SoMi didn't stay long when she got home. She took a quick shower to freshen up after the trip, then rushed off to work, as a situation had arisen that required her presence as soon as possible.
It was a hot day, just as the meteorologists had predicted. However, towards the end of the day, the weather began to change dramatically. Residents of the metropolis were warned of an approaching thunderstorm with strong winds and hail. SoMi didn't waste a single minute because of this. By five o'clock, she was already on her way home, determined not to be caught in the storm on the road. She even managed to do some grocery shopping at the nearest supermarket.
By eight o'clock, she was enjoying a cold beer and some noodle soup, which she hadn't made in a long time. A new episode of her favourite drama was on TV. The washing machine was humming in the bathroom, about to finish its cycle. Outside, it had grown dark as if it were the dead of night.
The thunderstorm warned about the previous day was approaching.
Bright flashes of lightning lit up the city streets and the wind bent the trees first one way and then the other, almost breaking their trunks. The weather had really let loose. In some places, mobile phone service and the internet had even gone down.
Another clap of thunder made SoMi jump up from the couch, and her doorbell rang. She hurried to open the door, knowing exactly who would be on the threshold. There was Do Hwan, biting the inside of his cheek as he waited.
As the door opened, her neighbour's broad, happy smile greeted SoMi.
"Tteokbokki?" he asked, offering her a hot dish from the delivery.
SoMi just smiled when she saw his face. Her heart immediately felt at ease, as if the past two days of worry had vanished with his arrival.
"Sorry for dropping by unannounced like this."
"Has that ever stopped you before?" she remarked as she let him into the hallway.
"I would have called, honestly. But I lost signal," he explained, taking off his shoes.
"Come in and have dinner with me," she invited, leading him to her modest table.
While SoMi ladled soup into his bowl, Do Hwan unwrapped the hot tteokbokki on the table and sat down on the floor. He tucked into the delicious soup and the dish he'd ordered while So Mi silently sipped beer from a can and watched him. She realised that, since their last meet, she had been lost in thought almost the entire time, as if weighing up all the pros and cons.
"The storm's really picked up," he said after a loud clap of thunder.
"Looks like it'll last until morning," SoMi remarked, staring into the darkness beyond the window.
"How was your trip to Busan?" the guy asked, recalling her adventure from the day before.
"Oh, it was fun. It's a shame we hardly went anywhere — we just did a photoshoot and stayed at a luxury hotel. But at least I felt the sand under my feet. I saw the ocean."
"Ah, too bad I wasn't there. I would have taken you and your friends to all sorts of interesting places that I have been to before. There's also a little diner that serves delicious seafood dishes. You'd love it," he said, finishing his bite.
SoMi smiled again as she studied Do Hwan's features. He had changed a lot since they last saw each other that evening. The gloomy boy with no sparkle in his eyes had transformed into the same boy SoMi had met when she became his neighbour. But he no longer grumbled like he used to. He was practically chattering away and smiling all the time. His eyes were shining with joy and life once again.
"I have something for you!" SoMi suddenly jumped up from the sofa, remembering that she had brought him some souvenirs.
"Where are you going?" he cried out, seeing only her back in the hallway.
SoMi returned from the bedroom with a small gift bag, which she handed to Do Hwan.
"Oh my, is this for me?" he murmured, surprised and delighted.
"Open it."
"Ah, how sweet! You brought me a Boogie," he said, unwrapping the package to reveal a Boogie toy — the seagull mascot of Busan. "Thank you."
"That's not all."
"Oh my, makgeolli (traditional rice wine). I just love it! They only make it this delicious in Busan. Thanks for the gift," Do Hwan said, rejoicing like a child.
Suddenly, with another flash of lightning, the lights in the apartment went out. Outside the window, too, it grew pitch black. Immediately after the lightning, a terrifying rumble of thunder echoed outside. SoMi covered her ears, while Do Hwan rushed to the window to see what was going on and why the lights had gone out.
"Looks like our building's lost power," he said, scanning the area outside. "There are no lights anywhere. The lightning must have struck the power plant. We'd better unplug all the appliances so that nothing gets damaged when the power comes back on," he said, beginning to pull the cords out of the sockets.
The room flashed for a second from a bolt of lightning. SoMi flinched in anticipation of the thunder.
"This is going to be a fun night," she remarked, biting her lip.
"Don't worry. We're completely safe here at home," the guy reassured her, but that didn't make her feel any better.
Do Hwan turned on the flashlight on his phone and began clearing the plates from the table. SoMi gathered the beer cans and followed him into the kitchen.
"Won't you be scared being alone during a storm like this?" he asked, looking for a reason to stay the night.
"No… I'm fine," SoMi lied.
"Then I guess I'll head home. It's late," he sighed, heading into the hallway. He felt for his slippers on the cold tiled floor with his feet.
He grabbed the doorknob and pressed the open button, but the familiar beep didn't sound. He tried again, but to no avail. The door was locked and the lock was electric. But there was no power.
"Hmm, what's going on? Isn't it working?"
"What happened?" SoMi asked in surprise.
"It looks like the door doesn't work without power."
