05.
After the unwanted move, I grew up fast. The bravado that once filled me vanished, and I stopped ending every sentence with a curse word. None of it was cool. I gave up the delusion that throwing punches would make me look tough. Nothing mattered anymore. At the new school my parents transferred me to, I kept my head down and acted like I didn’t exist. If someone talked to me, I replied just enough to keep things neutral. I figured I’d live like that through high school too. Dull, but manageable. I didn’t want to be pointed at and called a monster again.
I never watched superhero movies anymore. I tore down all the posters plastered over my walls and tossed out the collection of action figures I’d once treasured. I didn’t want to see any of it. Heroes were no longer something I admired.
That’s how my middle school years ended. In high school, I’d grown so much—taller, and emotionally too—that my old friends wouldn’t even recognize me. I’d made it past the days filled with hurt and anger, and now I was calm. I barely got angry anymore. Emotions didn’t stir much. "I guess that’s just how it is." "It happens." "People are like that." Those were the thoughts I lived by.
I talked more with classmates in high school than I had in middle school. I joked around, ate meals together, walked home with them. But I never talked about myself. Sharing my past just made things complicated. I didn’t want to get into why I transferred, why I lived alone, or why I had no friends from my previous school. The thought alone exhausted me. I preferred dullness. It wasn’t a bad life. A bit lonely, maybe.
After school, I often went to the rooftop of an old building near campus. It was practically falling apart, so no one ever went there. Perfect for being alone. I rarely went straight home. Being there made me feel worse. The emptiness crept in too easily, so I avoided it. That day was the same as always. After class, I climbed to the roof and lay down, tossing my bag aside. The sky was gloomy—it was the rainy season, after all. Whether it rained or not had nothing to do with me. Even if it did rain, I wouldn’t get wet. Water bounced off me as if I were surrounded by an invisible barrier. I used to hate how monstrous it felt, but now I’d accepted it. It was nice, not getting soaked.
Sure enough, after a while, rain began to fall. Plop. The sound of raindrops hitting the ground woke me from a nap. Annoying... should I just stop it? I thought about it for a moment but then shut my eyes again. Too lazy to make a wish. I didn’t feel like using my power. I figured it’d stop soon anyway. But the rain got heavier, almost like a downpour. It drenched the world around me. Strange feeling, really—to be the only one not getting wet while everyone else scrambled with umbrellas. The only one who could stop it. Like I was... special. I let out a bitter laugh. Even after all that, I still hadn’t learned. To the world, I was just a monster.
Blinking slowly, I took in the rainy world around me—people running to avoid getting wet, the earth soaking it all in, leaves glistening with droplets, the overcast gray sky. Watching the world was fun. It made me feel normal, like I was just another person. Then it happened. The rooftop door, which had never once opened, burst open with a loud bang. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest. What the—?
Startled, I sat up. And then I saw her. A girl with round, chestnut-colored hair. That’s what I noticed first. She collapsed on the rooftop floor like she was in pain, hands clamped over her ears, body trembling.
“…Make it stop…”
She said it—begged, actually. Her voice was drowned out by the rain, but I focused hard to understand. She sobbed and curled into herself. The sight tugged at something inside me. She looked so fragile, like she might shatter at any second.
“Please… make it stop…”
“…”
“Stop the rain…”
I understood instantly. It was the rain. She was desperately wishing for it to end. Her trembling hands pressed together in prayer. I watched silently and, before I knew it, brought my hands together too. If she wants it to stop… then I’ll stop it. I didn’t know why. I’d never used my power for someone else before. It had been ages since I’d used it at all. What if it didn’t work? What if the sky forgot my voice?
Still, I had to try. I wanted to help her. So I did what I always did. Closed my eyes, pressed my hands together, and murmured the words:
“Stop the rain.”
The sky still remembered me. The rain ceased in an instant, and sunlight broke through the clouds. Guess I’ve still got it. I chuckled softly.
