WHILE IT WAS RAINING

SOMEBODY TO HOLD (4)

Seoul, July 7, 2018

- ' Yaaah Jiwoo... don't panic! I'm alright and will reach home soon okay? Just make the best ramen in the world because I'm too much hungry right now!'
- ' Just come back safely okay? I'm waiting. '
- ' Yup. Will be home in next 15 minutes.'

Hoseok smiled as he glanced at his phone  and Jiwoo's smiling face showed up from his lockscreen. His sister maybe worries too much...but she's the best sister in this world!

His good thoughts came to an end as soon as another thunderbolt hit the ground . Thought he was in train, but he could easily see the weather outside. He sighed and closed his eyes out of tiredness. It was a hectic day at work  and he just wanted to get back home as early as possible.

In a few minutes, his station arrived and he got down immediately, not wanting to be late anymore.

The station was empty. Quite normal for such a disastrous night...and especially when it's already 11.45. He started walking towards the exit while grabbing his umbrella from his bag.

He was greeted by cold water splash and rough winds as soon as he stepped outside. Usually, he really loves rain... but today he was too much late to enjoy it. Hoseok hurried home.

His house is just a 5 minute walk from the station, and yet it felt like forever on that deserted street. Nothing was visible practically, untill lightning strikes against the ground.

Hoseok was at the top of a bridge over a river when he noticed something.... rather someone.

It was a girl...maybe around his age or a bit younger. Standing on a side of the bridge, staring at the dark night surrounding her.

Hoseok's eyebrows knitted at once as a odd feeling settled in his mind. Something about the girl wasn’t normal. Apart from the fact that it's already almost 12 of a stormy night and on top of that, it was raining like crazy, something was not usual and Hoseok felt it.

What does a girl has to do at this hour and weather on a top of a river bridge? She wasn’t carrying any umbrella or anything to shield herself from the rain. And the most awkward thing was the way she was staring at the blankness. Hoseok couldn’t see her face, but she was staring like that for a minute now which was again, not at all normal.

Driven by his sixth sense and instinct, Hoseok started going towards the girl.... slowly and carefully.

He was only a few feets away when the girl moved...and she moved forward... towards the edge of the bridge. Suddenly her actions made sense to him... suddenly he realised what she was going to do...and started running towards her.

Just when the girl stepped on the railing, he grabbed her left wrist and pulled her back with almost his full force, causing her to fall backwards and land on him...and for the sudden collision, he landed on his back on the ground.

Immediately, Hoseok felt the girl was trying her best to escape his grip...but he wasn’t going to release her after seeing what she's up to.

