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A gloomy morning accompanied Nayeon's misery. She was in her place, an abandoned waiting shed on a side of the mountain that overlooks the hustling city. The Korean parked her convertible behind it and found shelter under the shed. She was just standing there, admiring the rain, until someone joins her.
As far as she knew, this was her spot. There's no way someone would find this hidden gem. It has been hers for years now. Nonetheless, the woman stood beside her with no hesitation. Nayeon reacted by stealing glances as she was in disbelief of the current situation. She immediately followed by stepping to her right, farther from the foreign presence, and eventually leaning her upper body unto the right pole.
The stranger breaks the silence amidst the sound of the heavy downpour. "Why are you here?"
Nayeon, still confused, looks at the stranger to her left. She answers with uncertainty, "I need a breather." Then, looks back to the view.
The new company could only scoff. She rephrased herself, "I meant, what's suffocating you?"
Nayeon couldn't believe that this is still going on. She just want to take a break and for sure, so does the other, so why couldn't they just get it respectively? But, she couldn't just ask that. It was impolite. "And why would I tell you?" She was quick to ask back, subtly adding a hint of annoyance.
More about Nayeon's company, she's slightly taller than the Korean with fair complexion, and shoulder-length orange hair that towers her proportions. She replies at the question. "I've been told that it helps when you share your melancholy." The stranger relaxed by sitting down on the bench.
Nayeon looks from the heavy rain to the woman sitting down and back towards what's in front of her again. She crossed her arms while replying, "Thanks. But, I'm fine on my own."
The other pouted as she was not satisfied with Nayeon's answer. So, she tried biting back. "Really? Well, I'm not. I prefer being sad with someone than being sad alone."
"Not my problem then." It was a cold response from the Korean.
The stranger stands up, trying her best to acquire the upper hand in the situation. She slowly walks towards the edge of the shed. "For one, this place isn't quote unquote yours. Second, you can be sad alone while I'm here but I can't be sad with someone if one of us leaves."
This time, Nayeon did not have the time to sugarcoat her exasperation. She looks at the figure beside her and asks, "Don't you have friends?"
From looking at the irritated Korean, the stranger looks at the rain. "I do, but who even has time for their friends at 26?"
Nayeon suddenly softens at that. "You're 26?"
The other asks confusedly, "Yes. Why do you ask?" It was evident as she had her eyebrows frowned upon that small fact prolonging the agony.
"I am too." The Korean pretended to not care so much but it was a point for the other side. "See? We're same-aged friends. You can tell me what's wrong." The orange-haired woman replies.
It was an impulsive move of Nayeon to slowly walk closer to the unexpected company with her arms crossed. "Hey, incase you're not aware, I know nothing about you but that. You're still a stranger." Nayeon made it clear that she wasn't interested— especially when this stranger who just walked into her safe haven and made it hell. She enunciated every word with clear diction.
However, the receiving end managed to turn the tables around. She replied with enthusiasm, "That's great then! They say it's better to vent to a stranger because they don't know you. They can't judge you."
This time, it's the Korean who scoffs. "There's no way I'm risking myself getting hurt by a stranger for being vulnerable." Dragging the words, no way, in order to get her point across.
"I can't." She softly responded to Nayeon, killing the building tension with a hint of defeat.
The Korean only hums to let the other continue.
"Only people you love can hurt you, and clearly with how you act towards me right now, there's not even a single strand of your hair that loves me." Finally, something the stranger said that Nayeon agrees with. Well, not entirely.
"Tell that to the public figures who get hurt by the comments of unknown users." Nayeon is competitive with no exception. Not even to someone whom she didn't know or to an abstract and subjective idea.
"Fair point." The stranger gathers herself for the conversation they're about to have. "Okay. What about this, let's be acquaintances. In that way, we know each other but not so much that we can do any harm to each other."
The Korean is starting to hate how her newfound company is starting to make sense— trying to test her to her limits. "You're persistent."
"And you're acting tough, when you're not." This time, it the other responded swiftly. She was proud of herself for tugging something within Nayeon.
