HERSHE || BBANGSAZ ||

24. Closure

It was raining all day. Minji was about to go home after her class.

"Ugh. I hate this! My shoes and socks are soaked!"

Unfortunately, her black umbrella wasn't big enough to shield her shoes from the rain. What's making it worse is her heavy backpack. She hated the fact that being a college freshman means bringing more and bigger books.

"I really need to convince dad to buy me a car soon."

She walked past the school gate. On her way to the bus station, she noticed a girl, maybe about her age, shedding under a pharmacy store. She looked like she's worried or lost.

"We're from the same school."

She met eyes with the girl for a fraction of a second. Although the girl took her eyes away immediately, Minji had a gut feeling that this girl needs help. The girl is shedding in that store with no umbrella in her hand, not even one in the area. Minji decided to help.

"Hi there, schoolmate." Minji smiled.

The girl looked hesitant but Minji's charm seems to have won over her. "Hi."

Minji closed her umbrella to shed. "It looks like you're stuck in here."

"Kinda."

"You forgot to bring your umbrella?"

The girl shook her head as she ran her fingers through her hair. "No. Somebody stole it."

"What? Seriously?" Minji tried her best not to laugh at the idea of umbrellas being stolen. "Where did you leave it?"

"There," said the girl, pointing at the wall. "I left my umbrella there to buy medicine. It was already gone when I turned around."

"Oh. That's too bad..."

"Who would steal an old ugly umbrella, anyway? Ugh!" the girl yowled in frustration.

Minji rested both her hands on the top of the umbrella handle. "The thing is umbrella's value increases significantly during rainy days."

Although it wasn't her intention to make it sound like a joke, the girl chuckled. "Are you saying that my ugly umbrella turned into a pretty dazzling one because it rained?"

"Yeah. Something like that."

"Eeeeeee... I need to go home by 4:30 because Banggeul needs to take her medicines on time."

"Banggeul? Your sister?"

The girl chuckled in response. "No. She's my dog. She's sick."

"Oh. Well, in that case," said Minji, lifting her umbrella, "I can offer you a ride to the bus station if you'd like to."

"Really?"

"Yeah, what are schoolmates for, right?"

"Oh, thank goodness! You're a life-saver!" The girl hugged Minji with no warning.

"Okay." Minji opened her umbrella when the girl pulled away. "Let's go?"

"Umm. Could you tell me your name first, my dearest schoolmate?"

"Of course." Minji offered her right hand. "I'm Minji. It's nice meeting you...?"

"Haerin," said the girl, shaking Minji's hand back. "My name is Haerin, and it's nice to meet you too, Minji."

—

Hanni found herself in the hotel's main lobby, busy drying her arms with a handkerchief after she got caught in the rain. There was an eerie feeling that someone is staring at her. And to her surprise, Wonyoung was walking towards her.