Yoo In was so distracted looking at her phone that she completely forgot she was supposed to be taking notes on the lecture content.

[It’s raining now. I’ll take you home when class ends.]

Suddenly, what was this all about?

The man had been quiet since Yoo In’s reply of “Have a good day too, Director” to his morning message saying “The weather is nice, have a good day at school.”

Director Do Ki Yeon’s proposal, which progressed swiftly from suddenly asking if she had an umbrella to saying he would come pick her up, was too out of the blue.

Though she no longer disliked him, they weren’t close enough to be completely comfortable, so Yoo In hesitated, looking outside where it seemed hazy but not like anything was falling.

As she began typing a refusal, the sound of rain pouring down started outside the classroom window with a swoosh.

“Students by the windows, please close them.”

At the professor’s request, all the open windows were closed, but the sound of heavy rain mixed with wind continued to beat against the windows.

It really is raining. Yoo In looked a bit longer at the tree branches swaying in the wind and rain before shifting her gaze to the message inbox.

[You can buy an umbrella at the convenience store.]

Even though what he said had come true, her answer remained unchanged from before, so she sent it as is.

As if he had been waiting for Yoo In’s reply, a vibration alerting a new message soon sounded.

[It’s so windy an umbrella won’t help. You don’t like rain, Yoo In. Don’t be stubborn and just ride comfortably.]

Haah. A troubled sigh escaped Yoo In’s lips.

This problematic Director Do Ki Yeon had started crossing lines more actively since their encounter at the hotel, but it had never been as sudden and flustering as today.

There’s a world of difference between regretting not being able to block the rain and coming to block it for her.

What did her disliking rain have to do with Director Do Ki Yeon that he would go this far?

Until now she had somehow managed to brush things off, but today she felt she needed to ask why he was doing this and hear his answer.

Then he’d probably say annoyingly, “Yoo In, think about it yourself.”

Just as she was wondering what to say if he really did that, the man stormed in again as if trying to eliminate any chance for her to refuse.

[Tell me which building to go to.]

Haah, really. Yoo In sighed again with exasperation.

It was beyond her why only such persistent people were around her.

An hour and a half later.

When Yoo In came out of the building after class ended, rain was still falling in streaks, weaker than before but still with some force remaining.

Students coming and going at the entrance each chose their own method of sheltering from the unexpected rain as they dashed outside.

Some squeezed under others’ umbrellas, some flipped textbooks over their heads, and some took off clothes to cover themselves.

Amidst the people in disarray, the person Yoo In was looking for was nowhere to be seen. There’s no way he wouldn’t stand out, being so much taller than others.

As Yoo In was looking around intently, a plain black umbrella silently approached right in front of her.

“Hello, Nam Yoo In.”

The man in a neat, proper suit greeted her with an innocent, childlike smile that didn’t match his attire.

Startled by the man’s sudden appearance from who knows where, then blinking at his unfamiliar un-manly smile, Yoo In unknowingly smiled back similarly to Ki Yeon.

Along with the novel impression that he had such an expression too.

However, Ki Yeon’s expression slowly faded, the smoothly raised corners of his mouth closing into a straight line, and his crinkled eyes returning to their original position with a heavy look.

“…What is it?”

Surprised, Yoo In erased her smile as well and widened her eyes.

Then Ki Yeon, who had been looking only at Yoo In, oblivious to his suit pants slowly getting wet in the endless rain, laughed softly with a dejected sound.

“I saw it for the first time.”

“What?”

“Nam Yoo In smiling.”

Ah, was that so? As he pointed out something even she hadn’t known, Yoo In’s cheeks grew hot for no reason and she awkwardly rubbed her face with the back of her hand.

Indeed, most times when Yoo In faced Ki Yeon, she was encountering unexpected situations, so there was no occasion to show a smile.

So was it strange that she smiled? As Yoo In’s head gradually lowered in embarrassment, Ki Yeon reached out a hand from under the umbrella.

“Let’s go. We have to walk a bit to the parking lot.”

“Um… together?”

“There’s only one umbrella.”

He smiled mischievously as he said this.

Yoo In hesitated for a moment, looking at the slender outstretched fingers. Then she heard a low voice urging, “Hurry up,” while waving his arm.

Yoo In raised her eyes to look at Ki Yeon. Ki Yeon, who had returned to his relaxed demeanor, had only the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

It was the same soft smile she had seen dozens of times before, but today it looked subtly different.

Those eyes that had never once looked away since the moment they met, that hand held out unaware of the sleeve getting wet, seemed to tickle the deepest part of her heart once again.

Taking a deep breath, Yoo In stepped out into the rain. Ki Yeon moved half a step closer than Yoo In to keep the raindrops from reaching her.

“Well done.”

Ki Yeon said as he gently wrapped his arm around Yoo In’s shoulder that had come to his side.

Yoo In looked up with a face that asked “What?” but Ki Yeon just smiled with his eyes crinkled.

