The thick color of a rainy day in Seoul.
I still can't fall asleep as I fade away.
The rain stops and the reflection in the puddle.
I see myself looking more miserable today.
There was nothing you loved more than the pitter patter of rain outside your window. Especially the petrichor in the morning as the dew slowly faded.
Rain was your favorite thing in the whole world.
It slowly but surely helped you fit all the broken pieces of your life back together. Piece by piece you were beginning to heal. Everything was seeming to come back together.
Except for this one piece to the puzzle that was missing with no idea what it was, or where it could be found.
Past memories of anyone who has ever hurt you, ever doubted you, ever told you that you couldn't. They were simply washed away by the run down of the crying sky. Washing away the imprudent people along with your sorrowful tears. Nothing more seemed to matter. Any illicit thoughts disguised by the impurities of the rain.
Yet still, that missing piece refused to be found.
There was however such a person in the world that hated the rain in such a way it would make you sick if you knew.
While the rain was helping your memories slowly fade at the mere sight of it, it made Park Jimin want to claw at his ears everytime he heard the familar drops of water on pavement.
Each drop hitting the ground came with another painful memory making him want to shut the world away from him.
Memories of a desolating childhood brought Jimin's hands to his ears as he remembered the harsh sounds of bottles smashing in his childhood home. Drunken nights in which his parents couldn't help but pick a deadly fight with each other.
Jimin would run outside, away from the madness, as fast as his legs would carry him before he could be hit by yet another flying glass projectile. Leaving more scars for him to find in the future.
Sitting outside, he would rock back and forth once he'd escaped. No matter the weather, no matter if it was pouring rain, there he would be. Lack of an umbrella to keep him sheltered from the rain that came storming down on top of him, partially drowing out the blood curdling screams that came from the inside of his home sweet home.
Disregarding the fact that it was in the middle of the night, you take your daily leisure out in the rain. Grabbing your oversized jacket and blue umbrella, you walked lightly on your feet.
You took in your sights and smells, everything all too familiar as you had taken this walk everytime it rained in your town. You allowed yourself to become engulfed by the sound of rain and the smell of the earth, drowning out your surroundings.
Your feet came in contact with the sidewalk, splash sounds audible with each puddle that came your way hidden by the black night.
You stopped in your tracks the second the average sounding rain began to sound not so typical. A muffled sobbing erupting through the soft angelic precipitation.
Turning your head slightly in the direction of the sobbing, you easily spot a dark figure sitting propped up against a brick building you were just coming up to.
His hair wet, matted against his head along with his soaking wet clothes, surley weighing him down from the heavy rain and lack of an umbrella. Tears promient even in the midst of the down pour.
Without a second thought, you immediately walk to the strangers side, standing close next to his slumped form so that the both of you would be able to share your umbrella. "What-" the stranger stubbornly began until you cut him off. Not giving him the chance to object.
"What are you doing out here alone in the pouring rain without an umbrella?"
The stranger mumbled something inaudible under his breath before speaking up to you. "It's none of your business."
"Well I happened to walk by and now you're kindly using my umbrella so I think it is my business."
"Well I didn't ask to use your umbrella." He tried slightly pushing me away, but you stood strong in your position refusing to go anywhere anytime soon. A pout evident on his face.
"Well I'm not going anywhere until this rain stops because you could easily get a cold out here."
A loud, drawn out sigh came from the mouth of the stranger as you dragged your body down the wall, claiming the space next to him. Both sitting in silence as time surpassed us. "I'm Jimin."
"Hm?" Your head snapped in his direction, not sure if you'd heard him correctly. His sudden kindness surprsing you.
"I said I'm Jimin." He stuck his hand out, allowing you to shake it firmly.
"Oh, I'm (Y/N). Nice to meet you," you pause, lip between your teeth in thought. "Can I walk you back to your house please?"
Jimin hesitantly nodded, standing first then offering you a gentle hand to stand as well. You notice how soft his hands were, feeling extremely waterlogged almost as if from years and years of being in the rain.
Jimin and you took turns holding the umbrella as it became heavy after the long walk to his humble abode. Stopping several feet in front of the house, Jimin handed the umbrella back over to you, bowing slightly. "Thank you for this. Sorry I was sort of a jerk earlier." He flushed a deep red at he memory of your first encounter.
"Anytime. You still never answered my question as to why you were out there." With a raised eyebrow, you shift your weight from one side to another, desperate for an answer.
"Maybe another day," Jimin winked cheekily at you, leaving you standing bewildered as he walked into his home. The rain slowly coming to a stop.
And just as Jimin had said, there would be other days.
Each night would be the same as before followed by you wandering out in the middle of the night with your jacket and umbrella with you each time.
It seemed to be raining more and more in your town these days. It seemed to draw you and Jimin together, each being captured under the same sky by the same dwelling wind and harsh rain.
You would find Jimin in the same spot every night, same soaked and umbrellaless form. And each time you would sit next to him, sharing your umbrella along with the tales of your childhood. Then slump your way back to his house where you would let him go, never to reveal the mysteries of what goes on behind his closed doors.
