Sunshine Shower

“Seoyoon.”“Yes?”“Hand.”It was the day Moon Seoyoon came over to play. Woo Yeonjae reached out a hand to his friend who was sitting down. Moon Seoyoon, who had turned seven but still hadn’t grown much, reached out his tiny hand. The two of them headed outside.“Where are we going?”“To the backyard.”The weather was nice, so it seemed like a good idea to play outside. Even though Woo Yeonjae hated getting dirt or leaves on his body, he figured he would have to indulge Moon Seoyoon, who liked playing with grass and berries.As they walked ahead, Moon Seoyoon followed, trailing behind. The hand he held was warm.Just as they were about to reach their destination, it suddenly started to rain. Woo Yeonjae glanced up at the sky and then pulled Moon Seoyoon under a large tree. The young children, who were only seven years old, crouched beneath it. The large tree was enough to shield them from the light rain.“It’s raining. The sky is clear, so why is it raining?”Moon Seoyoon stretched out his palm as if trying to catch the raindrops. Woo Yeonjae watched the small pool of rainwater gathering in the little hand and answered.“This is called ‘fox rain’.”“Fox rain?”Moon Seoyoon finally looked at him. His cheek was slightly wet, perhaps from the rain.“They say a sudden shower on a clear day is called fox rain.”“That’s a pretty name. How are you so smart, Yeonjae?”“I read books.”Woo Yeonjae answered with a slightly grumpy expression. It was a book he had read while Moon Seoyoon played piano for another child.“I guess you have to read a lot of books to be smart. I only know how to play the piano.”“You only need to do what you’re good at. I can’t play the piano.”“If you come over to my house, I’ll play for you.”Moon Seoyoon laughed and brought his knees together. Woo Yeonjae, resting his cheek on his knees, met the gaze staring at him. The brown irises caught the sunlight, making them more vivid.“Why?”“Because you’re pretty.”When Woo Yeonjae asked why he was looking at him that way, Moon Seoyoon giggled innocently and answered. Woo Yeonjae frowned. Boys should be called handsome, not pretty. Still, it felt nice to hear that he was pretty from Moon Seoyoon.“You’re the pretty one.”No matter how he looked, Moon Seoyoon was prettier. His white skin, round face, and light-colored hair all suited the word “pretty.”“No, you’re prettier. The girls in our class say you’re the prettiest, Yeonjae.”No way. The boy the girls called pretty was always Moon Seoyoon. As Woo Yeonjae pondered how to explain this, Moon Seoyoon suddenly pouted as if a thought had crossed his mind.“You have to be my best friend even when we enter elementary school.”“I only have one friend, Moon Seoyoon.”Woo Yeonjae meant it.“Then what about your kindergarten friends? Seungwoo and Jaeyoon?”“They’re just kids I know.”They were Moon Seoyoon’s friends, not his.Whether he realized that Woo Yeonjae wasn’t lying or not, Moon Seoyoon smiled contentedly, his eyes crinkling again. At the same time, Woo Yeonjae felt a little relieved. Since Moon Seoyoon said he had to be the best friend even after entering elementary school, it seemed like Woo Yeonjae was his best friend.“Okay, then I’ll only be friends with you, Yeonjae.”Even though he had many friends, he would only be friends with him? Did that mean he wouldn’t play with other kids?After a short moment of contemplation, Woo Yeonjae asked honestly.“Does that mean you’re mine?”Moon Seoyoon blinked his large eyes and nodded.“Promise, then.”Satisfied with the answer, Woo Yeonjae extended his pinky. A slightly shorter finger hooked over it.“Promise.”Instead of looking at their entwined fingers, Woo Yeonjae leaned forward and looked at Moon Seoyoon. As his lips descended, there was a small pecking sound.“Why did you kiss me on the lips?”Moon Seoyoon’s eyes widened in surprise. He seemed shocked that it was on the lips and not the cheek.“They say you do this to what’s yours.”Woo Yeonjae answered shamelessly. It was something he had seen on a drama his mother was watching.“Really?”Moon Seoyoon, responding innocently, leaned forward and quickly kissed him back.Peck.Woo Yeonjae hadn’t expected a sudden kiss. Dumbfounded, he blinked and stepped back, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. It felt strange.“What? Oh, the rain stopped.”The rain that had been falling just moments ago had somehow stopped. Moon Seoyoon pulled on their entwined fingers. Woo Yeonjae followed, surprised.“Yeonjae, look! There’s a rainbow over there!”Moon Seoyoon smiled brightly and pointed at the rainbow. Woo Yeonjae, however, only had eyes for Moon Seoyoon, not the colorful rainbow.His smiling face was just… beautiful.* * *Woo Yeonjae glanced at Moon Seoyoon’s profile. His childhood friend, climbing the stairs, seemed completely unconcerned. He didn’t seem bothered at all that an older man had been fidgeting with his hands.