Dawn

                                    

                                          
She woke up, with few back pains, due to her overwork from the night before. She dragged the door opened, to see if Mdm Jung has woke up to work yet since she's always leaving at five in the morning. Herin continued widening the door and realized she's already preparing to leave. Her weak smile brightened Herin lifeless self. She met Mdm Jung the day when she ran out from home. Though it was clearly Herin's problem, Mdm Jung considered her as her own granddaughter since she have a small space for Herin to live in with her. 
                          
Herin left home, taking nothing with her, to ensure her mother know nothing about her decision of leaving her mother alone with her new husband. She has thought about it for a long time and knows it's for her own good and mother, with her new family. She didn't want to burden her mother anymore since her mother has to quit her job to become a housewife. 
                          
"I made breakfast for you, have some before going out, okay?" Mdm Jung smiled largely, to Herin then left in a blink of an eye. Herin couldn't afford to see her work so hard from dusk till dawn, and though the money Herin made isn't enough to fill their monthly needs, she never fails to keep some to compensate for Mdm Jung, in case anything happens. 
                          
She promised Mdm Jung that she should just keep the money she made from working all day for herself and Herin could find her own money.
                          
Raindrops started flowing on the rooftop the moment she walked outside an hour after Mdm Jung left. She put on her hoodie, took an umbrella and the wallet that Jake left at the river yesterday. She took her time walking, knowing if she were to reach home after returning his wallet from the usual place, she would sleep all day long, doing nothing productive.
                          
Shit,
                          
Jake cussed underneath his breath, realizing it's pouring heavily. He continued having his morning jog, though it already started raining heavily. He smiled to himself, also intentionally to be under the raining sky, so he could have a cold and have an excuse to not be in school. Based on his school year's record, he hasn't been absent at all and it's bothering him since he was always forced to go to school, and was fed medicines and vitamins daily. As soon as he reached a route that was familiar, he remembered he left his wallet at the river he went with the person he encountered yesterday. 
                          
As expected, he took his time to step on the rocks and move from one to another, since it is also showering heavily. Herin looked up from where she sat, leaning on the bricked wall, beside the roadside, a little surprised to see Jake standing on a rock, absolutely different from wearing his uniform and hair combed neatly. A headband he wore, matching with his tee, and shorts from the known brand. Something about him, maybe his hair, that is all drenched was what she found attractive of him and maybe also the carefree side of him. 
                          
Jake spotted his wallet underneath an umbrella, not even a single raindrop on it. Instead, both were completely drenched by the rain showers. He continued moving towards her, to take his wallet and a request he had thought to ask her. 
                          
"Thank you for sheltering my dear wallet. You should've used the umbrella for yourself" he started, voiced, clear and loud, challenging on both his soft voice with the thunderstorm. Herin just kept quiet, focusing on warming herself. "I would, but I know you won't treat me to more bread once your wallet is all drenched" she finally replied, looking at him, now on her left side, who's blinking repeatedly from the raindrops on his face. 
                          
He just stood there, facing her, stunned by her words, also thinking why does she love bread a little too much. "Sure, that expensive bread you talking about?" He tried rolling his eyes but failed. "Aren't you going to school once the sun's up?" She asked, actually puzzled of why he isn't prioritizing his dear self from getting rained at. "I don't feel like going to school today," he replied, and she continued giving herself an extreme huh expression. Seeing him not wanting to go to school is never what she would imagine. A person who's deadass wealthy, smart, and seemed all-rounder, thinking about skipping school?
                          
"Help me out?" He continued asking, making her more confused. Help what?  "Help you skip school? Is that what you want?" He brightly lit up even from the raindrops still. "Absolutely. I want to climb over the walls and try street foods? Is that what it's called?" He replied. "You're insane. Your mommy's going to be all upset and disappointed in you. A pampered baby aren't you?" He let out a small chuckle, then suddenly cupping his mouth for a more, and clear laugh of his. It was such an earworm to her, honestly. She started bursting into laughter just by seeing him laugh by himself.
                          
Both insane. 
                          
"Twelve? The wall near block B" Jake said, before jogging his way back home, looking downwards from the road, where she's still sitting by the river. She showed him an ok sign and he left. Herin stood up, sighing, knowing she's keeping herself free for Jake today. Though they're completely different from each other, there's something that's similar, and they both knew that they needed each other, maybe, just for a while.
                          
She took the umbrella with her and left the river after watching the sun appeared in front of her. This is what being alone feels like. 
But you were never alone, there's always a companion you never appreciate. The sun, the skies, stars, and wind. You just don't know how to be comfortable with yourself with these things.