Lingering Feelings Chapter 1 | Wenrene

Lingering Feelings

Chapter 1

When the sky suddenly weeps, and umbrellas forgotten, everyone scatters to look for a shed. Protecting themselves from getting drenched, to not ruin their day, always had been the norm.

Just like everyone else, Joohyun does the same. Sighting and stopping at a structure with projecting eaves, on her way home from school.

With her mind occupied with other things as she walked earlier, the rain has poured before she could find a place to take shelter. Her waterproof bag, that she used to shield herself from rain, was fully drenched. A few strands of her hair, face, arms and clothes that were uncovered by the bag did not escape from getting wet either. The rain cascaded, a few parts of the uneven road flooded. She missed avoiding them as she ran in a rush, causing her feet ending in a most uncomfortable state.

Drying herself with tissues weren't enough, so she hoped this gloomy weather to disappear quick with the flood and rain. She used a few tissues left to clean an old wooden chair to sit on and wait for the rain to end.

"Stop quickly. Enough with your tears." Joohyun said as she watched the heavy rain.

This gloomy weather, quiet, cold and alone to what seemed like an old house unoccupied, Joohyun felt lonely. Lonely but tranquil, something she'd choose rather than... home.

She looked at a distance, the sound of the loud rain becoming familiar, sleep visiting her slowly. But that was abruptly interrupted when someone appeared on that empty distance she was looking mindlessly. She shrieked in surprise especially when that figure was quickly approaching her location, and it did.

"WAH! That's some heavy rain right there!" The new figure commented with too much, for Joohyun's liking, energy.

Joohyun took a distance from the stranger. She moved the chair and her things while the newcomer, who happens to be a lady, was busy drying herself. She has no desire for interaction with her since she drove her peace away.

"I got an extra towel, here!"

A loud voice rung in Joohyun's ears. The other lady was starting a conversation, much to Joohyun's horror.

"I always bring an extra towel so if I forgot to bring one the next days, then I'll still be safe from the rain!"

"I'm fine." Joohyun flatly rejected.

Silence engulfed them, which made Joohyun calm, but only for a few seconds.

"But you'll get sick with your state."

Joohyun still wasn't looking at her, but with the tone of the lady's voice, she could clearly picture out the emotions on her face.

Not giving her a response, the lady continued.

"My body is usually warm, but I'm cold in this weather since I got drenched. I'm sure you're more cold than I am. So you should take this."

Worried. Joohyun thought. But why?

"Your family and friends would worry if you get sick."

Sad.

Joohyun experimented something, so she stretched her hand on the side. Without looking at the stranger, she asked for the extra towel. And to Joohyun's amusement, the girl really came back to her energetic self as she expected.

"Oh, finally! Here! You won't regret it!" The stranger approached her to give the towel and Joohyun finally looked up to meet its owner.

Happy.

Joohyun was slightly taken aback. The girl's eyes oozing with so much innocence along with her smile took her captive for a few seconds before she averted her eyes away from her.

What was that?

"Hello. I'm Son Seungwan. Nice to meet you. Don't be scared. I'm a university student on my senior year at xx university. There, you can always get back to me when I do something wrong."

Joohyun really felt that sincerity of wanting to help from her, revealing her details. That remark made Joohyun look at her once more, this time, observantly.

"Here, this is my ID." Seungwan showed her university ID but it wasn't enough to make Joohyun feel at ease with her so she just nodded as a form of acknowledgment.

Joohyun started using the towel to dry her hair, and in the process, her nose sniffed it's fragrance. It smelled so good.

Gazing at Seungwan, who at that time busy herself drying her back pack that got wet from the rain, Joohyun noticed Seungwan's appearance. She has a short fluffy black hair, white skin, wearing a collared shirt with colored stripes of white and blue, jeans and white shoes. To Joohyun's point of view, Seungwan is... harmless. With how honest her facial reactions showing too, she could feel her warm presence. Perhaps, she could relax a bit, she's a safe companion in this abandoned area while waiting for the rain to stop.

"Thank you for the towel." She declared which easily got the other elated.

That smile Seungwan displayed from that moment, Joohyun never knew it'll become one of her most treasured memory in the future. 

"Loving the rain?" A deep voice from a man behind broke her out of her reverie, he eventually caught her in an embrace.