‘Oh, so you’re Seoyoon!’The man, who claimed to be a music professor, had asked to shake hands, mentioning Moon Seoyoon’s father’s name. Woo Yeonjae had stared at the man’s hand, which had held Moon Seoyoon’s for an unusually long time.Was it necessary to hold hands for so long? Woo Yeonjae already had a prejudice against older men in the arts, thinking they often had strange tendencies, which made him even more uncomfortable. Even if Moon Seoyoon was the same gender, there were still people who crossed boundaries they shouldn’t.Fortunately, Woo Yeonjae had developed the habit of washing his hands as soon as he got home. Only after watching Moon Seoyoon thoroughly wash his hands with cleanser did Woo Yeonjae leave the bathroom. He thought the hand on the railing would probably smell the same as his.Useless things always seem to gather around. He knew people flocked around Moon Seoyoon because of the piano, but none of them were likable. The world was full of people who, under the guise of artistry, did ridiculous things. Since Moon Seoyoon seemed unaware, Woo Yeonjae thought it was best to be cautious himself.Woo Yeonjae resolved once again as he watched the familiar back entering his room.“What?”It was when he hung his outerwear in the dressing room. As he headed toward the study, Moon Seoyoon pointed to the desk and asked. There were snacks his father had brought back from the United States. They were jelly candies. It wasn’t the kind of gift for a boy entering middle school next year.“Eat it.”Unlike Woo Yeonjae, who didn’t like sweet things, Moon Seoyoon ate anything well. Woo Yeonjae casually spoke as he set down his bag.“I’ll just have one.”“You can have all of it. You know I don’t like sweets. You can take them all if you want.”“They were bought for you by your dad. I’ll just have one.”Moon Seoyoon unwrapped one of the individually packaged jellies and put it in his mouth. His eyes widened in delight, clearly enjoying the taste. Woo Yeonjae chuckled at how clearly his happiness showed on his face. As Moon Seoyoon drummed his fingers on the desk like playing a piano, he reached out for more jelly.“Can I have more?”“I said you could have all of it.”“Not all… just a few more.”Both attended a private elementary school, so they wore uniforms. Woo Yeonjae returned to the dressing room, hung up his uniform jacket, and began spreading out his books on the desk for homework. Suddenly, he heard the chair wheels slide.“…What’s wrong with you?”A sudden sense of something wrong struck him. Moon Seoyoon, holding onto the desk with one hand, was gasping for breath. His face had turned pale, and his lips were turning blue. The other hand was clutching his throat. It was clear at a glance that he couldn’t breathe.“Hey, Moon Seoyoon!”It was obvious that the jelly was stuck in his throat. Woo Yeonjae instinctively moved. Standing behind Moon Seoyoon, who was trying to fall forward, he wedged his thigh between the other’s legs. It was okay since Moon Seoyoon was holding onto the desk, but if he fell sideways, it would be a big problem.“Hrk, urk, gasp…”Woo Yeonjae embraced Moon Seoyoon from behind, intertwining his left and right hands tightly. He anxiously bit his lip and pressed hard between the diaphragm and navel.“Damn it.”Despite the sudden situation, he knew he had to stay calm. Woo Yeonjae applied as much force as he could, squeezing the trembling sides. Luckily, he was taller than most middle school students, and his strength matched his size. He repeatedly thrust his arms upward diagonally, and finally, a coughing sound came from in front.“Cough, cough…”“Moon Seoyoon. Did you spit it out?”“Ugh… Yeah. Cough.”Woo Yeonjae hurriedly bent down to check Moon Seoyoon’s complexion. His cheeks were still pale, but his lips were regaining some color. Woo Yeonjae repeatedly patted Moon Seoyoon’s trembling back and carefully scanned the desk. Luckily, he spotted the expelled jelly.“Just sit for a bit.”He pulled a chair and seated Moon Seoyoon before grabbing his phone. His other hand continued to pat the smaller back.“Hello, it’s Yeonjae.”– Yes, what do you need?It was the person who helped around the house.“No, I think Seoyoon needs to go to the hospital. It’s not an emergency for an ambulance, so I called you.”– Hospital? Is something wrong? I’ll come up right away.Just as he was about to respond, Moon Seoyoon tugged on Woo Yeonjae’s school shirt. Out of habit, Woo Yeonjae, who had been patting his back, finally looked down."여우비" (yeoubi) (Fox Rain) is a Korean term that describes a phenomenon where rain falls while the sun is shining, In Korean folklore, it's said that when a fox gets married, it rains while the sun is shining, which is why the phenomenon is associated with the name "여우" (yeou), meaning "fox."