Lee Minho.⁰⁵

Rainy twilight painted the streets of the modern metropolis in neon tones. Car headlights reflected in the glossy asphalt, and passers-by hid in their hoods, hurrying toward the subway. Han Jisung was also rushing home after a long, exhausting day, wrapped in an oversize coat and completely immersed in his own thoughts. The downpour broke out in earnest, and the wind drove icy streams of water right into his face. But as Jisung was passing a closed coffee shop, a strange sight made him stop in his tracks. Right there, on the flooded pavement under a gushing drainpipe, a tall, well-dressed guy was dropping to one knee right into a dirty puddle. Without hesitating for a second, he threw off his shoulders an expensive dark leather jacket and carefully covered something tiny on the ground with it, creating a kind of durable tent. In the blink of an eye, the stranger was left in just a thin T-shirt, completely defenseless against the storm. The icy water poured down his collar, soaking him to the skin and causing his wet hair to fall over his eyes, but he didn't care. He only held the edges of the fabric tighter, protecting a shivering kitten from the downpour. Jisung simply could not pass by such a sight. Seeing a person who, without a second thought, was getting soaked to the skin and ruining his branded clothes just to save a helpless little creature touched something deep inside him. Before he could even think about it, Jisung took a step closer. He came close and tilted his large black umbrella forward, positioning the dome so that it completely protected the guy's head and back from the pelting rain. Han himself remained standing nearby, letting the storm drench his own shoulder. Puzzled by the sudden silence above his head, Lee Minho slowly raised his eyes. Their looks met — long, surprised, and piercingly clear. And in that exact second, the feeling that they were absolute strangers in this huge, cold city completely vanished.