Heart Fluttering

"It's raining so much..."

Cha Yeri stood by the window, sipping her coffee, murmuring to herself as she stared blankly out at the rain. The image suited her so perfectly it felt like a scene from a beautiful painting.

"Do you like the rain?"

"I don't dislike it. Listening quietly to the sound of the rain makes me feel like I can forget my complicated thoughts, even if it's just for a little while. What about you?"

"I like it too."

Because in love comedies, romantic scenes always seem to happen on rainy days. Sharing a single umbrella on the way somewhere, offering to wash their wet clothes and taking them back to your place, the power going out from lightning while you're together at home, relying on each other in the dark... Those kinds of love stories only seemed possible when it rained.

"Hmm... that's a bit unexpected. Can I ask why?"

"It makes me feel drowsy, so I sleep really well."

"That's it?"

"Yes."

She looked slightly dumbfounded that the reason for liking the rain was simply because it helped her sleep better. But soon enough the corners of her lips lifted gently, and she turned her gaze back out the window.

"That's so like you. There's no ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠such thing as one reason being better than another. When I think about it again, that actually seems like a pretty decent reason."

"President. Did you bring an umbrella?"

"No, I didn't think it would rain so I didn't bring one."

"Really? Then would you like to share mine until the main gate?"

"I'm fine. I have a driver who always comes to pick me up. I can just ask him to bring an umbrella to the student council office."

Cha Yeri being rich ruined everything. Come to think of it, if she had a personal driver, most of the rainy-day events I'd imagined would be impossible. Too bad, but there was nothing I could do about it. I'd have to give ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up on the rain event.

Ding—! Dong—! Dang—! Dong—!

Right on cue, the school bell rang. It was time to go home. Normally Cha Yeri would have stayed behind in the student council office to work even after the dismissal bell.

"Let's stop here for today. You can head home now."

But today she neatly stacked and organized the documents on her desk. She'd finished her assigned workload, and with the rain coming down, it seemed she had decided to call it a day as well.

"Alright. President, please get home safely too."

"Yeah. Hurry on home."

Ziiing—! Ziiing—!

I was about to leave when I heard a phone vibrating. It wasn't mine, so it had to be Cha Yeri's.

Something smells fishy here.

Ignoring it and just walking out in this situation would be the move of an amateur. Ever since I'd realized this world ran like a rom-com, I'd devoured every manga and anime on the subject. There was definitely an event about to trigger.

Instead of leaving, I lingered around, waiting until ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her call ended.

"Hello? Yes, driver... Yes?... Ah... You're not badly hurt, are you? ...That's a relief. ...Right, what should we do about this..."

While on the phone, Cha Yeri glanced over and began staring straight at me. Then...

"I think I can manage somehow. ...Yes, just handle the aftermath properly and return right away... Yes, understood."

Anyone could tell from the conversation that some kind of problem had come up. But that was enough for me to roughly figure out what had happened, so I turned as if to leave again.

"Wait a moment, Kang Ijin. Don't go—stop right there."

Just as I'd expected, Cha Yeri called out to stop me.

"What is it?"

"...Did you drive today?"

"Yes. I drove here today as well."

"By any chance... could you give me a ride home? I'll definitely repay the favor."

"Giving you a ride is no problem... but didn't you say your driver was coming?"

"It seems he got into a car accident on the way. With the heavy rain, the other driver couldn't see properly and crashed into him from the side."

"Was anyone badly hurt?"

"Fortunately it was a light hit from the right, so no one was injured. But the car..."

Cha Yeri closed her mouth and shook her head. The car clearly wasn't in any condition to drive her. So this was how the event was triggering. The heavens really had my back.

"I'll drive you. Let's share the umbrella to the parking lot."

"Thank you... Then... Ah...! Give me the umbrella. I'll hold it."

"No. I'll hold it. There's quite a height difference between you and me, President, so I should be the one holding it."

"R-right... I forgot about that..."

Since I was lending her both an umbrella and a ride, she seemed eager to help somehow. But that led her to make an unreasonable suggestion without considering our height difference. When I pointed it out, she realized her mistake and looked embarrassed.

"Can you wait just a moment? I'll tidy up quickly."

Cha Yeri quickly gave up on trying to help me and instead hurried to organize the student council office so I wouldn't have to wait long. It was cute how hard she was working to avoid causing me any inconvenience.

