The morning air felt like lead. I didn't want to face the world, let alone the grueling lectures of med school, but the fear of falling behind forced me out of bed.
I glanced at the bed beside me, My heart gave a painful throb—the "shards of glass" from last night were still embedded in my chest.
My phone buzzed, cutting through my gloomy thought.
"Rain? You awake?" It was Sean.
"Yes. Just now."
"Are you okay? Coming to school?"
"Yeah. I'll be late, but I'm going."
"Good. I'm already outside. Let's go together."
I scrambled to get ready. Sean was becoming my safety net, and right now, I needed one.
When I climbed into his car, he looked at my bruised lip with eyes like a sad puppy, full of a guilt that wasn't his to carry.
"I'm sorry, Rain," he muttered. "It's my fault you got dragged into that mess."
I tried to smirk, teasing him to lighten the mood. "Haha! Look at you—you're more of a mess than I am."
We fell into a comfortable silence. I kept waiting for him to ask about the guy who carried me away, but he didn't. He just drove.
Later that day, Michael joined us at the plaza, bringing cold drinks and his usual blunt humor.
"You two look like a disaster," he laughed, though his eyes were kind of worried, "Why'd you drag this baby into your soccer wars, Sean?"
"It was just a heated game!" Sean defended, pinching Michael's arm.
"So, Rain," Michael said, shifting gears suddenly. "Who was that Engineering guy? The one who carried you off like a trophy?"
I choked on my drink. I wasn't ready for this.
"I want to know too," Sean whispered, pouting playfully. "You're keeping secrets, Rain."
"It's not a secret," I said, my voice dropping. "It's just... not a fun story. Well, He was a brother to me. Once."
They didn't push. They could see the shadow that crossed my face.
As the day dragged on, my body began to ache. I retreated to the library to hide from the thought of going home. I didn't want to see Fran. I couldn't.
While researching on my tablet, I found myself scrolling through "Apartment for Rent" listings. My thumb hovered over the Save button. I'd call them Saturday. I had to get out.
The nausea hit me then, and the world went gray.
"Rain."
A hand tugged at my shirt. I blinked, my vision blurry. For a split second, I thought the tall figure standing over me was Fran. My heart leapt—but then the image cleared. It was Sean, still in his soccer gear, his face etched with worry.
"Let's go home," he said, touching my forehead. "You're burning up."
I didn't say anything and just follow Sean out. I don't have the energy to say no, and I exactly needed Sean at that moment.
"How did you find me?" I asked as he helped me to his car.
"The librarian answered your phone when I called. She said you looked sick."
So the Fran that I saw, was just a dream....
"Sean... I don't want to go back there."
He didn't ask why. He just nodded and drove me to his condo instead. He tucked me into his bed, handed me medicine, and gave me a warm, steady smile. "Rest, Rain. I'll be right here."
[ Fran's POV ]
I woke up late, my head throbbing and my stomach growling. My body felt heavy, a reminder of the blows I'd taken on the field.
I walked out into the living room, expecting the usual morning chaos. But the apartment was deathly quiet. There was no smell of garlic rice, no clinking of pans, no Rain humming to himself.
The emptiness was loud.
I checked the kitchen, but there was nothing prepared. My chest tightened with a strange, irritating frustration. I downed some milk and medicine and went back to sleep, skipping my classes.
When I woke up again, the sun had set. The apartment was dark. Still no Rain.
Anger began to bubble in my gut, mixing with a headache that wouldn't quit.
Where is he? Is he with that guy again? After what I told him?
'I am the only one allowed to break you.'
The words I'd spat at him last night echoed in my head. I'd seen his face shatter, and I thought I'd feel satisfied. I thought it would make me feel powerful. Instead, there was a dull, persistent ache in my heart that I couldn't explain.
I sat on the sofa, mindlessly scrolling through my phone to distract myself, when a notification caught my eye. It was a public post for an apartment for rent near the university.
My breath hitched. There, in the comments, was Rain's name, asking for the price and the viewing schedule.
My heart didn't just sink—it panicked. A cold sweat broke out on my neck.
He was leaving.