rather than negative ones. Nevertheless, Jang Hyunseung changed. From the usual cheery happy self that enjoys dancing, he was now an apathetic perfectionist that thinks that dancing is only a burden. But deep inside, his old self is buried inside a chest that had hundreds and hundreds of locks in it. He vowed never to trust again, not to let someone touch his heart. He was like the flying Dutchman who had his heart sealed, but he knew no better not to give anyone a chance. Though deep inside, his heart wishes for someone to break through those locks, and open the chest, so he can feel his heart beat again.

Jang Hyunseung never had any friends after the group that left him, for he always shooed away everyone that came to him. Putting a facade that he didn't need anyone else, when the truth was no man is an island. He became a paradoxical being, wanting someone yet not. His self-defense mechanism was strong. He was alone in a world full of strangers. He denied the third level of the hierarchy of need mad by Abraham Maslow. He rejected socializing, he rejected the news of knowing somebody in that school, thus somehow rejecting everyone. 

He waited under that shed, waiting for the rain to ease. It grew heavier though, making him frown. It made everything blurred from the way he was standing. Upon staring, he saw a white image, making him wonder if it was an angel that stumbled into that cold, heavy rain. But that's impossible, so he adjusted his eyes. He saw a guy wearing all white, and carrying a bright blue umbrella walking his way towards him. The umbrella casted a shadow upon the boy's face, so Hyunseung wasn't able to determine the face of the boy. The figure continued walking towards him, making Hyunseung raise his eyebrow, in a form of "What could he want?" expression. The guy stopped in front of him, and Hyunseung raised his eyebrow quizzically. The man then tilted his umbrella a bit, having Hyunseung see his face. He was greeted by a brightening smile from the guy, saying, "Umbrella?"

Hyunseung stared at the boy, observing everything about him. The boy was smaller than him, had brown hair and eyes, a button nose and plump lips. He wore white clothes from head to toe. Hyunseung wondered why the boy would offer an umbrella to him, when his clothes do not state he is poverty. He raised his eyebrow again, suspicious of the boy who continued to smile at him. "How much?"

The boy grinned, and replied to him, "Not a penny less! Just your company, that's all."

Hyunseung found the offer weird, for why would a stranger offer something and want his company in exchange? It was bizarre. 

"My stop is still a long way to go, you know," he said in a bored tone, his self- defense mechanism is acting up again. He was shoving everybody away from him. 

"That's okay! That means a lot of time to talk then!" 

Hyunseung stared at the boy, and it became a staring competition. The boy continued smiling, and Hyunseung was beginning to think if his zygomaticus muscle was not working well or something. Hyunseung breaks the silence, asking why.

The boy laughed, saying, "Well, it's lonely during this kind of weather right? So having a company keeps me from being bored and lonely."

Hyunseung chuckled a bit, thinking that the boy was simple-minded. " And what if I don't want to be your company," he asked, challenging the boy. 

The boy pouted, which Hyunseung thought was cute. His eyebrows knitted together, and with that pout Hyunseung thought that he was like a bird. "Then I'll stay here convincing you to be one!"

The taller man laughed inside, and let out a split-second smile. Hyunseung glanced at his watch, he still had time before being called late. So he walked first, leaving the boy tilting his head. Hyunseung thought it was the cutest. He stopped walking, turning a bit to see the boy. "So are you coming or what? I'm getting wet over here." 

Then Yoseob blushed slightly, and nodded. He flashed a smile to Hyunseung, and ran towards him covering both of them with his big umbrella. 

It seemed that Hyunseung wasn't aware that Yoseob was already closing in his space. Abreast as they walked towards the rain, Hyunseung spoke out loud, "You know, you're really small." The boy was holding the umbrella and apparently the umbrella was covering Hyunseung's view. The boy gasped in shock, which Hyunseung find that amusing. The boy stared at Hyunseung in disbelief, and then it formed into a pout. 

"No I'm not!"

Both continued walking, as Hyunseung continued the conversation. "Yes you are."

"Not!"

Hyunseung sighed, stopping. He gestured the boy to see how he was holding the umbrella, how the umbrella was blocking the man's view. He blushed for the second time that day, and Hyunseung loved the color it makes. He felt his heart beating slightly. He felt strangely comfortable, as if this guy he was with was the same with the people he considered real friends. Those real friends were the group that left him. The boy fixed his holding so Hyunseung can see again, but Hyunseung found it funny how the boy exaggerated his hold so he was now holding the umbrella with his full arm extended upwards. He grabbed the umbrella away from him, holding it with the exact measure so both of them can see. They started walking again. The smaller one began pouting. He muttered silently, a blush creeping on his cheeks. "It's not my fault you're freakishly tall."

"I heard that." Hyunseung said, closing his eyes. The boy squeaked, discovering that he was found. Then after a second, they found their selves laughing at each other. It was the first, pure laugh that Hyunseung made after all these years. He acknowledged that fact, and so his laughter ceased, making the boy frown. There was silence after that.

Hyunseung was thinking silently. Did.. He just laugh? Come to think about it he was even smiling. Then Hyunseung felt his heart beating a bit faster, and somehow he feared for it. He stopped, making his company stop also. The boy stared at him; and Hyunseung looked everything else except him. Stuttering, he says, " T-this is my stop. " It was a lie, and the boy knew it too. Hyunseung was about to walk away, when he was grabbed by the boy in the hand. "Wait!"

Hyunseung glanced at the boy, slightly blushing because of the contact. The boy smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, you're kinda taking my umbrella with you."

Hyunseung felt his face being warm because of the embarrassment. Well what did he expect anyway? It's not like the boy would want more of his company after insulting him.

"But that's fine," the boy said, cutting him from his thoughts. "Eh?"

The boy smiled at him, melting his worries away. The boy reached for his hood and put it over his head. "Keep it, for it seems like your stop is long way to go."

He started running away from Hyunseung, just in time when the rain was already abating. Hyunseung suddenly felt empty as he watched the figure go away. Then the figure stopped, turning to him, shouting, " Take care of that umbrella, Kay?! You'll be seeing me a lot because you have that!" He ended it with a laugh, and then started running again. Hyunseung felt guilty for having the boy get wet, but still found himself blushing afterwards. It was like the boy opened a few locks inside of him. He held the umbrella close to him, as he smiled. On the hold, something was inscribed that made him laugh. It was written in white color, with a neat handwriting.

"Yah, property of Yang Yoseob!>:D No stealing even if this umbrella is prettier than yours!"

So that was the boy's name. It suited him, for his name means bright flame. He was like a flame now, warming Hyunseung's body, with an unbelievable warmth. His heartbeat in a calm soothing manner that made him think, "Maybe the city wasn't bad after all."