Sunshine Shower

It wasn’t hard to find out the truth behind the rumor. Woo Yeonjae was able to get the information he wanted with just a few words.“Damn, what a…”Of course, there weren’t many people who believed such an absurd rumor. Moon Seoyoon cried not because of the malicious people spreading the rumor but because he was upset about the bad rumors surrounding him.“Was it because of Yoojeong noona?”“Yeah. That noona really adores Moon Seoyoon. But Sunbae Sanghyun has a crush on her. He didn’t like seeing it, so he spread the rumor. I found out because the seniors told me that sunbae was acting like a loser.”“That pathetic jerk is making a big fuss.”Woo Yeonjae smirked.“Anyway, no one believes it, right? The rumor spread not because of Moon Seoyoon, but because that sunbae is an idiot. You’re always with Moon Seoyoon at school, and as soon as school ends, he goes to play piano. What could he possibly be flirting with?”“What’s this about a photo?”“I saw it too, and it was just a picture of Moon Seoyoon talking with that man. But isn’t he a famous person in the piano world? They said you could find him on the internet right away. He’s often on TV. What was it, anyway, they said he’s a university professor.”Finally, he understood the situation. They must have taken a picture of the two having a conversation and used it to spread strange rumors. It might have been just a touch on the shoulder, but in a photo, it could look convincing.However, Moon Seoyoon wasn’t in a financial situation where he’d need to do such things, and since the man was famous, nobody believed it. It was common sense that a professor who appeared in the media wouldn’t do such things with a student in a school uniform during the day.But in a school environment, that was enough to socially ruin someone. An inappropriate relationship, and with the same gender at that. The rumor was low and dirty, filled with elements that society detests.“What a load of crap…”Even though it was just a harmless incident for Moon Seoyoon, it was still unpleasant.“How’s Moon Seoyoon been doing lately? He seemed fine. It’s been a while since the rumor died down.”“He cried the other day.”“He did? I didn’t notice because he didn’t show it at school. I guess he must be really kind. Damn, I wouldn’t cry over a rumor like that. I’d just get pissed off and curse. Because I know it’s utter nonsense. But for someone as innocent as Moon Seoyoon, it must have been shocking.”Woo Yeonjae reconsidered the details of the incident. In short, an older guy got jealous that Moon Seoyoon was getting attention from his crush and made up the nonsense.Kim Jaeyoon, who had been nervously shaking his leg, glanced around.“Woo Yeonjae looks pissed.”Woo Yeonjae turned his gaze toward his friend.“You’re surprisingly overprotective of Moon Seoyoon. Just between us, I initially thought you liked Moon Seoyoon. Not just as a friend. You know, romantically? Oh, wait. That’s the same gender, isn’t it?”“What are you talking about?”Already annoyed, Woo Yeonjae was even more irritated by Kim Jaeyoon’s nonsense.“How can a guy like another guy?”Kim Jaeyoon awkwardly scratched his neck as Woo Yeonjae responded as if hearing utter nonsense.“Love is a reproductive desire. How can you like the same gender when they can’t reproduce?”“Wow, you have no sense of romance. And what’s this about reproductive desire? It’s real feelings, okay? There aren’t those thoughts.”“Bullshit. It’s because of hormones.”People often elevate love to a grand emotion, but Woo Yeonjae didn’t think that way. Humans, at their core, were just animals with reproductive desires.To reproduce, sexual union was necessary, and sexual attraction was ultimately an interaction of hormones. Humans created the grand term love to separate themselves from animals, but it was a groundless emotion.Many might bring romantic reasons to refute scientific evidence, but Woo Yeonjae remained skeptical about the feeling of love. It was just the trickery of hormones with an expiration date.“This guy uses such complex words again. Anyway, I thought so in the past. I know now that you and Moon Seoyoon are childhood friends.”Kim Jaeyoon stood up from the steps of the playground and dusted off his seat.“So, what are you going to do?”“About what?”“Fighting a sunbae seems a bit much, doesn’t it? I mean, it’s one thing to fight with someone in the same grade and have people think it’s just a spat. But fighting someone in a different grade is…”Woo Yeonjae frowned. Throwing punches at a senior and getting caught in the noise was something he wanted to avoid.“I promised to stop causing trouble, so I have to keep a low profile.”