The first time I met him, it was raining, and I was ready to disappear.
Drop after drop kept falling on my face, hiding the tears sliding down my eyes.
Jade held the bridge railing with trembling hands.
He looked at the flowing river numbly before gazing at the clear blue sky.
He took a huge breath before slowly taking off his hoodie.
A small smile stretched across his face, even though it looked broken.
"I miss you," he thought, wiping the tears — and the rain pouring down his face.
He folded the hoodie and took off his shoes before placing them beside him.
Then, with shaky feet, he climbed the railing.
But just as he was about to tilt forward, he heard tires screeching —He jumped down in shock and looked at the car, fear clouding his vision.
It was a black Lunex car that had crashed into the railing.
A figure slowly got out of the car. The person glanced at the now damaged bumper, sighed, then turned their head… and looked straight at the shaking Jade.
Jade's eyes widened even more.
This person looked too beautiful.
Strawberry-blond hair.
Tanned skin.
Silver eyes.
Jade had never felt the need to draw someone this badly.
He looked breathtakingly beautiful… but hard to touch — like one single touch could cost a lifetime.
A beauty locked in thorns.
Just like a—
Rose.
Beautiful to see… but painful to hold, because of its thorns.
And this person's thorns were his enchantingly cold eyes.
The wind blew right into Jade's face, and with it came a sweet, mysterious scent — comforting but rich with a quiet danger.
It smelled like smoky vanilla and amber.
That scent alone managed to shake Jade out of his dazed state.
He stopped staring at the ground and turned to his right, just in time to see strawberry-blond hair blowing gently with the wind.
The stranger was currently ten inches away from him.
"What are you doing here alone?... I almost crashed into you," the boy said, holding the railing and staring at the tranquil river below.
Jade couldn't speak.
Not even a word. He just kept looking at the ethereal figure before him.
He clenched his fists. He wanted to sit down and draw this boy so badly.
But how could he?
"You know… a lot of people want this life you were trying to give away right now.
You might not realize it, but you're truly blessed. You can still breathe. You're still watching this river."
The boy continued speaking without even looking at the ogling Jade.
Jade's eyes widened slightly, then a sad smile stretched across his pink lips.
"I'm sure no one wants the life I'm living now. There's nothing I'm more sure about than that," He thought.
Then, when he turned his head to look at the stranger again—He was shocked.The boy was staring right at him.
And it felt like his lungs malfunctioned for a second.
He couldn't breathe.
He could now see the boy's silver eyes clearly — and they looked like moonlight trapped in a gaze. Cold. Sharp. Otherworldly.
As if they could see through lies and dreams made of metal and stars.
How could a single person hold all of this at once?
It felt like a marathon was being held in Jade's heart. The boy sighed and sat down on the bridge's edge. He looked at the stars peacefully.
Jade wanted to sit beside him.
To share the ground.
To share that calm, quiet state — admiring the stars.
As if he could hear Jade's thoughts, the boy turned his head and looked at him with those silver eyes, almost rivaling the brightest star.
"Come sit with me," he said.
Jade froze.
But after a few seconds, he sat beside him.
"Sorry for being noisy… and almost too emotional," the boy said, chuckling bitterly.
"I'm not actually like this. Maybe it's because I just lost someone I loved.
I just lost my sister.
And it hurts — seeing you try to kill yourself."
Jade suddenly felt pity.
He didn't even know this boy… but he felt so much pity it made him hate himself for trying to end his life.
"I'm sorry," Jade mumbled.
His voice came out scratchy from all the crying.
His small mumble caught the strawberry blond's attention. He turned and looked at him.
"I don't know what happened to you…
But there's one thing I can say: it's not worth it. I know it feels like the end, like you can't live one more day in this cruel world.
But no. This is just a passing stage.
It will pass with time. Please… don't make your parents go through the pain of losing their son."
When Jade heard the word parents, he almost laughed bitterly.
But then he remembered his sister.
She couldn't bear to see him in pain.
She'd blame herself for his death — every single night.
His eyes widened. But just then —
The warmth beside him vanished.
The boy had stood up. Jade wanted to scream, "Don't go."
But who was he to ask that?
Who was he?
He folded his legs.
The tears he'd been holding since the boy arrived now silently fell.
He buried his head into his knees… and wished.
Please let me remember this boy — the one who looked older than me — in a few years, so I can draw him.
But then —
That smoky vanilla scent returned.
The same warmth came back. Jade's eyes opened slightly. He looked up slowly. The boy was plugging earphones into his phone, scrolling through something. Then he grabbed a black hoodie from beside him…
And gently grabbed Jade's arm.
His warm hand touched Jade's cold skin, sending a shiver down his spine.
Jade's mouth parted slightly, eyes wide — but then the boy dressed him in the hoodie.
After that, he plugged one earphone into Jade's ear.
A soft melody flowed into Jade's mind.
"Listen to this… it'll help you clear your thoughts.
It always does for me," he said.
Then the rain poured harder.
Both boys were soaked.
Jade shivered and looked at the other.
But the boy just closed his eyes, leaning on the railing, showing no signs of going home.
"Aren't you going back?" Jade asked in a whisper.
The boy shook his head gently and opened one eye.
"You should leave… or you'll catch a cold.
And you look young. Your parents will get worried if you don't come back."
Jade sighed.
"What about you?"
The blond boy looked at him for a while before sighing.
"I'm older than you. My parents won't mind…
But more than that —
I don't want to go back.
My house reminds me of her too much."
Jade didn't want to leave.
He really didn't.
He wanted to stay right here.
To breathe in that cozy scent.
To draw. To paint.
To just… exist — in the rain, with this soft music.
This was the tranquility he always dreamed of.
And for some unknown reason…
He didn't want it to end.
Looking at Jade's troubled face, the blond boy smiled slightly.
"You don't want to leave?" he asked.
Jade hesitated… then nodded.
"That's fine. Just don't get sick.
I think I need company too.
And you're not noisy," he said softly.
Jade tightened his hands around the hoodie.
It smelled cozy and warm, even through the cold rain.
And just like that—
Through the heavy rain and silent night…
Two boys sat there, listening to soft music.
Both with aching hearts.
Both lost in their own pain.
But in that moment…
They became each other's peace.
Their break from the world.
For the first time—
Cold and wet—
Jade fell asleep.
Leaning against a boy he didn't even know.
Wrapped in a sweet, smoky scent.
And he had one small wish…
"Lord, please let me remember this person's face tomorrow…
So I can draw and paint him.
Again… and again."
Under the sky's watchful gaze.