She stood just like she had on the bridge last night — only this time, something was different.

She was smiling, her cheeks faintly red, her eyes reflecting the gray sky.

She seemed completely lost in that moment, not caring for the world at all.

I thought to myself, what a stupid girl… but

“Hey. I assume you don’t have an umbrella.”

I called out, stepping closer and holding mine toward her.

“Here. Take it.”

I said it with no expression, but somewhere inside, I knew it wasn’t just kindness.

She turned as I interrupted her little world. Then, as always, she gave that teasing smile.

Even in the cold, her cheeks were warm, her breath soft and bright.

“Look who decided to help. Planning to drown in the rain instead of the river?” she said.

“Maybe,” I muttered.

“Thanks for the umbrella—but I don’t need it,” she whispered, almost to herself, and ran out into the rain.

She laughed, spun, and lifted her face to the sky.

“You know,” she shouted through the rain, “I love it. I love the rain. You don’t hide from what you love, even if it’s cold!”

She danced like a child — happy, delicate, fragile, innocent.

In that moment, she shined in the rain like a star, like an angel made of light. And I stood at the entrance all alone with the umbrella in my hand looking at her.

And I realized how different our worlds were.

She was light.

I was shadow.

She could shine even in the storm, while I stayed closed off even under the sun.

I stood there, watching her with the umbrella still in my hand.

"I could never enjoy this world. I had no place in it."

I whispered to myself standing all alone with my head down to the ground.

Then I felt something—

A wet warmth in my palm.

A pull.

She held my hand.

Her fingers soft but firm, dragging me out of the darkness of my thoughts.

“Hey,” she said, smiling, “I’m not getting sick alone, you know.”

Her hand didn’t let go.

And in that rain, our hands melted together.

The world suddenly felt lighter — the rain softer, the air warmer.

The gray around us didn’t look so dark anymore.

For the first time, I could feel everything —

the rain, the air, her laughter beside me.

I couldn’t believe it—but I was enjoying the rain. The soft drops washing my thoughts away. And through the rain I saw her- smiling like she was living the moment of her life. Her hand still clinging to mine.

Reality faded into the background as I felt the moment.

---

I walked beside her under my umbrella.

After she had her fun in the rain, I was somehow dragged into walking her to the station.

She played the same lonely girl act again — soft voice, faint smile — and of course, I gave in.

“Thanks for walking me to the station,” she said, looking up at me with a small grin.

“Not like you gave me a choice,” I muttered.

She giggled, that light, teasing laugh of hers echoing faintly under the sound of rain. That reminded me of the bath in the rain I had just witnessed.

An announcement rang through the station: “Trains are delayed by approximately two hours.”

It was probably due to the heavy rain still going on.

She sighed. “Guess I’ll have to wait here now. You can go.”

After all that, she wanted me to leave her alone in this cold?

Did she think I was heartless?

“Hey,” I said, trying not to sound awkward. “My home’s pretty close. You can come and dry off there.”

She blinked in surprise, lowering her gaze. Her cheeks turned red — a kind of quiet, warm red that didn’t belong to the rain.

For once, she didn’t have a comeback ready.

“Okay,” she finally whispered, eyes meeting mine again.

And for a moment, under that flickering station light, I saw it —

not the mysterious girl from the bridge, not the angel from the rain —

just a girl, shy, cold, and beautiful.

Too human for words.

_ _ _ _