As the rain stopped, the girl’s shaking eased. She caught her breath and slowly lifted her head. Wow. She was beautiful. That was my first thought. Just… stunning. I stared without realizing. Her face glowed under the sunlight. She blinked a few times and stood up with effort, unsteady on her feet. She slung her soaked backpack over her shoulder and left the rooftop. She looked too fragile to ask if she was okay. Could I see her again? I found myself hoping so, foolish as it sounded.
I walked to the spot she’d been sitting. On the ground was a name tag. Our school’s name tag, to be exact. I could tell right away from the design. Must’ve been a younger student—I didn’t recognize the face. I wiped the damp plastic on my shirt and traced the engraved name with my fingers.
“Yoon Ah-reum.”
So her name is Ah-reum. Yoon Ah-reum… I whispered the name a few times and suddenly had a thought: Maybe… maybe I’m someone she needs. Someone who won’t see me as a monster even if she knows my secret. Someone who needs my power. Someone who needs me. Someone I can stay beside.
Maybe… maybe I don’t have to be lonely anymore.
Maybe I could sleep peacefully again, even in an empty house.
I felt guilty using her pain for my own relief, but I told myself we could both benefit. I’d gain a companion, and she could avoid the rain.
I tucked the name tag into my pocket, picked up my bag, and left the rooftop.
For the first time in ages, my heart raced. A new beginning. A fresh start. I decided, right then and there—
I would become her destiny.
06.
The school I had always dreaded going to suddenly became the place I was dying to be. I spent the whole night tossing and turning, excited. What should I say when I see her tomorrow? “Hi?” Too plain. “You’re Areum, right?” Sounds like a stalker. “I’ve heard a lot about you”? What if she asks from who? “You’re really pretty”? God, that’s insane. Totally creepy. No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn’t come up with a good opening line. In the end, I gave up and decided to just wing it tomorrow. And then… I overslept. I’d gone to bed way too late. I barely got my uniform on and sprinted to school. I ran so hard I could taste blood in my mouth, but I was still late. Got a demerit, too. Not a great start. As soon as I entered the classroom, I collapsed on my desk. My heart was pounding from all the running.
“Choi Beomgyu, what happened?”
“I overslept. I’m late.”
“You ran here, huh?”
“Yeah… I’m dead.”
My seatmate chuckled and handed me some water. I thanked her and drank it in one go. My fuzzy head cleared a bit. Alright, focus today. I’ll head over to the sophomore classrooms during break. I wonder if I’ll see her. Just thinking about it made my hands and feet tingle with nervous excitement. But all that anticipation was shattered—Yoon Areum was nowhere to be found. I walked back and forth past the first-year classrooms dozens of times, but didn’t see a single head that resembled hers. Brown, round hair. I’d recognize it immediately. Did I misread her name tag? No, it was definitely our school’s tag. I took out the name tag I’d picked up yesterday and rubbed my fingers over the three letters. Just doing that made me feel strangely sentimental.
I went down during lunch too, but still nothing. Before I knew it, the school day was almost over. Alright, one last time. Really, this is the last. And if she’s not there… what then? Maybe tomorrow. So many thoughts filled my head just walking down one floor. What’s the big deal about fate anyway? I almost tripped on the stairs. My twisted ankle throbbed again. Great, just great. The sophomore floor was noisy, probably because everyone was getting ready to leave. I scanned the crowd for that round head again, but no luck. Where the heck was she hiding? It wasn’t even raining today. I grumbled to myself. Just then, the bell rang. I guess I’ll try again tomorrow. I turned to head back upstairs when—
“Ah…”
“Ah.”
I bumped into someone. Both of us lost our balance and fell. My already sore ankle throbbed again. I winced. Today’s just cursed. Whatever. It wasn’t entirely their fault. Scattered across the floor were textbooks, notebooks, and pens. Things they dropped during the fall. I quickly got up and started gathering them. The other person silently did the same. Unlike my grimy textbooks, theirs were spotless. Wow, so neat. Not a single page was wrinkled. Their pens were spotless too. I could already guess what kind of person they were. As I picked up a notebook, I noticed the name written neatly at the top. And the name was—
“…Yoon Areum?”