"Wait, I have a key for situations like this," she said, grabbing her bag and searching for the door key. She felt it and, without taking it out of her bag, was about to hand it to Do Hwan. But...
"It's not there…" she said, feeling her heart pound wildly in her chest as she lied.
"The power won't be back anytime soon."
"Then I'll make up a bed for you on the couch." Those words sounded like a song to Do Hwan. Thankfully, the room was dark and SoMi couldn't see the smile spreading across Do Hwan's face.
In the silence of the bedroom, occasionally interrupted by thunder and gusts of wind, SoMi used her torch to find a blanket and pillow for Do Hwan. He shuffled silently around the living room, waiting for her. The room was lit by the torch on Do Hwan's phone, which was propped up on a water bottle to diffuse the light better.
Despite the real storm raging outside the window, there was a strangely romantic atmosphere.
"Here's the pillow and blanket. There's a spare toothbrush in the bathroom if you need it," said SoMi as she came in and set the items on the couch. "Make yourself at home."
"Thanks," he replied awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
"Good night," said SoMi finally, not knowing what else to say.
"Good night," the guy replied, sounding a little disappointed as he made himself a place to sleep.
As soon as the bedroom door closed, SoMi propped it open with her back and looked for a reason to go back to the living room. But she couldn't find one. She changed into clean pajamas and lay down in bed, listening to the sound of thunder.
Half an hour. An hour. An hour and a half — but SoMi still couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned from side to side. A frantic whirlwind of thoughts prevented her from calming down and drifting off to sleep. When she remembered their kiss in the rain, goosebumps ran down her body. She closed her eyes tightly, trying not to think about Do Hwan, but it was no use.
She sat up in bed and stared out of the window, but could see nothing except the occasional flash of lightning.
"Come on, SoMi! Why can't you sleep?" she whispered to herself, running her fingers through her braids to clear her head. "He's right here, just on the other side of the wall. In your own home. You just can't bring yourself to go to him," she muttered. "Why should I go to him anyway? Maybe he doesn't want to see me? Why should I go to him at all? Ugh! She got angry with herself. I need to sleep!" She lay down and covered herself with a sheet, even though the bedroom was stuffy.
She tossed and turned again. She opened her eyes.
"Water. I'm thirsty," she said, jumping out of bed abruptly and heading for the door. For a moment, her hand hovered over the doorknob in hesitation, but she opened the door anyway.
As soon as SoMi's bedroom door closed, Do Hwan lay down on the sofa and covered himself with a blanket. He uncovered himself because it was hot. He lay on his side, closing his eyes in the hope of falling asleep, but his thoughts wouldn't let him. He rolled onto his other side. He lay on his back.
"Ugh, why can't I fall asleep?" he muttered under his breath.
He opened his eyes and stared at the white ceiling. Flashes of lightning cast patterns of shadows on the walls. He was starting to feel sleepy as his eyelids grew heavier and heavier. But suddenly... A vivid memory from the recent past surfaced in his mind: A kiss. Back then, on that same evening, there had been a thunderstorm just like the one outside the window now.
He exhaled, reliving every second of that moment. Sat up on the sofa and rubbed his tired eyes. Then he got up from the sofa. Walked around the room. Stopped in front of SoMi's bedroom door.
"Is she asleep? Maybe she's scared?" Do Hwan whispered to himself. "If she were scared, she'd have come over here," he told himself.
He walked deeper into the room, closer to the window. He stood there for a moment, watching the storm. The wind was furious, bending the trees, and lightning cut through the impenetrable darkness. Still, there was no rain. It was as if the storm was saving the best — and, at the same time, the worst — for the grand finale.
He turned around because he thought he'd heard something in the hallway. He took a step back to see what it was. But everything was the same. Her bedroom door was closed and dark. He tiptoed down the hallway, pressed his ear against the door and listened to see if everything was all right on the other side. It seemed quiet. He turned around when, suddenly...
The door opened with a barely audible creak. SoMi stood in the doorway. Surprised, she looked at Do Hwan. He looked at her. The moment lasted only a second, but to them it felt like an eternity. It is hard to imagine what was going on inside them both. They were both experiencing a whole spectrum of emotions. At the same time, they were fighting against themselves, feeling an irresistible desire to taste each other's lips once more.
Then, as a flash of lightning lit up the sky and thunder rumbled, the downpour finally began outside the window, with large raindrops pounding against the glass of SoMi's bedroom window. Do Hwan took a step towards her and SoMi didn't pull away. On the contrary, she stood firm, steadying herself.
Feeling his breath on her cheek, she closed her eyes in anticipation. Do Hwan smiled and kissed her, pulling her close.
That evening was almost exactly the same. But today, they are both experiencing the same emotions. SoMi returns Do Hwan's kiss, their lips never parting. She wants to kiss Do Hwan and be swept off her feet by the wild emotions that make her head spin.
SoMi could only imagine such feelings and describe them in her book. For the first time in her life, she is experiencing these feelings, which make her feel as if she is flying and give her butterflies in her stomach. Finally, she can be her true self with someone who truly loves her. And the feeling is mutual.
A silent night. Stormy weather. The sound of rain in the bedroom. They're kissing. What more could she dream of?