10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6liSnxjwG
Rain fell again that week.
Not the soft, whispering drizzle Ren liked…
But a full, unapologetic downpour that splashed against windows and soaked through shoes.
Ren stood under the edge of the literature building, hugging his books to his chest, watching the blur of water dance on the pavement. He didn’t have an umbrella. He hadn’t checked the weather. Again.
He sighed.
He should’ve known better. But maybe… some part of him didn’t mind. Rain made him feel less alone. Like the sky understood.
“Ren!”
His heart skipped before he even turned around.
Ric jogged up to him, already drenched from crossing the quad. His shirt clung to him. His hair stuck to his forehead. And in his hand—
An umbrella.
Of course.
“Why didn’t you text me?” Ric asked, stepping closer and opening the umbrella over both of them. “You knew I’d come.”
“I didn’t want to bother you.”
“Ren,” Ric said, voice low, “You never bother me.”
The words struck something in Ren’s chest. Something too soft. Too dangerous.
They stood like that for a moment—under the umbrella, inches apart, the sound of the storm surrounding them.
Ric reached up and gently brushed a raindrop from Ren’s cheek with his thumb.
“You okay?”
Ren looked up at him. “Why do you always notice?”
Ric didn’t smile this time. He just said, “Because I’m always looking.”
And that was the problem.
Ren was, too.
Even when Ric wasn’t around. Even when he wasn’t supposed to. Even when he told himself it was just a… friendship.
But that word didn’t feel big enough anymore.
---
Back at the café, Ren leaned on the counter, trying to focus on wiping cups. Ric sat at the corner seat, the one he always claimed as his. Ploy had taken a liking to him, and now sat beside him, scribbling in her coloring book and talking nonstop.
“I like you more than Mint’s boyfriend,” she said casually.
“Oh yeah?” Ric raised a brow.
“Yeah. You have better snacks.”
Ren rolled his eyes, but smiled.
“Ploy, don’t rate people by snacks.”
“But Ric always shares his jelly candy.”
Ric leaned toward her, whispering loud enough for Ren to hear, “It’s how I win hearts.”
Ploy giggled. “Did you win Ren’s?”
The cloth slipped from Ren’s hand.
Ric’s eyes met his from across the room, mischief and something warmer hiding in his gaze.
“I’m working on it,” Ric said softly.
Ren’s cheeks flushed. “Ploy, bedtime.”
“It’s 4 PM.”
“Exactly.”
---
Later that night, Ren sat by the window of his bedroom, headphones in, music low. Rain tapped the glass like a lullaby.
He opened his phone without thinking.
Ric.
No messages. Just their last call — 42 minutes long, from last night. They hadn’t even talked much. Just existed on the line together. But Ren had slept better than he had in weeks.
His fingers hovered over the keyboard.
He typed, Thanks for today.
Paused.
Deleted.
Typed again: I didn’t know I needed the umbrella until you showed up.
Paused.
Deleted again.
Finally, he typed:
You always show up. Why?
And this time, he hit send.
The reply came faster than he expected.
Ric:
Because I keep looking for you without meaning to.
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