It was her. Surprised by the sound of her name, she turned to look at me. Our eyes met. Big, beautiful eyes. A jolt ran through me.
“It really is you.”
“…Do I know you?”
Oh no. My thoughts had slipped out loud. I hadn’t planned our first meeting like this. I needed to say something—anything—but my mind went blank. My eyes darted around awkwardly. Areum stared at me indifferently, then resumed picking up her things.
“…Let me get those. Sorry I bumped into you.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Still, it was my fault—”
“Don’t worry about it.”
She took the things I was holding from my hands. Our fingers brushed for a second, and it made my stomach flutter like crazy. I didn’t understand why.
“I’m sorry too.”
“No, you don’t need to apologize—”
“Do you have anything else to say?”
“Huh?”
“Then I’ll be going.”
We had a problem. Yoon Areum had her guard up. Since our eyes met, she hadn’t really looked at me again. Her gaze was distant, her expression disinterested. I was starting to wonder if she was even the same person from yesterday. She gave a brief goodbye and walked past me. Should I stop her? But what would I say? My body moved before my brain did. I grabbed her wrist. Her warmth surprised me. Her big eyes widened in shock. She looked like a startled squirrel. Just as beautiful as yesterday—even in this moment.
"One."
“…”
“I’m Choi Beomgyu.”
That was what I blurted out after grabbing her. My name. Just… my name. I wanted to bite my tongue and disappear. Idiot. Beomgyu, you idiot. That’s the best you could do? She stared at me like, “So what?” Still, I didn’t let go of her wrist.
"Um, so…"
“…”
“…Please remember my name.”
“…What?”
“Choi Beomgyu. Please remember it.”
“…Why?”
Her voice was steady. Now what? The way her big, clear eyes looked at me made me sweat. If I said the wrong thing, I could ruin everything. But I had no choice. I had to just go for it.
“I want to get to know you.”
“…”
“I’ve known about you for a while.”
“…”
“I just… wanted to be friends. I know it sounds weird, but I mean it. So please remember me.”
It must’ve been a ridiculous first meeting. Even I thought so. I’d never struggled to talk to someone like this before. I’d never been this nervous. But now, I was sweating through my back. A silence fell between us. I swallowed dryly. After a long pause, she pulled her wrist away.
“I don’t want to get to know you.”
“…Huh?”
“I said, I’m not interested in being friends.”
“…”
“Don’t waste your time.”
She apologized for bumping into me and thanked me for helping. Then she walked away. This time, I couldn’t stop her. It was a polite rejection. The bell had rung a while ago, but I couldn’t go back to class. I just stood there, frozen. I got rejected. Before anything even began. My brain slowly caught up. Instead of tears, laughter came out. I laughed out loud, clutching my stomach. Just like that time I tried to fly like Superman and broke my arm.
“This is insane.”
Even after that, I liked her even more. The tension melted away, replaced by something lighter. She was adorable. If you asked me why, I couldn’t explain. She just was. The way she looked at me with wide eyes and said exactly what she wanted. She said she wasn’t interested, but I was sure she’d remember me. Who forgets someone who randomly asks you to remember their name? Maybe this was better. If I were the type to give up easily, I wouldn’t have spent all day looking for her. My heart thumped hard. I’d just been rejected, but I was oddly optimistic. And honestly, I didn’t care.
Fate always comes suddenly. At unexpected times, in unexpected places—it shows up and turns your world upside down. I knew that all too well. I knew how it could completely change a life. As I walked back to class, I made up my mind. I would become Yoon Areum’s unexpected fate. The kind that turns her whole life around. The kind that brings laughter. Her name tag clinked in my pocket with each step. I didn’t mind at all.
The sky was clear, not a single cloud in sight. A new beginning.