The weather was an odd combination of bleak and humid. The sky was threateningly gray, but the wind that blew was sticky, as if taunting my sebaceous glands to excrete all the oil it had in store out to my skin. Ew. Gross right? (Ew I must sound like a complete nerd.) But that's beside the point.

I straightened out the creases from my all-white intern uniform as I stood at the bus stop across from the hospital. I had just finished my 12-hour shift at the laboratory. My hands ached after all the pipetting I had done, so did my eyes after staring down at the microscope for hours. I could still smell the reagents even though I was already breathing the hot, polluted air of the streets. But I was happy and contented.

Last autumn, I thought becoming an intern was impossible. I had struggled to pass all my subjects, battled fatigue, sleeplessness and hopelessness, and spent long nights in the library studying. Now, I was one step closer to graduating. It's still a far cry from becoming a doctor, but hey, I'll get there too.

A huge flash of lightning bolted from the clouds, followed by a loud clap of thunder that made me jump. And then it started to pour. 

Of all the days it could have rained, did it specifically have to rain on the one day that I left my umbrella at home? 

The tiny roof of the waiting shed was absolutely no match for the huge drops of water falling endlessly from the sky. Oh goodness, where was the bus? I was starting to get soaked. 

And then it stopped. Not the rain, but the raindrops that fell on me. There was a blue umbrella over my head. 

"Ara...so that's your name. I should have asked you that a year ago." 

I turned to see who it was: a man dressed in a white button down shirt, white slacks, and a lab coat slung over one shoulder; a medical proper student. He was my mystery boy. I could only gape at him as he stood beside me with that adorable smile he wore. He was reading my name from my nameplate. 

I was momentarily at a loss for words. I must have looked dumb, just staring at him, but he continued to keep the conversation going.

Heavens, why is this guy so handsome? 

"Congratulations on becoming an intern, by the way. The uniform looks good on you," he said. 

I finally found my voice and managed to squeak, "Thank you." 

He ruffled my hair in a friendly manner. 

Stop it, boy. You're killing me with happiness.

"You were the one who gave me that note in the library last year, right?" I asked, finally remembering how to talk. 

"You remember me?" he asked in disbelief.

I nodded and smiled. "Of course I did. Thank you for that. It helped me get through final exams."

"That was nothing," he replied. "Oh is that the bus you're riding?"

I looked at the approaching bus. I didn't want this conversation to end so soon. 

I had to squint to see the bus number. I wasn't wearing my glasses. "Yeah, it is."

"Good! That's the bus I'm riding too," he said. "Come on."

He made sure that most of the umbrella was shielding me from the rain, not minding that half of his torso was getting drenched.

"What's your name?" I asked when we were both dry, warm, and seated inside the bus. It turns out we were both headed back to the university. 

"Roy," he answered. "Roy Kim."

"I'd like to get to know you better," I accidentally blurted out. I could feel my cheeks turn pink in embarrassment. I was interested in him. I made it so obvious, didn't I?

He didn't seem taken aback though. He smiled instead and said, "Actually, I've wanted to know more about you since that night in the library."

I could feel my cheeks turn even hotter.  I could tell my heart was starting to flutter.

"Do you want to have lunch together?" he asked.

"Sure," I replied. "I eat quite a lot, though. Don't be surprised." 

He laughed. His laughter was melodious. "I don't mind."

We talked some more for the next fifteen minutes. He was two years older than I was. He liked the same books that I did (novels, not textbooks or lab manuals), and we both had the same teachers when he was in college. He could imitate them quite well too. He had me giggling a lot at his impersonations.

My eyes started to feel heavy along the way. I had been awake since last night. He saw that I was getting sleepy, and told me to catch a few minutes of sleep for the rest of the ride.

"Don't worry. I'll wake you up when we have to get off. Or maybe I won't," he joked.

I let myself fall asleep. I don't know if I had accidentally (oh really?) leaned on his shoulder as I slept, but I know it wasn't all a dream. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship with Roy.