under the droplets // yejisu

fin.

Chaeryeong is getting annoyed.

No, really. Everytime her study partner and best friend Yeji checks today’s weather on the phone, it irks the shit out of her. Students from their university are the main crowd in every library, study corner, and cafe around the block in preparation for big exams next week, and the last thing that Chaeryeong would want is for her study buddy to be so off-tracks.

“Christ, Yeji. Put the phone down!” she whisper-yelled, absolutely not wanting to risk this comfortable spot in the public library. They’re seated adjacent to a rectangular window, with rays of the setting sun hitting it in just the right amount and illuminating three scattered literature textbooks.

“A minute more, Ryeong. I’m not believing this forecast on the damn weather app, I’m trying to check it on search engines.” Yeji huffed.

You see, as much as Chaeryeong despises it, Yeji ditching the notebooks every now and then just to check today’s climate has been an unspoken routine. She's The explanation for this habit is a tad bit ridiculous in Chaeryeong’s opinion:

(Nah, it’s fucking absurd to her.)

Celebrating eight years of existence a decade ago, Yeji persuaded her amiable parents to bring the family to the famous park sited in Gwangju. It was her dream come true to be able to fly kites in an open field. Maybe meeting kids (mainly girls) around her age sounded perfect, too.

But then a kite-flyer’s foe came crashing down the vicinity. Rain drops poured hard and fast above them, as if mocking poor Yeji whose goal was unfortunately postponed.

The family occupied a tree shade enough to shelter them from the harsh rainfall. Yeji was sulking, to say the least. She wasn’t the one to whine and throw unnecessary tantrums, but the way the deities were sabotaging her plan was pushing her buttons.

She jumped out of her skin when all of a sudden fingers about the same size as hers wrapped around her slender wrist. Yeji meticulously traced the path from the said fingertips, rising to the arms and all the way up to her face.

Her.

The youngster had doe-brown eyes, staring right into the birthday girl. She donned neatly-cut bangs with a teal bow on her head to complement the style. Yeji assumed they were about the same age, if the two centimetre height difference was any indication.

Still, this was a (cute) stranger, so she mustered up a puzzled look.

“I’m Lia,” the girl simpered, showing off her crooked front teeth. “You look sad. Mom said when something makes you sad, think of a way to turn it into a source of happiness." she explained in a breath and a half.

"Do you want to play with me? I really want somebody to have fun with.” Lia asked, eyes somewhat pleading, forefinger aiming towards wet grasslands.

All it took for Yeji was a glance to her parents and making sure they’re busy calling for some rescue. She smiled down to the petite girl, grabbed her by the hand, and led them both onto the middle of the park.

It took exactly four minutes before Yeji’s parents were frantically speeding towards her.

Four minutes, and Yeji and Lia had the most enjoyable afternoon getting dirt on their bright-hued clothes.

Four minutes, and kites were nowhere to be found near her list of concerns.

Four minutes, and something life-altering happened.

“I told you my name. Why can’t I know yours?” Lia said with faux offence once they both decided to cease sprinting. She donned a pout on her lips.

Yeji giggled at the gesture. “Yeji. It’s nice out here with you, Lia.”

“Is that so?” the younger widened her orbs, both amused and touched by what the birthday celebrant said about her. Her face lit up. “How about we meet everytime there’s a rain and play?”

The older knew the proposition was borderline impossible, but then she had done quite a handful of those kind before. So seven seconds before four minutes ended and she was being carried away, Yeji nodded her head and made a promise.

She forgot about it. Of course she did, for years. She was no superhuman to remember a distant memory. But as if fate likes to screw around, the same thing happened to her brother Hyunjin. She watched and let him jog around all drenched beside some Seungmin boy, and that’s when it hit her.

For five months, she waited for a sign of rainfall. And when it comes, Yeji takes an extra mile to go around the city, flannels soaked thoroughly under the influence of big water droplets. It’s not like she’s a masochist, no, but she’s a woman of her words, and silently hoped that Lia is, too.

Learning that in ancient times, soulmates found each other under the rain didn’t help her case, either.

*slap!*

The sound was perceived all throughout that specific library corner. Yeji felt her left cheek burn.

“What is wrong with you, Ryeong?”

“STOP FUCKING SPACING OUT!” Chaeryeong seemed to say goodbye to the library spot after barking such words. Everyone’s eyes burned holes at their backs, pissed that the silence was wrecked.

“Is this about the finals? That’s it?” Yeji challenged her.

“No, stupid ass! Hyunjin’s school was caught on fire and you’re here disoriented!”

What?

The eighteen year-old partially tripped onto load amounts of bags on her way out the library. Yeji’s scampering her way on the pavement, crossing byways and defying traffic rules moments after. God bless she’s almost putting every James Bond movie to shame.

300 meters away and she’s chanting her brother’s name like a ritual to St. Gabriel. She couldn’t afford to lose Hyunjin, not him. Not on her watch.

Yeji cursed under her breath upon seeing that he wasn’t in the crowd of rescued students. She boldly crossed beyond the yellow tapes, and into the burning facility. It’s extremely humid along the corridors, but Yeji couldn’t even be bothered to note it down. She finally reached his room, but was met with no one.

Nothing.

Yeji’s knees wobbled, both fatigue and despair kicking in. The school’s fire sprinkler system was activated. The fire was starting to be contained, flames around the miserable teenager slowly dissipating. Water was probably invented to mock her and her biggest failures.

“Noona!”

Oh God.

Yeji turned to her side, swiftly picking up her brother and locking him in her embrace. That was a close call, she thought, completely ignorant of the presence behind her.

Someone cleared their throat. It must be the rescuer. She turned around, readying her speech of gratitude dedicated to...

-Lia Choi, Fire Department Volunteer.

The younger gave her the sweetest, purest smile. 

For months to no end, Yeji was searching under the rain.

She met her under...working fire sprinklers.

Guess that counts, too.