You'd grown fond of Jimin, for he had become part of your life's daily routine. Jimin wanted to feel the same, for you were the only person in his life who could make him smile with a simple glance. He wanted to let you in and rid his mind of the horrific past he held on to.
But he knew it was impossible.
"I never thought I'd meet someone who hates the rain as much as you do, Jimin," you smile at Jimin sadly, sitting in your usual spot in the rain while you met him eye level.
"And I never thought I'd meet somone who loves the rain as much as you, (Y/N)." he retorted, not in the mood to smile at the moment. You were used to him getting into one of these moods every so often. He'd shut down and stare off, leaving a not so soothing silence between you both. Leaving you to wonder about whatever he was thinking about.
Not being able to take one more moment of his sorrow filled staring, you turn to study Jimin's features while his mind was off in another realm. Scanning his face up and down, you can't help but notice the tiny scars etched on his fragile skin. Each telling a story that Jimin has never once told you himself. You've told him everything about you, getting nothing in return.
"Why won't you tell me why you hate the rain so much?" You risk the question, feeling Jimin slowly face you with cold eyes.
"Why do you keep asking me?"
"I've told you everything there is to know about me. Is that not enough?"
"Why do you even care?" He spat in my face. Eyes narrowing to meet his glare whilst he body angled to see me right. "Why should anyone care?"
"Of course I care Jimin? Why else do you think I come out here every single night? You don't think I'm the least bit curious as to why some random boy is out in the streets in the middle of the night-"
"Because my childhood was a freaking nightmare, okay!" It was the first time you've witnessed Jimin crying in front of you. He snapped, and decided it was the right time to let you in. To let you comfort his slowly crumpling form.
He shifted his body weight into you, head hanging in your chest as you disposed of your umbrella, letting the rain soak you both. You couldn't help but notice the way he clung to your shirt the way a child would, wanting relief.
And thus Jimin began to divulge the discrepancies of his lonely childhood. The pain held in his voice made your own heart feel heavy with the rain drowning your emotions from above. All you could do at the moment was listen. Listen like your life depended on it.
Like Jimin's life depended on it.
As he reached the end of his tale, he slowly pulled away from your grasp, but held you close regardless.
He continued to tell you each secret hiding behind each little mark on his face. Your nimble, pruned fingers mindlessly ran over his skin, touching each mark as you listened to him relive each memory.
He closed his glassy eyes, shivering under your touch not having felt the contact of another human being for such a long time. Jimin couldn't help but take your hand in his shaking ones, not noticing that the two of you had silently begun to lean in.
Heart hammered against your chest for this enigmatic boy you've known for but a few weeks. You could feel his hot breath against your face as you were only inches apart. Jimin's lips ghosted over your own, so close yet seemingly so far away.
Jimin noticed almost all too late what he was doing with himself, as his eyes shot wide open meeting your closed one. Lips close to finally meeting, he forced his head to the side, scratching his neck awkwardly as he refrained from the contact. He shouldn't get too close. He couldn't.
"I should... I should go." Jimin stammered out, standing from him position on the ground using the brick wall to support himself. You attempted to stand with him, but there was no stopping him now. It was the first time you hadn't walked him home as you watched Jimin brush past you, slowly turning into a frantic jog until you couldn't see him anymore.
Astonished at the scene replaying in your mind from just moments ago, you slid your way back down the cold brick wall. Wincing as bricks ran over your back the wrong way, you pulled your knees into your chest. Wrapping your arms around them and putting your head between each knee, sobbing was all that could be heard in the night mixed with the slight sound of rain that seemed to become even heavier the harder you wept.
The night Jimin stormed away left you believing it would be the last time you would ever see him. Who would be stupid enough to think that two polar opposites meeting in a broken up rain storm would have the chance at a new life? That's right, you were.
And this was almost certain to you as you took your usual stroll down the streets of Seoul with your jacket and blue umbrella. Only to come to familiar brick wall unoccupied by Jimin's body.
You thought it was too late.
You dropped your blue umbrella, never to be found again by you as you sprinted as fast as you could in the opposite direction. You ran all the way down the familiar roads and past the roads you've walked plenty of times whenever it was time to walk Jimin home.
Stopping in front of his seemingly drab yet cozy home, you hesitated to walk forward for Jimin has never let you step any further than the front yard.
With a harsh breath of air, you bite your tongue and step foot into his saddening home, senses taking in the foreign surroundings.
Jimin on the other hand hadn't heard the sound of his front door being opened by you, for he was too busy wallowing in his own sorrow.
With clothes still on, Jimin reached over in his position in the bathtub slowly turning the the faucet handle toward him allowing an ice cold flush of water to pour from the faucet beginning to surround his slowing freezing body. Tiny pools formed everywhere in tub until the bottom was completely covered, his clothing becoming one with the water.
Jimin couldn't help but stare at the droplets of water coming from the large faucet. He became entranced as each little droplet reminded him of droplets of rain falling from the sky. With each drop, his heart would grow heavier, depressing him more and more each time.
