Soobin had a reputation—not a bad one, just…distant. He wasn’t rude, never caused trouble, but there was a quiet coolness to him that made most people hesitate before approaching. He walked through halls with his hands in his hoodie pockets, tall and unreadable, headphones in and head slightly down, barely sparing anyone a glance.

But that was never the version of Soobin you saw.

With you, he held the door open without being asked. He bought your favorite drinks without announcing it, sliding them across the table during study sessions like it meant nothing. And when he thought you weren’t paying attention, his eyes always lingered—watching you with the kind of softness that didn’t match his carefully kept distance from everyone else.

That afternoon, it was raining.

You stood under the awning outside the school gates, hugging your bag to your chest and watching the downpour soak the pavement. Your umbrella had snapped clean in half during your last class, and the buses were running late.

You didn’t even notice the figure approaching until a soft tap landed on your shoulder.

“Hey,” Soobin said, already extending his umbrella over you.

You blinked up at him. “You’ll get wet—”

“I’m not made of sugar.” He replied, deadpan.

You tried to stifle a laugh as he tilted the umbrella to cover you better than himself. Water dotted his shoulder and hair, but he didn’t seem to care.

The two of you started walking, the silence between you warm rather than awkward.

“I heard your presentation went well.” He said after a few beats.

You glanced at him, surprised he knew. “You weren’t even in that class.”

He shrugged, a faint blush creeping up his ears. “I heard things.”

“You asked?”

He didn’t answer, but the way he ducked his head said enough. Then, without warning, he stopped walking. You turned to him, confused—until you saw the look on his face. Not nervous. Not unsure. Just steady.

“I like you.” He said, voice low but firm. “I know I don’t say much. I probably come off like I don’t care about anything. But I care about you. A lot.”

You opened your mouth, but no words came out. He chuckled softly. “You don’t have to say it back.” He added quickly. “I just wanted you to know. In case the umbrella, and the drinks, and everything else wasn’t enough.”