Light rain taps against your window. Not heavy—just enough to make you too lazy to go out, and somehow make every phone notification sound louder than usual.

Me:

So cute 😭

@Min9yu_k:

The cat or me?

You stare at your screen, half wanting to laugh, half wanting to block him. But your fingers keep typing anyway. And somehow, that’s where it all began.

At first, it was just replying to each other’s stories—sometimes with emojis, sometimes with random “HAHAHA”s that weren’t even funny. But every time the notification “@Min9yu_k sent you a message” popped up, you’d stop whatever you were doing for a second.

Mingyu was the king of slow replies. Sometimes three hours, sometimes the next morning. And his excuses? Ridiculous.

@Min9yu_k:

Sorry, fell asleep mid-typing. Just realized my phone’s been on silent since yesterday. My cat sat on my phone.

And yet, you never really got mad. Because whenever he did reply, it was always right. Always made you feel seen—even if it was just through texts.

Your late-night routine slowly formed on its own. You’d text him around 10 p.m., and he’d reply sometime past 11—right when you were half-asleep.

Me:

I just realized, we talk about the most random things every night.

@Min9yu_k:

Yeah, but somehow I wait for it every night too.

Me:

Maybe because we’re being random together.

@Min9yu_k:

Why does that sound kinda sweet?

Me:

Must be the sleepiness talking.

But you knew it wasn’t just that.

Then one night, he replied faster than usual. You smiled without realizing.

@Min9yu_k:

You’re not sleeping?

Me:

Not yet. Waiting for someone to text back.

@Min9yu_k:

Oh yeah? Who?

Me:

Not sure. But I check my phone for them every day, even when they disappear sometimes.

@Min9yu_k:

Sounds like that person’s kinda annoying.

Me:

Very. But it feels nice when they do reply.

@Min9yu_k:

Hmm.

Me:

What?

@Min9yu_k:

I think I know who that person is.

Me:

You’re so full of yourself, Mingyu.

@Min9yu_k:

Let me be. That person makes me want to reply faster, even though I’m known for being slow.

Time passed, and your chats grew longer—warmer. You started learning the little things about him: How he drinks iced coffee in the morning, listens to old songs, and always carries spare earphones because he “hates feeling alone on the way home.”

And without meaning to, you memorized everything about him.

Until one night, Mingyu disappeared for two whole days. You didn’t want to admit it, but you kept checking your phone every hour. Then finally, on the third day, his message appeared.

@Min9yu_k:

Sorry I disappeared. I didn’t know what to say.

Me:

Why?

@Min9yu_k:

I think I’m starting to like someone I only know from notifications.

You stared at the screen for a long time before replying.

Me:

Funny. I think I’m starting to like someone who always replies late.

@Min9yu_k:

So you don’t mind that I’m late?

Me:

I don’t.

@Min9yu_k:

Why?

Me:

Because you always show up anyway.

@Min9yu_k

Yeah, always.