"Okay then." is the only thing the so-called original owner of the shed could muster up, but she doesn't back down without a glare.
"The name's Sana." Nayeon found herself a name for the annoying figure. Sana reaches her hand out to take Nayeon's.
"Mine's Nayeon." The other lowered her pride and completed the handshake to get whatever they'll do over with.
"So, would you mind telling me now?" Suddenly, after their little introduction, Sana's a new person to Nayeon. She saw her smile, heard her giggle, and felt her warm. She became... comfortable and trustworthy.
"My parents just died." It was scary how casual it was for the Korean to drop the bomb. Sana did not know how to respond. "O-oh. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you to—"
The other cuts her off. "It's fine, I guess." She didn't know what words to say as her emotions were confusing enough to not have a term for it. "I don't know. They fed me, sheltered me and they were... parents. They just forgot to spend time with me."
Nayeon was quick to follow her words, so that her story wouldn't be taken the wrong way. "—And it's okay. I knew that they were doing it for me. They were working hard so that they could have all the time with me afterwards."
All she could do was laugh bittersweetly at her words. If she was someone else listening or looking at her, she would pity herself.
Something from her realization started to tug her heart and prick her eyes, but no tears come out. "But, I'm thinking, when will I ever get their time now?"
The whole time she was venting out to Sana, she was just staring at the rain— lost and emotionless. She looks at Sana after being vulnerable. "The reason why I'm here isn't because I'm mourning. I'm here to sort out what I should be feeling."
Sana took the storyteller's look as the end and that she needed to say something. "Hey, this kind of news take everyone in different ways. If you're unsure, if you don't feel like mourning at all, that's alright." The sun waking up— that is what Nayeon saw in the acquaintance's eyes. It was new, warm, and full of hope.
"Come." She simply says, which surprises Sana. The Korean holds out her hand and waits for the other to complete it. She looks at the rain and then to the hands in front of her, trying to send a signal.
Sana accepts it with no clue. They hold hands, unexpectedly fitting each other's fingers perfectly. "Suddenly? Where are we going?"
"Just trust me." Nayeon slowly smiles and Sana could not believe how it made her want to smile too. The Korean then pulls the Japanese with her underneath the downpour.
As they stop in the middle of it all and let go of each other's hands, Sana immediately comments, "Wow that was a long walk."
Nayeon chuckles at the other's sarcasm. "I've always loved showering in the rain." She marvels at the motion of the raindrops.
"Why?" Sana asked. She asked it cutely, which made the Korean's smile a bit wider than before.
Nayeon faced Sana, preparing herself for what she's about to say. "Once the cold raindrops start to touch my skin, my whole body tries to normalize my temperature..."
She takes Sana's left hand and places it on top of her chest, above her heart. "Being in the rain makes me breathe more and my heart pump faster. It reminds me that I'm alive and I have something inside of me still living even if I don't feel like it." For a few seconds, Sana tries to matches up with Nayeon's breathing as they get themselves drunk in the moment.
However, Sana's expression does not align with her body. She's amazed but she's sivering, which wakes up something within Nayeon. "You're shivering."
"Well, you did say it's cold." Sana jokes back. They both giggle at their situation.
"Let's get back now." The slightly taller girl heads them back beneath the shed.
Nayeon took her large towel from her convertible and immediately wrapped it on Sana's back. They both took a seat on the bench.
"You're prepared. Did you expect me here?" Sana says as she greeted Nayeon back. Compared to earlier, their remarks were toss around with more ease and took as a sign of a budding friendship.
"Last thing I'd do." Nayeon snarks and they both laugh at just that.
The Korean then proceeds to explain herself. "I always have this big towel in my car, so whenever I feel like going here, and doing exactly what we did a few minutes ago." She realized that Sana looks at her with such adoration (or, maybe Sana really listens to anyone as if they to hold the cure for cancer). Nayeon does not pay too much attention and finishes what she was saying. "I like it big because it hugs me and keep me warm well."
