Sunshine Shower

A gentle breeze lightly brushed the tip of Moon Seoyoon’s nose. While it wasn’t cold, it was enough to cool his heated eyes. Even if it didn’t, it might at least take away some of the persistent moisture that had gathered inside his eyes.Despite not crying yesterday or today, his eyelids felt warm. Moon Seoyoon pressed his eyelids lightly and walked quietly. The school was quieter than usual, perhaps because it was the weekend after midterms. Or maybe it was just because it was early for a weekend morning.He hadn’t slept well, making not just his body but his mind feel heavy.‘I knew I wouldn’t sleep well…’Normally, he would have been groaning all night from indigestion. He always took digestive medicine before and after meals, but meals with his father always ended with a tight stomach.Lying in bed, the feeling of almost wanting to vomit and the frustration of having to suppress that feeling built up in his chest. It was only natural he couldn’t sleep until the early hours.But tossing and turning all night wasn’t because of his father. It was because of Woo Yeonjae.What was hard to digest wasn’t the food he had forced down, but the mixed emotions swirling inside him.“Sigh…”Moon Seoyoon sighed and pulled his cap down. He had come out to avoid unnecessary thoughts, but thoughts of Woo Yeonjae kept circling back. The rustling jelly and the gentle warning lingered in his ears.‘I’m very jealous, you know.’It was just a piece of jelly. A small token given without much meaning.“It’s my fault.”The only way to rid himself of the overwhelming self-reproach was to determine right and wrong. And receiving something from a friend’s girlfriend was clearly his fault. If they were close personally, it might be different, but in a relationship where boundaries clearly existed, Moon Seoyoon had been the one to cross the line.‘I’ll have to be careful next time… if there is a next time.’As Woo Yeonjae’s friend, it was right for him to be careful.Admitting his fault this way made him feel better. It was less pathetic than envying Woo Yeonjae’s girlfriend over a piece of jelly.Even if he had to forefront the guilt over his mistake, he wanted to hide his envy. He had never thought of unrequited love as a negative emotion, but his feelings seemed to take on a tainted hue, and that scared him.Stop thinking about it. Moon Seoyoon pressed his pale cheek hidden under his cap and opened the door. With a clear chime, a familiar scene unfolded.“Oh? Oppa!”“Hello.”Moon Seoyoon lifted the corners of his mouth and greeted Song Jua, who looked pleased to see him. He had come to the cafe where he worked to clear his head and move around a bit, thinking that being cooped up in the dormitory was making him think unnecessary thoughts. With midterms over, he couldn’t focus on studying, so he decided to take a walk instead.“Even with a cap, you recognized me.”“Are you kidding? I’d recognize you from far away. Do you think someone with your physique is common?”“What do you mean by my physique?”Moon Seoyoon chuckled at Song Jua’s joke.“Um… someone with a nice silhouette?”Song Jua quickly added, “No, that sounds weird, but don’t get me wrong. I meant you have good proportions. You know the actor I fangirl over? You have that kind of style. Plus, you’re tall.”Knowing she was just being flattering, Moon Seoyoon laughed again.“I didn’t misunderstand. By the way, I must have come too early on a weekend. Sorry about that.”“It’s fine. I get paid for extra shifts, and besides, you’re not just any customer. You won’t cause trouble.”She seemed to be referring to the troublesome customer from closing time the other day. Having spent a lot of time together, they never ran out of things to talk about.“What would you like to have? Oh!”As she was wiping her hands on her apron, Song Jua suddenly leaned on the counter as if she remembered something.“You know the new menu item we’re planning? Well, the boss made it.”“Milk tea?”“Yeah. He brought it earlier. Would you like to try it? If it suits our taste, we’ll add it to the menu.”“Have you tried it?”“I haven’t yet. I need to strain the tea leaves, and it seemed like a hassle. But if you’re going to drink it, I’ll try it too. It takes a bit of time to strain the leaves. Are you busy?”Moon Seoyoon shook his head and turned to head behind the counter to help.