The clouds had been grumbling all day, but in your usual fashion, you forgot an umbrella.

You told yourself it probably wouldn’t rain.You were wrong.

Now, soaked from the shoulders down and blinking through the drizzle, you trudged along the sidewalk, arms crossed tight over your chest like that would stop the cold from seeping in.

Then—of course—he appeared. Soobin.

Your least favorite person. Tall, smug, irritatingly well-liked. Always had an answer for everything and never missed a chance to get under your skin. And right now, he was strolling past with a perfectly dry blazer, an annoyingly big umbrella, and an expression that looked like it was already halfway to teasing you.

You didn’t want to say anything. You really didn’t. But the rain started coming down harder, dripping off your nose and soaking through your socks. “Hey, Choi Soobin!” You finally called out, your voice nearly drowned out by the wind.

He stopped a few steps ahead, turned slowly with that same signature smirk. “Hmm?”

You jogged up to him, already regretting it. “Aren’t you supposed to be a gentleman or something? You see someone getting drenched and just keep walking?”

He blinked. “Aren’t you supposed to check the weather before leaving the house?”

You scowled, shivering a little. “So you’re really gonna let your classmate get hypothermia because you’re petty?”

He let out a long sigh, like you were the most exhausting person on Earth. Then, without saying another word, he tilted the umbrella just enough to cover you too.

The silence that followed was louder than any bickering.

You walked side by side down the narrow sidewalk, your arms brushing every now and then. The umbrella was definitely not meant for two, which meant you had to stay close—annoyingly close.

After a minute, he mumbled, “You’re lucky I’m nice.”

You rolled your eyes. “You’re lucky I don’t have pepper spray.”

He snorted, shaking his head. “How do you always manage to turn everything into a threat?”

“How do you always manage to look like a shampoo commercial even in the rain?”

Soobin glanced down at you, and for a moment, neither of you had anything to say. The rain softened around you, falling gentle against the umbrella’s fabric. Your footsteps matched in rhythm, your body still cold but your chest feeling strangely… warm.

Eventually, he spoke again, voice quiet. “Just bring an umbrella next time. I might not always be around.”