Numb. That's what I'm feeling right now. Well, if you count that as a feeling because for all we know being numb is not feeling anything at all. I laugh at the irony. The sun was already setting when I reached our neighborhood. No wonder my stomach was already growling. Now that's a real feeling.

"Excuse me." My heart almost popped out of my chest when a goth-faced girl calls to my attention.

"You know Jonghyun, right?" She asks with a smile, which freaked me even more because of her heavy makeup. Must be one of his fangirls. A weird one, though.

"You're scaring him." That's when I notice a brooding girl by her side.

"Oh, sorry for the makeup. By the way, I'm Sooji. And she's Yejin. We just wanted to know Jonghyun's address." She explains.

Suspicion consumes my mind and must have reflected on my face for Yejin immediately speaks.

"I just wanted to talk to him personally about inviting him to play at our music shop. I'm not a fan, stalker or anything if that's what you're thinking." She defends herself. "But, you know what? Just forget it, it's not like he's the only one who can sing and play the guitar in this world." She walks away.

Sooji facefalms. "Forgive my friend's bluntness. Here, if you want a place to play music, just drop by." She hands me a business card and follows her friend.

I laugh to myself. Knowing Jonghyun, he would say no at once to the offer. But I keep it, just in case. After all it's an invitation from a pretty girl. His one and only weakness.

"Let's talk." A familiar hellish voice rings in my ear. I look at the bearer, and there standing in front of me is Jieun's father. What does he want now?

He smiles at me. "Follow me if you want to have my daughter back."

To my surprise, we stop by a street pub. I was expecting a fancy cafe or restaurant, but we were there entering a cheap drinking tent.

He pours me a drink as the soju was served. "I was once like you, kid. A nobody. Just got lucky because God gave me brains and talent which made me a doctor. On top of that, He made the daughter of a business tycoon fall for me." He lets out a heartfelt laugh. "I'm sorry and thank you, my daughter's boyfriend." Here he goes again with the mockery. I pour him a drink, nonetheless. "The engagement was just an act, in order to test you. Father's instinct got the best of me. I got scared for my little girl. Your her first love. And I saw how crazy you were for each other." He lets out another hearty laugh. "But, you passed the test, son-in-law."

His last statement got stuck in my head. Did he really say that or it was just an alcohol-induced wishful thinking?

"I think you're drunk, sir." I say shamelessly.

He laughs loudly. "Let's have a deal. In ten years, after the both of you have graduated and got stable jobs. If you still love each other, then get married. For now you can date, but no , whether protected or unprotected." He says his sentence loud and clear.

I almost choked on what I was drinking.

"Don't deny it, son. I know it crossed your mind a million times." He pats my back.

I turn red as he laughs.

"Done deal, son?"

I agree with a smile. The first one that I gave to my future father-in-law. Definitely won't be the last.
----

I finally understood Mr. Jung's agenda for keeping away from Jieun for the past two weeks since we made the deal. Today is her birthday, and I am the surprise. It goes like this, I'm going to act as one of Mr. Jung's handpicked date for her, one of the many rich guys whom she can choose from, to be her husband. How she will not recognize me? I'm wearing a Doraemon mascot costume, which is scorching hot. Feels like I'm inside a sauna bath. Now I get it where Yonghwa hyung got his "creativity". Like father, like son.

"Wow! You must be really ugly." Jieun sneers at me as I approach her.

I laugh silently. Let's see later after I take this costume off.

She stands up then crosses her arms. "Let's set things straight." She begins. That's when I realize what she was wearing. Miyoung noona's favorite sunflower pajamas. The one I gave her on that special day.

"I'm already married and this ring right here is proof." She raises her hand close to my face, showing the ring on her finger proudly. The flowers maybe wilted, but it still looked beautiful at her. No, more of like she's making it beautiful, same goes at the flower crown in her head.

"This pajamas is my wedding dress. Find it silly, I don't care." She blurts out.

I can't help but laugh at her effort of pissing her date, if only she knew whom she is talking to right now.

