Joylada Gang Collection✨️

Coincidental Encounters [JD]

The city was alive with the low hum of rain pattering against the pavement, its rhythm steady and comforting in a way only familiar storms could provide. People hurried along the wet streets, umbrellas blooming like flowers, shielding them from the persistent drizzle.

But for Joong, the rain wasn't a burden-it was a quiet solace. He walked leisurely, the cool drops landing on his own umbrella, his thoughts drifting between the past and the present.

He had no destination, no real reason to be out in this weather, but something about the rain always drew him outside. It washed away the heaviness he often carried in his chest, the unspoken emotions, the questions that never found answers.

As Joong rounded the corner to a small, familiar café, a sudden gust of wind knocked a nearby umbrella inside out, scattering a handful of passersby into brief chaos. Amidst the small commotion, a young man bolted across the street, seemingly unbothered by the downpour. His drenched figure darted past Joong, but something in the man's expression stopped him in his tracks-a look of urgency mixed with frustration. Joong's gaze followed him as he ran into the cover of a bus stop.

There was something familiar about him. Joong couldn't place it, but the stranger's hurried pace and the brief flash of his face stirred something within him. With his curiosity piqued, Joong found himself drawn to the shelter as well.

As he approached, the man was muttering under his breath,fixing his umbrella and shaking water from his hair. "Of course, it had to rain today," he mumbled, almost to himself. He glanced up at Joong, realizing someone else had joined him under the small bus stop cover.

"Sorry," the stranger said, offering an awkward smile. "Bit of a mess today."

Joong smiled back, recognizing the soft features of the man. "No worries. The rain's got its own way of causing trouble." He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Do I know you?"

The man's brows furrowed in confusion for a second, and then his eyes widened slightly in recognition. "Wait... Joong, right?"

Joong blinked. "Yeah, that's me."

"Dunk," the man replied, pointing to himself. "We went to the same high school. Different years, but I'm pretty sure we had the same circle of friends for a while."

Memories flickered in Joong's mind. It had been a long time since those carefree days, but Dunk's face slowly started to align with faint images from the past. They hadn't been close, but there were always fleeting moments-exchanged glances in the hallways, mutual friends pulling them into the same conversations.

"Dunk," Joong repeated, a grin forming on his lips. "I remember now. We had that one friend...what was his name? Always made us join his for study groups?"

"Yeah, Pond," Dunk laughed, his shoulders visibly relaxing. "He was relentless. Never let us off the hook, even on weekends."

The two fell into a natural rhythm of conversation, reminiscing about shared memories from school. The rain continued to fall around them, but neither seemed to mind anymore.

They laughed about the small, insignificant things they remembered-the cafeteria food, the terrible class projects, the friends who were now scattered across the globe.

"I never thought I'd run into someone from high school, least of all in the middle of a storm," Dunk said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Life has a weird way of doing that, doesn't it?"

Joong nodded, feeling the same sense of serendipity. "Yeah, it does. Especially when you least expect it."

They stood there in silence for a moment, watching the rain. The world around them seemed quieter, as if the storm had created a bubble just for the two of them.

"So," Joong started, glancing at Dunk. "What are you up to these days?"

Dunk hesitated, his smile faltering just slightly. "Ah, you know...work, life. It's a bit messy right now, to be honest." He gestured vaguely toward the street, indicating something larger than just the storm. "But it's all part of the process, I guess."

Joong understood. He didn't need to pry further. "Yeah, it's like that sometimes."

Another silence fell between them, but this one was comfortable. The rain had slowed to a light drizzle, the clouds beginning to part slightly as the late afternoon sun tried to break through.

"Hey," Joong said after a moment, "I was heading to that café just over there. Do you want to grab something to drink and catch up? It's been a while."

Dunk looked at him, his eyes softening with appreciation. "Yeah," he said with a small smile. "I'd like that."

And just like that, they stepped out into the rain once more, two old acquaintances reconnecting under the watchful, cleansing gaze of the city's storm.