“I’m not busy. I can strain the tea leaves.”“No, it’s my job since I’m the one getting paid. You’ll try it?”“Sure, I don’t mind.”“Alright. Just a moment.”With her sleeves rolled up, Song Jua disappeared towards the refrigerator. As Moon Seoyoon looked around the empty cafe, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Seeing the caller ID, he immediately answered.“Hello.”– Where are you, little puppy?The playful voice sounded hoarse. It seemed he had come back close to midnight, having drunk a lot. Moon Seoyoon could easily picture him curled up in bed, scratching his head with his eyes closed. Living together in the dormitory for a long time, he had naturally come to know these habits.“I’m at a cafe for a bit. What do you want to drink?”– Something sweet, cold, and refreshing, please.His bold, detailed order made Moon Seoyoon glance over the menu in front of him.“How about an ade? Or a smoothie?”– Which cafe did you go to?“The one where I work part-time.”– Ah, that one. They are known for their handmade lemonades. I’ll have a lemonade, please.“Anything else you need?”– I need a lot of things. Like an apartment with a Han River view…Moon Seoyoon hung up the phone without hesitation. It was right when Song Jua came out with milk tea.“Jua, sorry, but can I get a lemonade?”“One glass? Is it for someone else?”“Yeah.”“Got it.”Song Jua nodded lightly and smiled meaningfully as she put the lemon syrup in a takeaway cup.“Who is it?”“Who’s what?”“The person you were on the phone with. You were smiling until you hung up. Do you have a girlfriend now?”Only then did Moon Seoyoon understand the meaning behind her meaningful expression. He frowned and denied it.“Why would you suddenly think I have a girlfriend? It was just my dorm roommate. He made a joke, and I laughed.”“Geez, I thought you finally had a girlfriend.”Song Jua pouted and slumped her shoulders as if she was disappointed. She gave off the vibe of a middle-aged person watching teenagers in love, making Moon Seoyoon laugh without realizing it.“Oh, right. Your friend came by yesterday.”“… Woo Yeonjae?”“Yes. He seemed to be waiting for someone, so I thought he was here to see you. But then he met his girlfriend.”Moon Seoyoon fiddled with the milk tea bottle. The cold droplets soaked in sharply along the fingerprint marks.“They sat next to each other and talked. They looked so close that I couldn’t help but watch.”Song Jua bent down and poured ice over the lemon syrup. The clinking sound was quite cheerful.“They seem to get along well. Both have good personalities.”Moon Seoyoon barely replied. He was relieved he took a day off work yesterday. Clearing his schedule for dinner with his father turned out to be a blessing. If he had met Woo Yeonjae and his girlfriend right after catching a glimpse of their jealousy, he would have broken down in some way.“I’m not sure if it’s okay to say this since he’s your friend, but he really stands out. Remember when the boss worked instead of you yesterday? He still remembers him from last semester when he came to the cafe. Handsome people are different, I guess. With so many customers, the boss barely remembers regulars. Isn’t it amazing?”Having dated for over two years, hearing about Woo Yeonjae from others wasn’t new. But it felt much stranger than when he first heard about him from Kim Hyunsung.‘Two years…’Shouldn’t a rotten heart have gotten used to it by now?The sound of soda being poured made the ice wall crumble. The pile of ice falling down was such an easy thing to watch. As Moon Seoyoon stared blankly at it, he finally realized why he felt strange. A lot had changed between the past and now.Especially now, unlike two years ago, he could vividly picture Woo Yeonjae with his girlfriend. Seeing them together might have left a lasting impression.Subconsciously gripping the bottle, the milk tea inside swirled.“Oppa. Are you listening?”“Huh? Oh, yeah. Right.”Moon Seoyoon, who was staring blankly at the bubbles rising from the soda, came to his senses only after Song Jua took the drink from his hand. He hadn’t fully understood what she said while he was lost in thought but felt it awkward to ask her to repeat, so he gave a plausible reply.