"This is our first and last date. Get it?"

I nod.

"Fine. So where in this theme park do you want to start?" She asks, full of boredom.

I was about to point at the carousel when two kids wrap their arms around my legs. For a moment, I thought I was on quicksand.

"Mommy~ look it's Doraemon~" They both chant happily.

Great. Now, I'm mistaken as a theme park mascot. Jieun burst into laughter as the mother starts taking pictures.
----

We start to walk as the case of mistaken identity was over. I point at the first bench that came to my view, for I was getting tired of the heavy costume.

"Hey, Doraemon. Do you have something that can help me talk to someone?" She asks as we were seated.

My pocket is empty Jieun, this is just a costume was what I wanted to say but I can't. So I just scratch the back of my head animatedly as an answer.

She laughs. "I mean that magical thing from the future." She pauses, "You see, I can't talk to him anymore because of my dad. And I have something very important to say to him. So please help me." She smiles cutely.

Out of curiosity, I stand up and make a gesture for her to wait.

"Hey! I was just kidding." I hear her call out but I was already running to find that fake magical thing. I need to hear what that very important thing is.
----

A/N: Click => Rain of Blessing by CNBLUE (Listen to it while reading as BGM)

"A balloon?" Her eyebrows knit in confusion as I came back holding it. "So, how do I use it?"

I hold the balloon and talk gibberish to it, then pretend to let go of it.

"That's lame." She giggles. "But I'll try it, so your effort won't go to waste."

I sit beside her and hand the balloon.

"Thanks." She smiles as she takes it. "Ming~" My heart melts as she starts sweetly. "Do you remember Eunhye, your best friend back at the orphanage?"

I look at her in surprise. How does she know? Is she...

"I'm her." She answers the question building up in my thoughts. "I figured things out now. I lost my memories of the orphanage when they adopted me, must be my defense mechanism to forget the pain and sadness."

I can't believe the words I'm hearing. I want to take off the costume in my head badly and hug her but I was so shocked that I just froze in my seat.

"I remembered everything when you let go of my hand on our 100th day. It was the same feeling that I've experienced years ago, when you let go of my hand at the orphanage. Back when we're kids." Tears start to fall from her eyes. "Now I get it why I always cry when I see the rain. It was raining that time when you promised me that we'll see each other again."

Coincidentally, the rain starts to fall too.

She laughs while crying. "Just like now, I'm crying again because it's raining." She wipes her tears. "But I'm happy too, knowing the rain made us meet each other at the shed. I hope it does now too." She smiles hopefully. "I miss you so much, Ming." She kisses the balloon before letting it go.

She looks at me with a thankful smile on her face. That's when I take off the costume in my head. She covers in disbelief.

"I miss you more." I hug her tightly.

"But how?" She starts to cry again, now out of happiness.

"Ask the rain. I think it enjoys playing with our fates." I chuckle.

"Let's run now before dad catches us." She sniffles.

"No need. We made a deal. After ten years, you and I will be married." I wipe her tears.

"Guess, my plan to use the adoption issue for our marriage won't be necessary anymore." She laughs.

"You haven't told them you remembered?"

She shakes her head. "I don't want to complicate things. It's better that way, less drama."

I nod my head in agreement.

She takes something out of her pocket, the ring meant for me. She smiles sweetly then ties it around my finger. "Promise me, you won't let go of my hand anymore."

"I promise." I look at her in the eyes. "Now, I may kiss my lovely bride." I smile playfully at her.

She closes her eyes to meet my lips. I hold her hand tightly as I kissed her. She laughs crazily as we parted lips.

"Yeah, I know I look stupid." I refer to my costume. "Your dad's idea, okay?"

She shakes her head as she laughs harder. "We forgot to use that." She points at the umbrella behind her back, the same umbrella that I lent her on that fateful day.

I laugh too. Right at that moment, I was reunited with my best friend, girlfriend, and wife. I couldn't thank the rain enough for the greatest blessing it gave me. Love.