To see you again

Shelter from the rain

Ever since that day Min Jun and Eun Ha became friends. It was not easy for Eun Ha and Min Jun, since she have to bother him everyday and make him agree to come play with her, but after a while Min Jun slowly opened up to her. Maybe it was her persistence? Or her bubbliness? Or was it merely the fact that she was like a sun to him, when she smiles it becomes too bright for him. He was like a moth to a flame.

Min Jun and Eun Ha met by the oak tree everyday. It was like a daily routine for them already, after classes they would walk home together and they would walk together up to the big oak tree. Min Jun would play the flute while Eun Ha would either sleep or play with Min Jun's dog.

But one day, Eun Ha never came to school. She doesn't miss a day in school because she always hated staying at her home with all of her parent's fighting.

"Hey Min Jun, where's Eun Ha?", asked one of their classmates. Min Jun just stared at her table and clearly firmed his resolve in visiting her house after class.

Later that afternoon, as he got out of the school he looked up at the sky. Dark clouds were almost filling up the sky, hiding the sun behind them and the cool breeze brushes past him as he walked to Eun Ha's house. When he spots Eun Ha's house, small droplets of rain are already pouring down so he ran to Eun Ha's house. He quickly knocked, but to his dismay her father was the one who answered the door.

"Are you looking for Eun Ha?", asked Eun Ha's father.

"Hah. Hah ....yes. Hah.", I said between pants.

He smiled sadly and said, "I'm sorry, but she's outside. You know her, she goes out of the morning and doesn't come back until evening."

I was surprised by what he said. Eun Ha? Outside? In this rain? Oh no. She must be at the tree. The ground near the tree is slippery, and with this rain it could get dangerous. If she slipped, she would have no chance of surviving that fall. So Min Jun ran as fast as his two feet can take him. But on the way to the hill, there was a stream up ahead. On the bank of the river were shoes... Eun Ha's! He tried calling out her name but no one was answering, while he was searching he didn't notice that he was too close to the riverbank, and he slipped.

"Min Jun!", someone shouted, and when he looked around for the source of voice he found Eun Ha coming down from the hill. She didn't noticed that it was already raining because of her wild chase with the rabbit. And she forgot her shoes that she left near the riverbank, but luckily, Min Jun was there.

"Eun Ha!", he smiled. His smile was kind of dirty from the mud and rain, but it was still warm as always. Eun Ha just knew that she wants to see this smile always.

She waved to Min Jun and crossed the bridge to get to Min Jun. And when she got closer to Min Jun, he hugged her.

"Don't ever leave again.", Min Jun whispered. Eun Ha was quite surprised by Min Jun's emotions, but nevertheless, she smiled. "I won't leave you. Ever.", then she hugged Min Jun. She could never leave her best friend.

"Come on, Eun Ha let's get to shelter the rain's getting stronger.", so off they run to find a nearest shelter.

The nearest shelter that they could find was the house of an old couple at the very edge of the town. So while they were waiting for the rain to stop, Min Jun was trying to remove the water from his shoes.

"Argh. These were my only shoes.", Eun Ha laughed.

"I hope it's warm tomorrow, so you could dry them Min Jun."

"Yeah, I hope so. I miss the tree already. It's too bad I can't play today.", Min Jun sadly said.

"Stupid rain. Min Jun's playing was the only way to make me smile.", Eun Ha said.

"My music makes you smile?", Min Jun embarrassingly asked Eun Ha.

"Yes. I loved your music ever since we first met." Eun Ha said while she looked away.

Min Jun saw Eun Ha's face go red, and instantly understood, so he quickly looked away and blushed himself. The two became quite for a while, until Min Jun broke their silence.

"Why were you absent today? Everyone's been asking me about you.", Min Jun looked Eun Ha carefully. Eun Ha quickly looked at her feet, struggling with her tears. "You know you could always talk to me, Eun Ha. I would listen to you." After hearing Min Jun's words of comfort she quickly smiled, and cried out.

"It's okay, don't cry, you know I would always be here for you."

After crying a lot, Eun Ha looked at Min Jun and smiled. "Thank you, you will always be my best friend."

Soon, the rain stopped and Min Jun walked Eun Ha home.

"Eun Ha, if you know, anything comes up and you can't come home, you can always visit me at home no matter what time is it.", Eun Ha laughed.

"Oh! And if you ever-uh-you can drag me all the way to the hill and I could play for you everyday, every night, so you won't-oof!", before Min Jun could finish his words, Eun Ha suddenly hugged him. And when the thought came to him, his face suddenly became five shades of red.

"Uh. Eun Ha?"

"Just shut up Min Jun, I want to hug you like this. I want to remember your warmth.", Eun Ha said. It's a good thing her face was in his chest, so Min Jun will never see her face red from embarrassment.

"Promise me, you would do everything that you just said.", Eun Ha whispered. Min Jun calmed down, and hugged her back.

"I promise you Eun Ha."

After hearing those words, Eun Ha let go of Min Jun. Slightly grateful for the darkness, she smiled up at him and said, "Good night, Min Jun.", with that said she waved at him and went inside.

Min Jun still can't quite comprehend what was up with his reactions all day, when he was with Eun Ha it was as if he can't control everything.

It was just Eun Ha, and they have spent their days hanging out with each other, but why does he elicit those kind of reactions only when they are together. He never showed those kind of reactions with anybody else.

But seeing Eun Ha cry makes Min Jun's heart break, even if the reason was too petty, he still couldn't bear to see her cry. But after seeing her cry all out that night, it made him realize that Eun Ha was a pretty strong girl even with her petite form.

But it made him worry, he wants to protect Eun Ha, he wants to keep her from crying even if it meant erasing his feelings for her one day and there would be nothing more for them but being the best of friends, who would always be there for each other no matter what.

Because that was his promise to Eun Ha and to himself.