At that, the Japanese thought of wrapping the blanket on Nayeon alone, shy that she was taking more of the blanket to her. "Oh, no. It's fine. I—"
"It's okay. I don't mind sharing." She was quick to stop Sana. Silence then fills the atmosphere, while the both simply smile at the moment.
"What about you, what brings you here?" Nayeon is now the one who starts the conversation.
"Momo." It was a short and bittersweet response from the other.
"Momo?" The Korean was confused as to what a Momo or who Momo could be.
Suddenly, as playful as destiny could be, she receives a notification in their group chat. It was the one with Jeongyeon, Mina, Dahyun and Tzuyu.
Mina (9:41am): Hey, remember the workmate I told you guys about?
Jeongyeon (9:45am): You mean, the one you've been head over heels for, when she had a girlfriend all this time?
Mina (9:48am): You didn't have to word it that way. Yoo Jeongyeon, who doesn't have anything better to do than to bicker with me.
Jeongyeon (9:48am): Excuse me. I am a working woman!
Dahyun: (9:49am): Anyway, so what's up, Mina-unnie?
Mina (9:49am): Well, she's single now!
Tzuyu: (9:50am): Wow... good for you, unnie?
Nayeon decided to turn her phone on silent mode. She could deal with that later. Right now, she has Sana to keep her company.
"You know her?" The Japanese pulls her back to their conversation before it was distracted by her friends.
"Familiar." Nayeon responds, short but enough for the other to continue.
"Wow, small world." Sana simply says.
Huh.
Sana continues sharing. "Well, she broke up with me."
"A breakup?" Now Nayeon's confused. Romantic relationships are new to her.
"Yes... have you never been in love?" Sana cautiously asks.
The receiving end suddenly felt defensive. "I had a crush on Yang Se Hyung before!"
"Celebrities don't count." The other rolls her eyes and crosses her arms.
"Well, that's the closest I'll ever get." Nayeon replies with a shy smile.
Suddenly, Sana thought it was only right to sympathize with her company. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what? I've been hearing that a lot from you today." The Korean left out a few chuckles to lighten up the atmosphere.
"I'm sorry that you don't know what it feels like to be romantically in love."
"Oh," Nayeon starts, unsure as to where this is going. "—uhh, it's fine. It's not really on top of my list... But, a penny for your thoughts?" She simply brings the conversation back to Sana's misery.
Sana sighs before venting. "Momo broke up with me after 5 years. 5 years— all the holidays, intimate moments, words exchanged,"
It was the worst timing, really. A notification rang on Sana's phone, which the receiver felt the urgency at. "Sorry, I've got to go."
Nayeon could not comprehend what was happening before her. The downpour have turned into a drizzle, and her newfound company whom she had conversation for a while now, suddenly needs to leave.
At the heat of the moment, the Korean thinks of something impulsively. "Sana." Nayeon calls out which the bearer of the name turns her head— stopping midway as she opened her driver's seat. Sana looks up with a slight smile.
"Earlier, you said it's a small world we live in." Nayeon gently readies the both of them for what she's about to say. Sana just hums in reply. "I'd like to see you again."
For a few seconds, Sana smiles but then her eyebrows frown— a sudden thought came into mind. "I wouldn't want that."
"Huh, why is that so?" Nayeon confusedly ask, the bit of hope within her shattered.
The orange-haired woman takes a deep breath as she composes her thoughts. Sana didn't know how to put it into words. "Because then I'd get know you more and sooner or later, I'll be hurting you, unconsciously and unintentionally."
It took a while before Nayeon comes up with a decision. She ponders, even chuckles internally for the situation they've put themselves in until finally, she has a decision. "If that's the case, by then, I hope you find me worth risking it all for."
Sana was shocked at Nayeon's reply, but instead, she settles for a hopeful smile. Nayeon was dumbfounded at what just happened. Her friends will definitely hear about it... or not, because they'll probably just be teasing her. Nonetheless, Sana was a great start for a healing, which she believes, awaits her.