Well and Rain stared at each other in silence, shock hanging between them like fog over the river.
"What are you doing here?" Well asked, tightening his grip on the plastic bag.
Rain raised an eyebrow.
"That's my question."
"Well… I come here sometimes," he said, reaching into his pocket for his cigarettes.
"And you?" he added.
Rain exhaled slowly.
"It's my first time. I heard this place was quiet. Beautiful."
Well let out a dry chuckle, placing the cigarette between his lips.
"If you ignore the suicides and the drugs, yeah. Real paradise."
He searched the bag again. Empty.
"…I forgot my lighter. Again."
Rain frowned.
"Stop joking. What's wrong?"
He pulled the cigarette from his mouth.
"I really forgot my lighter."
Rain stared at him for a second, then reached into her pocket and held out a blue lighter—almost identical to Aizak's.
"Here."
Well smiled as he lit the cigarette.
"You're an angel."
Rain studied his face.
"Aren't you surprised?"
"About what?" Smoke spilled from his mouth.
"About me smoking."
Well looked down at the river.
"Smoking's bad, sure. But I do it. Who am I to judge?"
Rain took a drag.
"Well continued, voice lazy but sharp.
"People die all the time. Disease. Accidents. Overdoses."
He smiled faintly.
"And suicide."
He pulled a beer from the bag and tossed it to her.
"This place proves something," he said.
"People aren't afraid of death. They're afraid of living. And whatever comes after."
Rain caught the can and smirked.
"Beer? We have school tomorrow. And aren't you Muslim?"
"And yet you opened it."
They stood side by side, moonlight reflecting off the polluted river below.
Rain broke the silence.
"So… who's Noor?"
The air froze.
Well took a long sip, eyes hollow. Then he smiled.
"An ex," he said casually.
"Don't tell anyone. They'd laugh."
Rain watched him closely.
"Such a liar," she muttered.
"Well's smile didn't fade.
"Aren't we all?"
Rain changed the subject.
"So what do you do here?"
"What I'm doing now," he replied.
"What about you?"
Rain played with her hair unconsciously.
Her left pupil widened.
"This is really my first time," she said.
"Well laughed softly.
"Such a liar."
She didn't deny it.
"So how did you know?" she asked.
He shrugged.
"You wanted to fill the gaps, didn't you?"
Then sighed.
"This bridge is famous. Either you knew its story… or you're lying."
Rain stretched, annoyed.
"You're not better. You kept saying 'lost sister' in a feminine way back in the bathroom."
"Well blinked.
"…I did?"
She laughed.
He laughed too.
For a moment, they felt alive.
Then Well's phone rang.
He checked the screen. His smile cracked.
"Who is it?" Rain asked.
"My father."
He answered.
"Well—listen carefully," his father said, breath shaking.
"Your mother is in serious condition. You need to come now."
Well's hands trembled.
"What do you mean… serious?"
"She's dying."
The call ended.
The phone slipped from his fingers and hit the ground.
Rain stepped closer.
"Is everything alright?"
Well's voice broke.
"My mother… is going to die."
He grabbed his phone and ran.