It is a cruel irony that the toughest love to give is to the person who was always there.
[ Rain's POV ]
The bedroom door creaked.
I didn't turn around, but I felt the air in the kitchen instantly shift. Cold. Sharp.
I could feel his fierce gaze burning into my back. It was a terrifying contrast to the gentle eyes I used to know, the eyes of the boy who used to pinch my cheeks and swear I was the most important person in his world.
"Fran? Breakfast is ready," I said softly. My voice sounded pathetic and small in the quiet, modern kitchen.
No response.
The only sound was the heavy scuff of his shoes as he slid them on by the cabinet. Desperate for a single word, I grabbed a packed lunch box and hurried toward him.
"Here. I made you lunch, too."
He didn't look at the container. He didn't even look at me.
Fran simply opened the door and stepped out, shutting it between us.
The deafening tick-tock of the wall clock was the only thing left to answer me. On the table, the breakfast sat steaming. Wasted. Again.
I felt the familiar, bitter sting in my eyes.
I really will move out soon, I promised myself, gripping the counter. I have to. I can't breathe like this.
The shrill sound of my alarm earlier that morning had been the only thing filling our shared apartment.
It was the first day of university, a day that should have been a celebration of a new beginning. Instead, it felt like the agonizing continuation of something that desperately needed to end.
When I had shifted in bed hours ago, Fran was still asleep, his breathing heavy and even. I had moved like a ghost, bathing quickly and heading straight to the kitchen.
The sizzle of eggs. The aroma of coffee. The scene was too familiar. I still cooked for him out of habit. It was a muscle memory I couldn't break, the residual instinct of being "Fran and Rain."
Since the day we were born, Fran had been my world. Our mothers, best friends and neighbors, had practically raised us as a single unit. We were the pair that supposedly got sick if separated. The boys who grew up in the same classrooms. The duo everyone assumed would never be apart.
Until three months ago.
Until Athena...
At the university stadium, the atmosphere was chaotic and packed for freshman orientation.
At the registration area, the lines were divided sharply by faculty. I stood in the Medicine line, looking across the crowded hall. Fran stood in the Engineering line.
Our eyes met for a split second.
He looked away immediately. He treated me like a total stranger.
From my isolated spot at the back of the hall, I watched him command the front. He was already surrounded by a crowd. Fran had that way about him. Despite his "angry bird" look and the fierce expression that usually intimidated people, he naturally drew them in. He was laughing, looking more alive out there than he ever did at home.
After orientation, I retreated to the crowded canteen for lunch. I claimed a quiet corner table, setting down the two lunch boxes I had packed that morning.
My eyes drifted. I still wanted to give the second one to him. But across the room, Fran was already at the center of a lively table, eating and joking with his new friends.
When he caught me looking, I bowed my head quickly, burning with embarrassment.
I felt pathetic, playing with my food.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over my table.
"Hi! Are you alone? Can I sit here?"
I looked up. A tall, handsome guy with a bright, easy smile was looking down at me.
"Ah... yes, you can."
He had asked, but he was already sliding into the seat before I could even finish my sentence.
"You're also from the Faculty of Medicine, right?" he asked, tilting his head.
"Ahh. Yes. How did you know?"
"I saw you at registration. I'm a freshman in the same faculty. Can you be my first friend here? I don't know anyone yet. I'm Sean, by the way." He extended his hand, his brilliant smile never wavering.
"I'm Rain," I answered, a bit dazed, but I shook his hand anyway.
"Nice to meet you, Rain. Do you know anyone else here?"
I glanced toward Fran's table. Our eyes locked again, but his gaze escaped mine instantly, cutting the tie.
"Not really," I whispered.
"Then I guess we should stick together from now on."
It was that simple. Within sixty seconds, I had actually made a friend.
"Of course. Nice to meet you, Sean," I said, a genuine spark of relief lifting my chest.
"Good! Then I'll be in your care until we graduate, Rain." He grinned, looking a bit like an excited puppy. Then, his eyes lit up as he noticed the extra container. "Wow. You brought your own lunch?"
"Hmm. Yeah."
"Are you going to eat all of that?"
"I cooked a lot today. Do you want some?"
"Really? Can I? Then... thank you for the food!"
Without hesitation, Sean dug into the lunch I had originally made for Fran.
"Wow. This is amazing! Did you make this?"
"Yeah. I like trying new recipes."
"This is perfect, Rain. I want to eat this every day. If you ever need a food taster, I'm right here." He spoke with his mouth half-full, making the food look infinitely more appetizing than it actually was.
I couldn't help but chuckle. "Haha. Thank you. If you want, I can bring you lunch again tomorrow."
"Really? But won't that be a hassle for you?"
"I'm cooking for myself anyway. Adding another serving isn't a big deal."
Sean leaned in across the table. His playful tone suddenly shifted, dropping into something much more intense.
"You're kind, you're cute, and you can cook. You're the total package, Rain. Are you dating someone? If not, do you want to date me?"
I choked violently on my food.
As I hacked and coughed, Sean burst into a rich laughter, quickly handing me his water bottle.
"Hahaha! I'm joking, I'm joking! Sorry!"
I stared at him, trying to catch my breath. This guy was crazy. He didn't feel like a harmless "puppy" anymore. He felt dangerous.
How could someone say something like that with such a completely straight face?