CH 6 WHEN THE RAIN WHISPERS

Tesa watched Gin a little longer. There was something strange about this guy—not just his unpredictable demeanor but also the way he perceived the world. Most people saw rain as an inconvenience, something that made everything wet and messy. But for Gin, rain seemed almost sacred.

"Did you know," Gin suddenly said, "if you stay still, you can hear the different sounds of rain? There's the tapping on the roof, the droplets hitting the leaves, and the ones splashing onto the ground. Each has its own tone."

Tesa fell silent for a moment, then turned toward the window. The remaining raindrops dripped from the roof, creating an irregular rhythm. She tried listening as Gin had said, and strangely… there was a kind of harmony in it.

Gin smiled as he saw Tesa's expression change. "You just realized it, didn't you?"

"A little… but still, rain is wet," Tesa finally replied.

Gin laughed again. "Well, of course, it's water."

"Hey, Gin, why do you always sleep in class?" Tesa couldn't hold back her curiosity any longer.

"When we're exhausted from all our activities day and night, we need rest, and sleeping is the most effective way to do that," Gin answered as he sipped a cup of overly sweet tea.

"So, do you have something to do at night?"

"Not really. I go home from school, sleep, wake up, study, then sleep again until morning."

"Then why do you still sleep in class?"

"Because I just want to sleep."

"Why is it that whenever I ask you something, your first answer is always so roundabout? You make it seem like you've been through something tragic," Tesa grumbled, growing more exasperated and confused.

"I just like to define things first before giving my actual reason," Gin said calmly, still sipping his warm tea.

Tesa took a deep breath, trying to suppress the frustration rising in her chest. How could a guy be this weird? What exactly was in his brain? she wondered.

"By the way, you're pretty amazing," Gin suddenly said, breaking Tesa's thoughts.

"Amazing how?"

"You won Miss Endfield," Gin praised, making Tesa beam with pride.

"Of course, I did," Tesa said smugly.

"Who were the contestants last year?"

"From bottom to top: Rita, Ana, Arin, Indah, and me."

"Then you can win again this year."

"Obviously."

"Why haven't you signed up yet?"

"I still have four more days. I'll sign up on the last day. The winner always shows up at the last minute, hahaha. Wish me luck so I can win again this year."

"Okay, I hope you don't wrinkle like the other finalists."

Tesa suddenly remembered what had happened to the four girls. The fear she had momentarily forgotten in Gin's company came rushing back. She leaned against the chair, her mind flashing to the terrible things that might happen to her if she suffered the same fate.

"Hello? Why are you spacing out?" Gin waved his cup of tea in front of Tesa's face.

"I'm scared, Gin… What if it happens to me next?" Tesa's voice was quiet, and she seemed to tremble slightly.

"You won't die, don't worry about it."

"Ugh, how can you say that so easily? Losing beauty for a woman is worse than death!" Tesa snapped, glaring at Gin.

"So, when you grow old and become a grandma, are you going to have a massive depression?"

"That's different! When I grow old, wrinkles are natural because I've lived my youth with beauty. By then, I'll have a husband, kids, and grandkids. There'll be no reason to be depressed over normal aging."

"Yeah… if you manage to get married. What if you stay single forever?"

"Why do you always say annoying things? Can't you just wish me well instead?" Tesa was getting even more irritated.

"I did wish you well. I hoped you wouldn't wrinkle like those four girls."

"But because of you, now I'm paranoid again!" Tesa pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. Her face clearly showed her annoyance at Gin's words. This guy has no feelings at all! she thought.

"By the way, aren't you mad at me?" Gin suddenly asked.

"Haven't you noticed that I've been snapping at you this whole time? That means I'm mad!" Tesa shot back, exasperated by his obliviousness.

"No, I mean, aren't you mad at me for beating up your boyfriend?" Gin clarified.

"If I had more strength, I would've beaten that guy up myself a long time ago," Tesa huffed, recalling her boyfriend's selfish behavior.

"Wow, turns out you're heartless too," Gin muttered, shaking his head.

"You're the one who has no heart!" Tesa retorted.

"What do you mean?"

"Yesterday, you were so cruel to me! You knew I was exhausted from walking, thirsty, but you drank your water in front of me and then left the empty bottle next to me. And you didn't even offer me a ride home! You have zero empathy!" Finally, Tesa let out all the frustration she had been holding in since yesterday. Everything needs transparency! Wait, what did she mean by transparency? she wondered to herself.

"Ohhh, so you wanted me to buy you a drink and give you a ride home. You should've just said so," Gin replied, finishing the last sip of his now lukewarm tea.

"You're supposed to understand a woman's needs without being told!"

"I'm not a god who knows everything, you know."

Once again, Gin's words irritated Tesa.

"Sa, my tea's finished. I'm heading home," Gin said, standing up.

"Why so soon?" Tesa blurted out. Damn… She felt a strange realization hit her. Her mouth and heart had spoken in unison. She still wanted to talk to Gin, even if he irritated her.

"I'm sleepy. Can't exactly sleep here, can I?" Gin smirked.

"Alright, don't get tired of visiting," Tesa said, standing up and walking him to the door. "Don't get tired of visiting"—those were words she never thought she'd say, yet here she was, saying them to Gin.

"Thanks for the tea and the clothes. I'll return them at school tomorrow," Gin said before walking away from Tesa's house.

Today had been truly strange for Tesa. Maybe spending time with a weird person made the day weird too. As soon as Gin left, she headed to her room and tried to close her eyes. The post-rain chill should have made it easier to sleep, yet every time she shut her eyes, all she could see were moments with Gin—walking home together, his weird antics, and even their bickering.

A small smile crept onto her lips.

Was she… falling in love?

No, no way. That would be impossible! Falling for a guy like Gin—strange, mysterious, and utterly annoying—was absolutely out of the question. It would destroy her reputation at school! And dealing with his weirdness every day would drive her insane.

And surely, she wasn't the only one who found Gin weird. Her classmates probably thought the same. Imagine being in a relationship with someone like him—it would be the talk of the entire school!

No, she needed to sleep. Sleep would erase all these thoughts about Gin.

Fifteen minutes later, with her eyes tightly shut, Tesa finally drifted into deep slumber, carried away into a dream…