- ' Ahhh..who the hell are you bastard! Leave me...LEAVE ME! '
The girl was yelling at the top of her lungs as Hoseok slowly got up, still holding her wrist tightly.
- ' It's not necessary for you to know who am I. The question is..what you were going to do right now! Do you even realise what could've happen if I didn’t stop you? '
- ' Why on earth you appeared out of nowhere to ruin it huh?! I know what I'm doing and it's none of your business. Leave me I said! '
Hoseok can feal anger boiling inside himself, but he chose to keep his calm.
- ' Yeah it's not my business but this is not right! You-'
- ' So whatever happened with me was right then? Every bit of it was right? I deserved it all right? '
Just then, another thunder striked the dark sky and Hoseok saw the girl infront of him. Rather than any other feature... it was her eyes that caught his attention. Her eyes were conveying pure rage, pain, hatred. Those eyes looked like they've seen enough....enough to crush her soul into pieces.
- ' Listen...I don’t know what exactly is your situation but there’s always a way out -'
- ' You listen to me! Way out huh?! Then show me...come on...show me a way out. Tell me...how should I survive with no home...family...money...job... practically anything!? ANSWER ME! '
Hoseok was a little bit taken aback, but still gripped her hand.
- ' Whatever the situation maybe...you shouldn’t end your own life. You must love yourself- '
- ' Yes I do. Yes I love myself...and that's why I want to end my sufferings..right now..right here. Who are you to stop me? Why are you coming in my way? '
- ' That's not a solution. Listen...go home and think - '
- ' Are you deaf? I HAVE NO HOME! LEAVE ME...LEave me...please...let me go...please... '
By this time, Hoseok could feel the girl was giving up fighting him. Instead, her voice was breaking. The anger inside him also began to settle down.
- ' We can go to the police station in that case...and - '
- ' No....anywhere but not the police station! I...no...no no no...NO! '
Hoseok didn’t understand what wrong he said, but that was stressing out the girl again and again she started pulling her hand out of his hold.
- ' Okay okay...calm down...we're not going to the police station...calm down. '
His words seem to work as the girl slowly stopped pulling her hand.  Just then, Hoseok's phone started buzzing.
Still holding her hand tightly, he pulled out his phone with the free hand and almost immediately after taking the call  Jiwoo's voice bursted from the other side
- ' Oppa! Where are you? Are you hurt? Are you not okay? What is taking so long? Should I come- '
- ' Ji..calm down. I'm...okay but... I'm...caught in a situation... '
- ' What happened?! '
Hoseok thought for a moment, mind calculating the situation.
- ' Can you..can you...come over? '
- ' Where oppa? What is happening-'
- ' On the bridge. '
- ' On the bridge? Like...the bridge near our house? '
- ' Yeah that one. '
- ' Okay..yeah...sure. Wait for two minutes. I'm coming right now. '
- ' Yeah...come fast. '
He put back his phone on his pocket, eyes never leaving the movements of the girl. But she seemed lost in deep thoughts...as if..reconsidering life again. They stand silently in the heavy rainfall. With all these going on, Hoseok forgot his umbrella...so both of them were completely soaked in rain.
- ' What's you name? '
The girl flinched a bit at the sudden question as her thoughts were disturbed , but answered in a low and broken voice
- ' Ara...Han Ara. '
Though none of them could see each-other clearly in the darkness, still Hoseok nodded a bit.
- ' I'm Jung Hoseok. '
- ' I don’t care who are you. For how long are you going to hold my hand like this? '
Hoseok paused a bit before answering
- ' Untill you give up doing the same thing again. '
She sighed and shook her head
- ' We're strangers! Don't you realise that? Why do you even care if I live or not?! '
- ' Because it's our duty to help our fellow human beings if possible... and I think this is what I should do now. '
- ' What are you? Angel? Or better... god himself!? '
Sarcasm was clearly ringing in her voice but Hoseok chose to not react. Just then, they heard footsteps running towards them
- ' Oppa! Oppa are you okay? What has happened? '
Jiwoo's voice rang through the deserted bridge as she came besides her brother, panting with all the running
- 'Are you fine? What- '
- ' Ji..Jiwoo...?'
Both of the siblings looked at the girl, and Jiwoo noticed her for the first time. Hoseok was confused at once. How does Ara know Jiwoo? He looked at her equally confused sister....but just then another thunderbolt made it easier to see everything, and Jiwoo gasped at the sight.
- ' Ara!? '
Both the girl stood there, staring at each-other in disbelief...not believing they're actually seeing the other person.
- ' Ara what are you doing here at this hour?
- ' I..I....'
Ara couldn’t answer. She looked up at Hoseok, as if trying to find answer... but Jiwoo was determined to know the whole story.
- ' Ara what is all this? How you found my brother? '
- ' B-brother!? This...guy is your... brother? '
Jiwoo glanced at her super confused sibling before answering
- ' Yeah... He is. But what exactly is happening here!? '
- ' I....he....uh...'
Ara's voice was dropping as she started to back off...but Hoseok was still holding her wrist. Jiwoo noticed that, totally clueless
- ' Oppa..why are you...'
Hoseok glanced at her sister, then back at Ara
- ' How do you know her? '
- ' What a question! She's my bestfriend oppa! We're in the same University. '
Hoseok's eyes widened at the information
- ' Your...bestfriend!? '
- ' Yeah. '
He turned to his sister, boiling in anger
- ' What kind of friend are you Jiwoo! What kind of friendship is this?! '
Hoseok usually never ever raises his voice to anyone....specially not at Jiwoo. She was clearly taken aback
- ' I...what....I don't understand - '
- ' Do you even know what your "bestfriend" was going to do awhile ago? '
- ' She doesn’t know anything.... I... I didn’t tell her...please...don’t tell her anything. '
Ara whispered, now on the verge of crying. But Hoseok wasn’t backing off.
- ' She was going to jump off from this bridge! She wanted to end her life! Do you understand Jiwoo?! '
- ' Wh...WHAT? '
Jiwoo immediately turned to Ara, utterly shocked and traumatised
- ' Ara....what...what...why! '
- ' I...'
That's all she said before leaping toward Jiwoo, wrapping her arms around her neck and breaking in loud sobs. Jiwoo still couldn’t process what was going on , but embraced the crying girl tightly. This is when Hoseok let go of Ara's hand..somehow assured that she's not going to do something stupid again.

Moments passed by, but none of them really cared about the extreme rain or the odd hours. As the loud sobs died down to sniffles, The girls finally broke the embrace, but Jiwoo still holding her closely. 
- ' Now....should we head home? '
Hoseok said, voice gentle as he spoke and Jiwoo glanced at Ara, uncertain about what to say.
- ' I...don't...'
- ' I'm not deaf and I heard what you said about home earlier. But for your kind information, we do have a house and you're coming with us. '
By this time, their eyes were habituated in the darkness, and they could see each-other pretty clearly. Ara looked up at Hoseok, unable to say anything... but Hoseok noticed the change in her eyes. They're now filled with fear, uncertainty and embarrassment. Hoseok took a step towards her, and spoke with the most gentle manner ever
- ' We'll talk about anything else later. For now....come with us. It's enough late and all of us will catch pneumonia if we stand in rain anymore. '
Ara looked between the siblings, not sure about what to do, and Jiwoo gave her a little assuring smile
- ' Don't worry...it's my house Ara. And it's only us. You know I live with my brother only. '
Ara looked down, considering the offer as the siblings waited patiently for her answer.
- ' O..Okay...'
That's all she could mutter and Jiwoo wrapped her one arm around Ara protectively
- ' Come...it's only a minute away. I made ramen today! You love it right?  '
Ara still couldn’t process how she actually managed a light smile after a few minutes of her suicidal attempt....  but she did...and her bestfriend guided her home, her savior aka Jiwoo's brother following behind.

Another incident on the same night and this time, our very own Hobi saved his sister's bestfriend's life!

And yup, Han Ara is absolutely my own fictional character, not related to any other real person.

All Hoseok stans out there, you can put yourselves in Ara's shoes.... I don’t mind! 😋

Let's see what more this night has to offer in the next chapter!

Thanks for reading and voting 💜✨