Joohyun flinched at the contact and quickly broke loose from his possession, with a forced smile worn on her face like the usual.

"Time's already up. I'll be leaving."

"I thought you changed your mind because you stayed."

Joohyun saw a glint of hope from the man's eyes, something that she disliked, so she dismissed it right away.

"I'm only obsessed with the rain. Just transfer your payment, I'm done here." Joohyun's heels taps on the glossy tiles of the room, slowly diminishing from the still naked man.

"You can quit this job, Joohyun. Just come with me, become my other half. Let's build a family you can call your own. I'll give you everything you want!"

The man cried desperately and Joohyun stopped on her tracks, she turned around. Her features softened which made the man hopeful again.

"Do you know what I want?"

"I-it's money, right? I have lots of that. You don't need to sleep with anyone else again for money."

Joohyun scoffed. "Do you think you're the only one who offered me that? What makes you different for me to take your offer?"

The man took the blanket to cover his body and tried to approach Joohyun again but the latter gave him a fierce look, he backed out. "I'm different, Joohyun. I love you. I really do."

Joohyun has heard a lot of love confessions from the past but none of it reached her heart, none, since her.

It must be the rain and the memory it brings back as always that Joohyun's feeling sentimental as of the moment. Joohyun's heart had been swayed by the thought of her.

"I only want to be loved by one person, and clearly, it's not you."

"Then what should I do to gain that love of yours instead? How can I become the person that you love?"

Joohyun smiled, yet pain visible on her features. She shook her head, acknowledging her next words as facts cut straight to her heart. "Nothing. It'll never be you nor anyone else."

She then left the room, leaving the man dropped on the floor after rejection.

There can only be one Son Seungwan, but she pushed her away.

The next day, on her way to university, Joohyun saw Seungwan leaving her car and entered the institution. When Joohyun saw her ID yesterday, she did not react in a way that Seungwan would know about her existence in the same school. After all, she didn't want another interaction with a person that's completely oppposite of her. 

That wasn't Seungwan's plan though.

"Here you are! I finally found you!" Seungwan approached her one day at the school cafeteria, which Joohyun got startled especially with how this person took a seat beside her, leaving her campanions behind. 

Joohyun always stay hidden, choosing the farthest corner of the cafeteria to eat, alone. She has no intention to mingle, including her blockmates, not when she has bad reputation among all of them. 

"Seungwan-ah! Let's go already!" She heard one of Seungwan's friends. Joohyun did not need to face them to tell they were disgusted by her at all. She has learned this skill over time, to protect herself from judging eyes. 

"You can go ahead. She's my friend, I'll eat with her."

Joohyun's eyes widened and turned quickly at her. "What?" 

"Hmm?" Seungwan looked at her questioningly. Eyes displays no pretension nor malice. 

"We'll go ahead then!" The other girls left them with Joohyun still confused. By this time, Jooyhun was already expecting Seungwan to have heard about people's comments about her. So why is she doing this?

"Do you know who I am?!"  Joohyun was exasperated. 

"That's right. You didn't gave me your name before. What's your name?" 

Joohyun was skeptical with what she's witnessing before her. Because no matter how much she look for that disgust and judging look from Seungwan, like what everyone around her usually displays, she couldn't. She was exuding purity, innocence, and friendliness instead. This is wrong!

"Whatever you heard about me. All of them are true. I'm disgusting, I'll do everything for money. You need confirmation right? Now that you heard it, get lost!" Joohyun got enraged earning everyone's eyes and ears near them.

"Nope. That's not what I want to hear. Could you tell me your name instead?" Seungwan did not flinch and still insisted in a very gentle manner for her name.

Joohyun couldn't understand what's happening at all. She sighed deeply to calm herself when she realized the commotion she caused. At this point, Joohyun could tell, this conversation won't go anywhere unless she walks out or speaks whatever Seungwan wanted to hear. She's certain, that the girl knew about her name and existence in this school, explaining the way she reacted earlier when she found her. For sure too, she heard her name from the rumors circulating around the campus that's why.... she's in disbelief with how Seungwan's still treating her nicely.

"Joohyun. My name is Bae Joohyun." She mumbled, resigned. 

"That's a lovely name. Nice to meet you, Bae Joohyun." Seungwan smiled contentedly at her and then started eating her food on their table like nothing happened. All of it warmed Joohyun's cold heart, leaving her speechless.