off the table, jung sungchan ✓

(35) how he takes care of her

第三年

Unlike every other day, today I woke up much later than I usually did. The early heavy rain shower didn't give me an easier route to go to school either. I dashed towards the bakery near my block, sheltering myself from the cold rain.

My uniform, shoes and my hair were all drenched, I blamed myself entirely. Forgetting to bring an umbrella to school was pretty much signing myself up to being soaked. Almost like a deja vu, the tall guy went out of the half-opened bakery.

This time, however, with Winter next to him. "Aera? God, you're soaked!"

You guess it right, that concern didn't come from Sungchan but instead Winter. She, without any hesitance, took off her dark blue jacket, putting me in so many doubts as the weather was too cold for her to go sacrifice to that length."You'll catch a cold if you don't keep yourself warm."

"But Winter, you—"

"It's okay, I can manage."

The moment Winter helped me with the jacket, Sungchan took off his and put it on Winter immediately. The way he delicately helped her to fit into his enormous jacket somehow reminded me of the second time I met him. That black jacket that I'd worn for the exact same reason, at the very same spot, two years ago. I caught the slight protest Winter had against his act of lending her his jacket, and Sungchan patted her head with so much affection while mumbling. "You're so good at taking care of everyone but yourself."

Sungchan pulled up the zipper up to her neck and when he took a glance at me, I could feel my heart skip a beat when he rhetorically questioned me. "You left your umbrella?"

I nodded my head guiltily. The question Sungchan dropped to me draw Winter's attention. "It's fine, I'll just wait for the rain to stop."

Sungchan fixated his eyes around as he pondered, spotting a small convenience store just across the street. He turned towards Winter,  "I'll get her umbrella for a second. Can you wait for me?"

It was a mix between gratitude and guilt. His position as my friend and as her boyfriend didn't give him that huge role in making sure I survived through the huge rain. Winter nodded her head off in approval and Sungchan wasted no time but dashed towards the store.

Things had shifted. We'd grown awkward ever since the confession scene. Deciding to keep quiet will make me hate how suffocating it was, so I offered her a smile and thanked her. "Thank you for helping me, I really appreciate that."

She returned my smile and lightly patted my shoulder. "My pleasure. Next time do check the weather forecast so you won't get caught in the rain like this."

We were seized back to our silence. A few seconds ticked away and Winter decided to strike me with a question, "How's Changmin doing?"

"He's still focusing on his recovery, I think he would come to school this week."

"Tell Changmin I wished him a speedy recovery."

"I will."

Jung Sungchan came running, with a dark purple umbrella in his grip. He tore off the plastic and swiftly opened them up for me, "Here's your umbrella. We all should get going now or we'll be late."

"Thanks, Sungchan."

The nanosecond when I received the umbrella from him, our hands briefly touched. It electrified me.

It made me realise how much I missed him even when he was right in front of me. How my feelings seem to never fade even when reality desperately tugs me towards the cold truth of life.