Chapter 5: The Reunion
The days dragged on, but the feeling of having been so close to her in that cafe and losing her still weighed on me like a slab of concrete. Until, finally, the unexpected happened.
It was a gray, rainy afternoon when I decided to go for a walk through the Mapo district. I needed air, even if it was the damp, cold air of the city. I was camouflaged under a black cap pulled low over my brows and a surgical mask—the standard uniform to avoid being recognized and to be, for a moment, just another citizen. My mind, however, remained trapped in the reflection of her eyes.
And then, it was as if fate had grown tired of playing games and decided to give me another chance.
There she was. She was taking shelter from the rain under the awning of a small flower shop. Her posture was relaxed, her gaze lost in the droplets hitting the pavement... it was the same aura that had enchanted me at the fansign.
I felt my heartbeat spiral out of control, drumming in my ears with deafening force. This time, there was no doubt. This time, every fiber of my being screamed her name. Without a second thought, I approached, closing the distance between our worlds. But when I was only a couple of steps away, my feet froze to the ground.
When I opened my mouth to speak, my voice got stuck in my throat. Sensing a presence, she slowly turned her head. Our eyes met, and the roar of the rain vanished.
—**"Is it... you?"** —she asked with a slight hesitation. Her eyes widened, and I noticed her fingers tightening around her bag strap—. **"The boy from that afternoon... Min-jae-ssi?"**
I froze. How could I tell her I had been searching for her like a madman? That her image haunted me day and night through the agency hallways? I swallowed hard, struggling to find the right words.
—**"I found you..."** —I managed to whisper, as an involuntary smile tugged at my lips—. **"Ji-ah, it's really you. I thought I'd lost you forever."**
She blushed, taking a small step toward me, stepping out from the shelter of the awning. Raindrops began to wet her hair, but she didn't seem to care.
—**"I was thinking about you too,"** —she confessed, looking down shyly—. **"Ha-rin said I was crazy, that you were only kind because it's your job, but... it felt different."**
I reached out my hand to brush hers, feeling a warmth that brought me back to life. The universe had given me a second chance, and finally, she was right in front of me.
—**"Damn it..."** —I suddenly muttered.
But I didn't say it under the rain. I said it in the darkness of my room, sitting bolt upright in bed with cold sweat running down my back. My eyes flew open, meeting only the shadows of the furniture in the group's dorm.
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