you are the sun

•2

after what felt like eternity, theo signaled the bus driver to stop near his house and got off. the sky was still cloudy and dark, but the rain had stopped. theo glanced at the umbrella in his hand, unopened.

theo was still confused as to why the stranger had given him an umbrella. why would he have gone out of his way to help him, when he could have left him alone? no one had ever done that for him, much less someone he had never met before.

as theo complemented the boy's nice gesture, he realized he never saw his face. with his build, he had to be at least somewhat good-looking. theo lightly slapped his cheek. he couldn't think that. is he even allowed the pleasure of remembering the boy?

he stepped inside the front door of his house, setting the gifted umbrella next to his own. his gaze rested on the two umbrellas in front of him. there was a clear difference between the two; while theo's was used and slightly torn, there wasn't a single mark in the other one. his eyes drifted to the tag on the handle.

on top of helping a stranger, the boy had bought a new one to give to him?

he wanted to meet him. to thank him for the nice gesture, but he knew he would never see him again. just like the passing rain, people come and go, forgetting the small details in turn. theo decided to remember him, so that the boy he met didn't feel like just a small detail to someone else.

theo wondered if he was that small detail to the mysterious boy; the detail soon forgotten as if it was never there.

he didn't want to be forgotten.

✧✧✧✧✧

theo didn't even touch his homework that afternoon. instead, he spent hours drawing every curve and edge of the tall figure that had stood in front of him just a short while ago. theo drew him as he remembered him; the umbrella covering his entire face. although he had only caught a glimpse, it was like his soul had firmly engraved itself into theo's mind.

as he finished adding one last stroke to perfect the bright shirt the boy was wearing- another detail theo noticed only after their parting- the doorbell rang.

he heard his mother yell to the door, and soon a loud chatter of people walked into his once silent house.

theo wondered if he should stay in his room, but decided against the thought. he reached his hand out to the door knob and... stopped. he didn't want to see them. their presence interrupted the peace he so carefully crafted for himself. they scrutinized every single flaw of his and ripped out his insides, setting them on a platter on the table to be judged.

as the battle between his heart and mind continued, the doorknob he was holding onto turned, and theo was left sprawling for his footing as the door swung open.

when theo was finally able to stand steadily, he could feel someone watching him. he looked down at his younger brother, jaehyun, who stood a few feet in front of him. although he was 3 years younger than him, no one would be able to tell, except for the fact that theo was the taller one. the hardened look on jaehyun's face made him seem twice his age; something their parents marveled at but theo hated to look at. it hurt seeing his younger brother so void of emotion. "mom said to come down."

"i'm coming," theo responded, smoothing down his wrinkled shirt.

he followed his brother down the long, winding stairs, and dreaded what was awaiting him at the bottom.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

624 words
unedited

author's note

thank you so much for reading this long-awaited chapter! i'm so sorry about the wait, but i had been very busy last week and i couldn't get to finishing (and posting) this.

i hope you all have an amazing may and thank you so much again for reading! love y'all <3

- cassie