Chapter Text
Ep 1
The raindrops were lashing against the ground with intense force, while the entire surroundings were shrouded in a hazy, white mist. As a boy stood under a shelter, waiting for the rain to cease, the sight of a figure walking calmly toward him with an umbrella in the distance caused Wu Suo Wei’s heart to skip a beat and race uncontrollably.
As his heart pounded faster, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the other person’s gaze. A name he had known for a decade escaped his lips instinctively.
"Jiang Xiao Shuai," he whispered.
Perhaps the other person heard his faint call, for the umbrella trembled slightly. Then, those sharp and captivating eyes—the same ones from their school days—slowly looked up at him. Amidst the falling rain, he wasn't sure if the other person had shared a smile or if it was just his blurred vision playing tricks on him.
Jiang Xiao Shuai slightly lifted the edge of his umbrella, and the eyes that gazed at Wu Suo Wei remained as clear as they had been during their school days. Those eyes that Chi Cheng had loved so much, and those curly locks of hair that he himself had once been jealous of.
"Wu Suo Wei, what are you doing here?"
Though Jiang Xiao Shuai’s voice was somewhat cold, his eyes still held a lingering warmth. Wu Suo Wei gave him a faint, wry smile and replied,
"Seeking shelter from the rain, as you can see. Is the person who is always by your side not with you?"
Wu Suo Wei said it pointedly while staring at the falling rain. They both knew exactly who he was referring to without even mentioning a name. Jiang Xiao Shuai let out a sigh, and shifting the umbrella toward Wu Suo Wei, he asked,
"He’s busy. And you? How could you come out without an umbrella in this kind of weather?"
Wu Suo Wei knew that despite the blaming tone in those words, they were truly filled with genuine concern. This person had always been the type to feign ignorance, even when others tried to take advantage of him.
"And you? Why do you always have to worry about everyone else?"
"You’re still the same, aren't you? Always speaking so sarcastically to people."
At Jiang Xiao Shuai’s retort, Wu Suo Wei looked away and frowned. Jiang Xiao Shuai then took the other man’s hand and said,
"It's pouring out here. Let's go inside for a while."
Inside the shop, they sat in silence between two cups of steaming coffee. Jiang Xiao Shuai stared out the window, while Wu Suo Wei gazed quietly at the face before him.
'Nothing has truly changed at all,' Wu Suo Wei thought.
He wondered if this person would still be doing this well even if they had never met, or if he should ask himself that very question instead—he no longer knew.
"Let's go, the rain has let up."
As he spoke, he reached out his hand to Wu Suo Wei. Taking the offered hand, Wu Suo Wei followed him outside. Moments later, a luxury car pulled up rapidly in front of them. A man stepped out, holding an umbrella in one hand and a warm coat in the other, which he draped over Jiang Xiao Shuai’s shoulders.
"Did you get caught in the rain? Why did you come out alone? Let's go home; I've cooked your favorite meal."
"Umm, thank you."
Wow, he really dotes on him,' Wu Suo Wei thought.
Watching the two of them, Wu Suo Wei felt as if his thoughts were drifting back to their high school days once again.
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Flashback...
Wu Suo Wei had brought Guo Cheng Yu to Chi Cheng’s house to study as usual. However, what wasn't usual was the strange, torrential rain that broke out on their way home. Since they only had one umbrella between them, they had to share it. Because Guo Cheng Yu refused to hold the umbrella, the much shorter Wu Suo Wei had to struggle to hold it up for both of them.
"Today is just unlucky,"
Guo Cheng Yu muttered."It’s your fault! If you hadn’t insisted on coming to Chi Cheng’s place, would we even be in this mess?"
"Hmph..."
Wu Suo Wei ignored his own mistake and shot him a side-glance. Just then, a boy running blindly through the rain without an umbrella crashed into them with great force.
"Ah!"
Knocked off balance, the umbrella flew from Wu Suo Wei’s hand, leaving him drenched in seconds. The boy, looking wide-eyed and apologetic, stared at them.
"Sorry... I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to do that."
Despite the rain soaking his fair skin, clear eyes, and slightly curling hair, the boy remained remarkably handsome.
"Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"
As Guo Cheng Yu helped the boy up and began picking up his scattered things, Wu Suo Wei could only watch the two of them back and forth.