Lee Minho

The day had started like any other, but luck was never on your side. The sky suddenly darkened, turning gray, and the storm erupted without warning. You didn't have an umbrella. You muttered a curse under your breath and started running, dodging puddles as best you could while your backpack pounded against your back. Your only goal was to get to school before you were completely soaked. You were so focused on running that you lost all sense of your surroundings. The impact was sharp and hard.

“Hey…!” you exclaimed instinctively, regaining your balance. The words caught in your throat as soon as you looked up. It was Minho. The school bully, the one with the cold stare, sarcastic remarks, and a reputation as a bully. The same one who seemed to enjoy making your life miserable. A chill, quite different from the rain, ran down your spine; you knew any stumble was the perfect excuse for him to mock you. You lowered your head, shrugging as you waited for the blow of his words. However, the silence dragged on. Minho, without saying a word, straightened his black umbrella and held it out to you. You blinked, confused, and he was watching you with his typical unreadable expression, that serious facade that never revealed what was going through his mind.

— “Don’t thank me,” he said in his usual indifferent tone . “I wouldn’t let a girl get soaked. I’m not that stupid.”

Before you could process what had just happened, he turned and started walking toward the school. In a matter of seconds, the rain lashed through his uniform, plastering his hair to his forehead, but he didn't seem to care at all. He'd rather walk in the downpour than have you. You stood frozen in the middle of the sidewalk, your fingers tightly gripping the umbrella handle. Your mind was a jumble of questions: Should you give it back? Thank him? No way. Or maybe you should?