“What kind of accident is it if kids throw a few punches? It’s not like you drink, smoke, or beat up innocent people.”“My mom would collapse if I stepped out of line even a little.”“Oh, we have a filial son here.”Woo Yeonjae shrugged at his skeptical friend. Regardless, he had to keep the promise to behave.And Woo Yeonjae had never broken a promise with Moon Seoyoon.* * *The rumor was easy to handle.Woo Yeonjae wasn’t stupid enough to confess what he did to his friend.He took this opportunity to block the approach of older people in the arts community. Just mentioning that Moon Seoyoon was in trouble was enough.* * *His gentle eyes widened into a rabbit-like expression. Moon Seoyoon, looking bewildered, received his fifteenth birthday gift. It was a pair of shoes hard to find in Korea.“What’s this? Did you buy it when you went to America?”“Yeah. It came to mind, so I picked it up while I was there.”“These are the ones that everyone said were pretty but hard to get… I’ll wear them well.”Woo Yeonjae rested his chin on his hand and stared intently at Moon Seoyoon. It seemed like he had completely forgotten the nonsense rumors surrounding him, as if he had never cried so sorrowfully. Fortunately, his gentle nature made him as easily forgetful as he was easily hurt.“Think of me whenever you wear them.”“Okay.”When he spoke lightly, Moon Seoyoon smiled brightly and fiddled with the box holding the shoes, thinking it was a joke.“Can I try them on now?”“Sure.”With that simple response, Moon Seoyoon promptly put on the sneakers. His cheeks were faintly flushed with excitement. Woo Yeonjae slowly lowered his gaze.It wasn’t difficult to gauge the shoe size even though he hadn’t directly asked Moon Seoyoon. As expected, the sneakers fit perfectly.As he stared at the snugly fitting shoes, his eyes were drawn to the white ankle. He suddenly wanted to hold the protruding Achilles tendon in his hand.Even though it was just a pair of sneakers, there was a strange satisfaction in seeing him wear something he had picked out and bought. The sudden surge of impulse was likely because he felt satisfied that Moon Seoyoon was wearing the shoes he had given him.The white sneakers suited Moon Seoyoon well.“Moon Seoyoon.”When he called his name, Moon Seoyoon looked up.“What?”Still resting his chin in his hand, Woo Yeonjae spoke leisurely.“Just.”I’ll get rid of all the nonsense…“Happy birthday.”Live comfortably by my side.* * *Woo Yeonjae wore a black suit. It was the day of Moon Seoyoon’s mother’s funeral.He could have worn his school uniform like the other friends, but since Moon Seoyoon would be in mourning clothes, he thought it better to match him. It would be hard if he felt out of place just because of one outfit.As a longtime friend of his mother, he went to the funeral with his parents. Woo Yeonjae was able to see his oldest friend’s face only after offering a bow and lighting incense. Contrary to his expectation that he would be crying his eyes out, Moon Seoyoon seemed to be holding up okay.Without a word, Woo Yeonjae embraced his friend.“…I didn’t cry.”Even though he was shedding tears, he managed to say he hadn’t cried.A murmured voice reached his ears. The sound, mixed with gasping breaths, was so frail that it seemed it would soon fade away.After holding him for a long time, Woo Yeonjae finally looked down at Moon Seoyoon. Just with tears alone, one could express such deep and profound sorrow. It was a realization he came to for the first time.* * *If he made any noise, he would surely hide in bed. Then, I wouldn’t be able to see his face this time either.Without knocking, Woo Yeonjae flung the door open. He saw his childhood friend sitting dazedly on the bed.“Did you cry?”Moon Seoyoon, sitting unusually in his outdoor clothes on the bed, lied with a creeping voice.“I didn’t cry.”“Let me see your face.”“I told you I didn’t cry.”Woo Yeonjae reached for his lowered head. His cheek felt slightly damp under his fingertips. Startled by their eye contact, Moon Seoyoon’s long eyelashes fluttered. Unlike his cheek, he couldn’t touch them to know for sure, but they seemed wet.“You did cry.”Woo Yeonjae bluntly stated as he gazed at his pale face. Watching his eyelids lower quietly, he stretched out his palm and covered the swollen eyelid. His cold hand was warmed by the mild body heat.“It’s cold.”“It must feel refreshing.”As he applied pressure, Moon Seoyoon followed like a paper doll. Woo Yeonjae extended his arm until his head leaned against the headboard of the bed. The weight pushing back had no strength.“Because of you, Moon Seoyoon, I had to ice my hand.”“…Really?”When he asked back in disbelief, Woo Yeonjae gave a thin smile.