"Then I'll wait outside."

Leaving those words behind, I stepped out and immediately called Kang Suho.

In other words, if I hadn't sensed anything and had just left by myself, the rain event would have gone entirely to Kang Suho. And since he didn't even have a car, they would have walked together under one umbrella for a long time, just the two of them.

Fuck. I almost got completely screwed over. No wonder it felt like the heavens were helping—except the event had been meant for Kang Suho, not me. I could never allow him to experience an event like that.

"But what can you do? The president already went straight home."

"She said she was finishing early today, so she left with her driver right after the bell."

If you get it, then don't come to the student council room and just go home by yourself. Alone and pathetic like a drowned rat.

"Don't waste a trip. Head back. It's raining hard, so drive carefully. See you at home later."

Click.

I looked down at my phone after ending the call and let out a breath.

"Phew. That was close."

"What was so close?"

Just then, Cha Yeri, who had finished cleaning up the student council office, opened the door and stepped out.

"It's a relief that I didn't just leave and waited for you, President. Thanks to that, I got the chance to go home together with you."

"You're making such a big deal out of it... Still, it really is fortunate. Thanks to you waiting, I get to catch a ride in your car."

The slight upward curve at the corners of Cha Yeri's mouth suggested she was in a pretty good mood. Did she feel the same way I did?

Going home together in a car wasn't anything particularly special, but there was still something that made my heart flutter. This feeling was probably close to what people called "the thrill of a budding romance."

We weren't dating, but it felt like we could occasionally sense each other's feelings. Unlike with Sua—whom I'd confessed to, kissed, and immediately started dating—I was experiencing a different kind of excitement with Cha Yeri.

"Want to hold hands on the way?"

"H-hands? Why are you suddenly talking about hands..."

"There's no one around right now. You said you wanted to practice dating through me from time to time, didn't you?"

The hallway was so quiet you couldn't sense anyone's presence. After confirming we were alone, I didn't miss the opportunity.

"Ah, that's right... Hmm..."

Cha Yeri's gaze drifted slightly downward as a thoughtful hum escaped her lips. Then, apparently deciding there was no good reason to refuse...

She slowly took my hand in a firm grip.

"You have to let go immediately if someone comes. You know that, right...?"

"Of course. It's our secret relationship, after all."

"You mean fake relationship."

"A secret fake relationship, then."

"You're so sly... Ha..."

Cha Yeri let out a deep sigh, but a faint, powerless smile played on her face. She was probably thinking that this was just like me.

"Shall we get going?"

"Yeah."

I walked as slowly as possible, deliberately matching Cha Yeri's shorter strides. She probably thought I was being cautious so no one would see us, but I was only walking slowly because I wanted to savor every second of this time with her.

"Wait, can I make a quick call?"

"Sure."

Once we were both in the car, I asked Cha Yeri for permission before dialing Sua.

After replying that I understood, I ended the call.

"I have to pick up one more person. Is that alright with you, President?"

"Of course. By the way... if it's not too rude, may I ask who you were talking to just now?"

It was surprising that Cha Yeri would ask despite knowing it might be rude. She must have been ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that curious about the person I'd called. She was quite impatient, considering the person would be here soon anyway. Maybe my affectionate tone during the call had made her feel a little jealous.

Well, maybe not. It was just my hope that she had.

"It's Jeong Sua. I always give her rides home."

"So it's junior Sua... Between the bar incident before and how you seem to look after only her in the student council... You two must be quite close?"

She was asking the exact same question Sua had asked before. Was there some reason I wasn't allowed to be close to other girls? Well, since she'd honestly confessed her feelings, it made sense that seeing me treat another girl kindly would feel strange to her.

What could I do? I couldn't be satisfied with just one woman. Both Sua and her—I wanted them both. Too bad for them.

"You can think of it like your relationship with Lee Yena. We've known each other since we were young, so she's like a close younger sister to me."

"...Is it really like a close younger sister...?"

"Sorry?"

"Ah, it's nothing... I misspoke, so just pretend you didn't hear it. If she's a close younger sister, that kind of thing can happen."

"Ah... yes..."

Cha Yeri awkwardly tried to end the conversation, as if she no longer wanted to talk. Thanks to that, an uncomfortable atmosphere settled over the inside of the car.