Don't Stop The Rain

Chicken

"Chicken?" The slender guy asks the moment you stood beside him, lifting up the spare umbrella, offering it in exchange with Chicken again.

You land a gaze on him, and admire his features for a second, before refusing his offer. You're done with your deadline and you don't have important files with you for now so it's okay to go home late or get wet from the rain.

The not-so-stranger lifts the edge of his lips before taking his eyes away from you. "Good luck waiting for the rain to stop then," he declares before leaving you with an open umbrella in his right hand and the spare one on the other.

"Tch," you roll your eyes. Maybe he'll come again after 10 minutes.

But even after 15 minutes have passed, no sign of the said guy can be found. Unconsciously pouting, you take your phone and earphones from your bag, taking every piece on each ear to listen to your favorite band.

"How can I stop the rain?" You sing softly with the music as your watch the raindrops have contact with the ground. Right, he went back yesterday because he bought a spare umbrella from the convenience store. But he brought that umbrella today, so I guess there's no reason for him to go back? You let out a sigh. And why would he come back anyway? It's not like I'm his responsibility or something. "Tsk," you rest your elbows on your lap as your hands cup your face. You shut your eyes as you slowly regret not taking the offer before.

"Chicken?" Your heart jumps by hearing that voice. You look up and straighten up, trying not to show any sign of relief, and see him holding a paper bag with the logo of the Chicken Place you went to yesterday. You take a gulp hoping that your cheeks are not turning red as he walks and sits beside you.

You try to ignore him as if he doesn't exist but he moves closer causing your elbows to touch. You swallow the lump that formed in your throat to calm yourself.

"Chicken," he offers again—more like a demand.

"No, thanks," you decline and he chuckles.

"Don't tell me you're thinking that this costs something again?" He confirms and you glance at him with an eyebrow raised as if telling him 'Doesn't it?' "Come one, just eat," he chortles once more "If you won't, I'll leave you here without an umbrella," he glances the sky for a moment "it seems like it won't stop anytime soon."

Rolling your eyes, you take a piece and stuff it in your mouth. He sniggers and you feel your ears getting hot as you chew. Something tingles in your chest from hearing his suppress laughs every single time and you refuse to look at him when he does. Why do you have to be such an attractive jerk? You look down for a bit and bite your lower lip. Nevermind. Looks are just looks. Character is still what's important. You tilt your head for a bit. Why am I even thinking about these things?

"What?" he voices "You seem like having an internal battle with yourself. Trying not to see me as an attractive guy, huh?"

You scoff. "You wish!"

He beams wider before taking a bite of chicken, too. You just want to spread a hand on his face and try to erase that smug of his.

"Seems like you were thinking of me last night, though"

With mouth a gape and wide eyes, you look at him with disbelief. "Excuse me?"

"Here," he gives you the chicken take-out and the spare umbrella "you should go home now and take some rest. See you again," he winks.

You can't help but think about what he said. You keep rolling on your bed from one side to the other. "It's not like I was really thinking about him last night. I just made a character with him as a reference," you pause and stare at the ceiling, "or was I? No. No, no, no, no. I wasn't. Okay? I wasn't thinking about him"