He didn't believe he had anything left to live for. His childhood had set him up for such a life. Jimin had been prepared for this moment in time, already knowing what the out come would be. He couldn't get attached to you, as much as you made his heart ache. He couldn't have you go through the same pain as well.
But little did he know that doing this was going to be the reason for your heartache as he believed it was the only way out. Jimin thought it was his purpose. He was made to take his own life. He wasn't wanted. Wasn't needed. This was the only escape in his mind. An escape to a better place where the pain would be taken from him and be replaced with a better plan.
Jimin sucked his stomach in instinctively, feeling the cool water reach his covered chest. The water was rather high, increasing his heart rate the higher is rose.
A piece of pen and paper was kept on the ground next to him as he leaned over the tub to grab it, water spilling over the tub in the process. Leaning on the edge, he began writing furiously, putting down any afterthoughts that were left in his mind. He wanted all thoughts out of his mind before doing this, leaving the note for whoever actually cared to find it.
He held a lighter tightly in his hands that had been in his pocket all the while. Flicking it open gently as he could, the note was set to flames as he changed his mind, hoping to burry away such thoughts where they would never be found. He leaned over the tub, letting it fall slowly to the tile bathroom floor.
The tub was now filled to Jimin's tense neck, faucet water being joined with with the water of his tears. With bath water still pouring out, the tub began over flowing with emotion. Spilling over the sides as Jimin held his face in shame of himself.
Wanting it all to finally be over, Jimin eventually lowered himself into the freezing water, readying the ending of his story.
Not even a moment later, you frantically rush into the bathroom occupied by a nearly drowning Jimin. You witness his face halfway under the tub, mouth and nose completely concealed by the murky water. And it looked like he was still submerging himself further under.
"Jimin!" You screeched something that could make anyone's ears bleed. His eyes immediately snap open, seeing you standing in the door frame. You watch as he seemed to want to say something to you, struggling for air.
Without thinking much of it, you run to him. Your feet being soaked on the tile floor from the constant over flowing of the tub. Furiously you shut the faucet off, preventing the flow of any more water as you hooked your arms under Jimin's, yanking him from the death defying bathtub.
He didn't put up much a fight as he let you help him out, settling on to the tile floor in one of his famous stares. Without a word, you search the room in search of a towel for Jimin, succeeding in finding one.
You curse to yourself when stepping over something flaming hot, causing you to jolt your leg back. Staring at the burning piece of paper below you, you stomp the flames out jogging back over to him. Draping the cloth over his shivering form, it seemed like his life depended on it.
It was the first time Jimin had ever completely broken down in front of you, giving into his emotions fully with no sense of holding back.
He collasped into you, letting you catch him with arms wide open. You wrapped them around his waist while his head hung low on your shoulder. Jimin's body shook violently with heart wrenching sobs that could be heard by the entire neighborhood.
You whispered sweet things into Jimin's ears, assuring him that everything would be okay as you rubbed circles on his back soothingly. Jimin had pulled you into his lap by that point, utilizing you as form of comfort whilst he stretched his arms around your own waist, your head now burried in his strong chest.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered into your hair where his head rested. "I'm sorry for being a jerk the first time we met. For shutting you out and not letting you in. For being selfish enough to try and-"
You didn't want to hear anymore from him as you roughly forced your lips onto his in hopes of shutting him up. Smiling into the kiss once you feel him slowly begin to kiss you back, you held his shirt tightly in your fists.
His hands snuck even tighter around your waist, pulling your body into his as he finally allowed himself to give in to you completely. He wouldn't hold back like he had done the night before. Not anymore.
"I love you," Jimin whimpered into the kiss, hands holding you in place.
"I love you too," you replied without having to think about it. Your hands grasped his as he kissed your neck sloppily, sighing when you forcefully pulled away from his reach.
You'd remeber the small paper that almost burned you a little while ago, sitting a couple feet away from you. Leaning over to grab it, you managed to stay in Jimin's hold as you picked it up. The note having been cooled down, you focused hard to make out each word for the edges had been singed off from the flames that burned it.
You locked eyes with Jimin, looking for a sign of permission to read it. He held the small of you back, nodding approvingly as he watched you read it in silence. Jimin tucked a strand of hair behind your ear as you read the black ink etched with scorch marks across the page
Even when this rain stops, when the clouds go away.
I stand here, just the same.
Without saying anything, looking at the world.
There, a not so beautiful me is looking at myself.
You look up from Jimin's note, tossing it aside as you kissed him again passionately, comtinuing with what the two of you had begun earlier.
And in the end, you both realized that you were the missing puzzle pieces in each other's lives. The only things you needed to begin a new, and leave the past of broken memories behind.
For it was the rain that had brought you two together. And with the rain brought new memories, as Jimin had grown fond of it. For the slight sound reminded him of your soft, delicate voice whenever you spoke. He no longer hated it, for it was his new favorite thing.
Rain.