NCT Imagines

Running in the Rain: Johnny

"One matcha green tea latte and croissant!"

I walked over to the counter and got my food. "Thank you."

I brought my food over to my seat, which was next to the window. It gave me a view of the world outside. The Starbucks on Namdaemun in Myeongdong was not busy at all, the only sound being the buzzing of the machines and the pit-pat of the rain outside.

Everyone outside was running in the rain to get to their destination, even the people with umbrellas. However, one thing stood out. There in the crowd was one tall man, calmly walking along the street. He was in no rush, slightly smiling as if he was enjoying the rain.

"Huh," I mumbled to myself. I looked over to my bag at my umbrella, glad that I had brought it along with me. Suddenly the door chimed downstairs, signaling the arrival of a new customer. I heard their wet footsteps walk up to the counter.

"One Americano please." The voice was a male's, soft and gentle.

I looked over; I was curious to know what he looked like. As I looked at him I recognized who he was. The calm man from outside- it was him. His dark brown hair was slightly dripping from being soaked. Some of it was sticking to his face, making him look a little silly. He wore the same slight smile from earlier.

Brushing off those thoughts of him, I put my attention back on my food. You don't have time for people. Also, you don't trust good looking guys like hi-

"Ugh, would you stop it?" I silently scolded myself.

"Stop what?"

I jumped, almost spilling my latte. The man from outside was now standing behind me. "S-sorry, I was just talking to myself," I said.

He just said nothing and shrugged, walking over a couple seats from me and sitting down. The man's optimism was perplexing. How could someone be so happy on a rainy day?

Moments later, I finished my food and drink. I walked my tray over to the rack to return the mug and plate. At the same time, the barista called the man for his Americano. He walked over and got his drink.

We both started going down the stairs; I was ahead of him. It was still raining so I took my umbrella out and got it ready. Suddenly I had this thought of sharing my umbrella with the man. He was still a little damp from being outside earlier.

"Hey, uh, where are you going? I'd like to offer you my umbrella since I saw that you don't have one. I'm going to Myeongdong station."

"Oh, it's okay. I can go out without an umbrella," he replied.

"Are you sure? You're already kind of soaked."

He thought about it for a moment. "Okay. I'm actually going to Myeongdong station too so it works out."

The two of us exited the Starbucks and started walking towards the subway station. He had to hold the umbrella since he was quite a bit taller than I was. As we strolled, my mind kept questioning this man's behavior. Why was he being so nice? Usually, people would be more apprehensive to a stranger offering their umbrella. Then again, he was already a strange man. 

At some point, I blurted, "How can you act so bliss? It's raining and some person you don't even know just offered you their umbrella. And how were you just walking in the rain earlier?"

He looked at me, still with the same carefree happy attitude. "Because I like trying to be happy. I try to make the best out of what I have."

"Isn't that hard to do when you have a lot going on? Besides, isn't it better to be more aware of what's actually going on?"

"Having optimism doesn't mean you don't know what's going on. You're accepting what's happening around you and try to use it for good."

"Okay, but you still need to explain why you were just walking out here without an umbrella," I told him.

"Well," he said, "it's connected to what I said about turning the bad into good. It's been hot for the past couple days and the rain is refreshing."

"Aren't you worried about how people will look at you? I mean, I was questioning what you were doing."

"Nope," he said nonchalantly.

I contemplated what he said. Optimism was virtually foreign to me. So many things were going on that I just tried to block all of it out like an umbrella blocking rain. If I didn't use an umbrella I would get wet but water will eventually dry up.

I looked up at the man and asked, "What's your name?"

"Johnny," he stated.

"Well Johnny," I said as I grabbed the umbrella and closed it up, "are you ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"Running in the rain."