Thanks to the heavy downpour in a short time, by the time they arrived at the car after stepping in puddles and being battered by wind and rain, both of their heads, clothes, and shoes were all wet despite using an umbrella.

“Use this to dry off.”

Ki Yeon brought a blanket from the back seat and draped it over Yoo In’s head.

A crisp scent like it had just been washed and dried in the sun stimulated Yoo In’s nose from the fluffy black blanket.

Softly saying “Thank you,” Yoo In wiped her wet hair with the blanket while Ki Yeon took off his jacket, which had gotten soaked and darkened in color.

As he unbuttoned and removed his vest and loosened the tie choking his neck, Ki Yeon turned his head, feeling the gaze from the seat next to him.

The clear round eyes watching him flinched.

“What is it?”

When the low voice asked, Yoo In immediately lowered her eyes and shook her head.

Ki Yeon chuckled and carelessly tossed the removed clothes in the back, then gently rubbed the blanket covering Yoo In’s head.

“You look just like a puppy that got rained on.”

“…Why do you keep calling me a puppy?”

The slightly protruding lips spoke as if complaining. Ki Yeon’s smile deepened even more.

“To my eyes, you look just like a puppy. Haven’t you heard that before?”

“Not at all. No one sees me that way except you, Director.”

“That’s strange.”

Ki Yeon tilted his head as if truly puzzled, wiped the moisture from Yoo In’s cheeks and neck, and draped the blanket over her shoulders.

Then he lightly shook out his own slightly wet and disheveled hair with his bare hands and said casually.

“Ah. And one more thing.”

“…”

“Nam Yoo In doesn’t resemble Nam Yoo Jin.”

“Now that’s something I’m hearing for the first time.”

Yoo In made an expression like she was hearing all sorts of absurd things.

Since childhood, she had been mistaken for twins if anything, but she had truly never heard that they didn’t look alike.

Even as Yoo In gave him a look that said this was really strange, Ki Yeon paid no mind and smiled brightly as he roughly brushed up his wet hair.

The black hair that was always neatly slicked back fell scattered across his forehead, and with his tie removed and the top buttons of his pristine white shirt undone, the man looked much younger than his age in his more relaxed attire.

Yoo In gazed at him quietly, here beside her with the sudden rain, slowly turning over in her mind the words she had been determined to say today.

After a long while of her lips moving silently, Yoo In called out to him.

“Director.”

“Yes, Yoo In.”

Ki Yeon answered softly, patiently waiting for Yoo In’s words.

Not avoiding the eyes that were fixed only on her, Yoo In finally voiced the question she had been holding inside.

“Why are you doing this for me?”

Ki Yeon’s brow furrowed slightly. As if choosing his words, he was quiet before opening his mouth.

“You couldn’t find the reason I told you to look for?”

“No.”

“You really have no idea?”

Yoo In nodded weakly.

She was somewhat aware that she was clumsy with human relationships, but Do Ki Yeon was like a maze to Yoo In.

The more she thought about it, the more unclear it became, and she couldn’t find even a clue, let alone an exit.

And the very nature of the relationship between Ki Yeon and Yoo In put limits on many of the possibilities she could imagine.

Unable to remove the huge stepping stone of Nam Yoo Jin between them, Yoo In had no choice but to ask him like this.

“Hmm. Have you never dated, Yoo In?”

“…No.”

Ki Yeon, who had maintained his composure until now, stiffened as soon as he heard Yoo In’s answer.

The man’s face looked dumbfounded as he opened his mouth slightly like someone who had lost the ability to speak. Then he let out a short breath and slowly, repeatedly ran his hand through his hair.

“Really?”

“Yes. I haven’t… but what does that have to do with why you’re acting this way…”

Yoo In stopped mid-sentence. Her fingers that had been fiddling with the soft cloth covering her body also stopped.

Yoo In’s shoulders rose as she inhaled sharply, and she froze, unable to say anything, just like Ki Yeon moments ago.

For a while, only the sound of raindrops beating against the sedan’s roof and windows filled the interior.

Of the two people, each shocked and flustered for different reasons, Ki Yeon was the first to speak.

“It seems you’ve figured it out now, but I’ll say it clearly again.”

Ki Yeon turned his body completely towards the passenger seat, placing one hand on the console box as he moved closer to Yoo In.

Ki Yeon’s serious, subdued atmosphere, devoid of any playfulness or levity, held Yoo In motionless, unable to move.

“I’m interested in you, Yoo In.”

His low voice, mixed with the sound of rain, was deep and calm.

“Very much so.”

His eyes, dark and intense, slowly traced Yoo In’s face.

The final place his gaze landed was on Yoo In’s lips, which she had bitten so hard they might bleed, forgetting even to breathe.

Ki Yeon’s expression wavered between a smile and not as he lightly grasped Yoo In’s chin, causing her shoulders to flinch at the cool temperature.

His thumb brushed the lower part of her lip, then pressed firmly to release it from between her teeth.

Staring intently at that sight, Ki Yeon said in a very low, husky voice:

“I like you, Yoo In.”