THE rain had always been unpredictable in this city, sometimes a gentle drizzle, sometimes a sudden storm that would catch people off guard. That afternoon, it was somewhere in between: the rain wasn't that strong, but still quite enough to soak someone who didn't have an umbrella.
Eliot is one of those unfortunate souls. He had left his umbrella in the dorm; he was too preoccupied with his morning classes and the looming deadlines of his literature works. By the time he realized it, he was halfway down the road to his next class, running across the open pathways as raindrops kissed his hair and shoulders.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, pushing strands of wet hair away from his forehead. His sneakers splashed against shallow puddles, water seeping through thin fabric.
Then he finally spotted one of the small sheds, a project built by the Architecture and Engineering students for campus use, he didn't hesitate. He ran toward it, his chest heaving as he slid under the roof's protection.
For a moment, he leaned against the wooden beam, catching his breath. The rain created a steady rhythm against the roof, like a soft percussion playing for the whole world. Eliot closed his eyes briefly, letting himself enjoy the sound, pretending as if the rain hadn't drenched him. Unbothered by the cold and the fact that he might have a cough or a fever tonight.
He's a college student, of course, he's waterproof.
To anyone passing by, he looked calm, almost indifferent. You would think he wasn't bothered by his wet clothes. But that's simply Eliot. He had mastered the art of being nonchalant. The quiet confidence of someone who didn't mind standing out without trying too hard.
Little did he know, someone was watching.
On the second floor of the Fine Arts Building, home of the photography majors, Kaius leaned on the railing, a camera hanging from his neck. He had been scanning the scene below for interesting subjects, the way photographers often did, when his gaze accidentally landed on Eliot.
At first, he thought that it was just rain playing tricks on his vision. But no, the boy beneath the shed stood there like he belonged in a portrait. His soaked white shirt clung lightly to his frame, his dark hair falling messily across his forehead, droplets sliding down the line of his jaw. There was something cinematic about the way he stood still, almost synchronizing with the music created by every drop of rain.
Kaius lifted his camera slowly, almost unconsciously. Through the lens, the world narrowed down into one frame... Eliot, the rain, and the quiet solitude of the moment...
Click.
The shutter's sound was soft, almost drowned by the rain, but to Kaius, it was thunderous. It felt like knowing someone's deepest secret.
He zoomed in, letting his focus sharpen. Eliot wasn't smiling, but his face carried a kind of serenity... oblivious, vulnerable, yet effortlessly magnetic. The type of expression you couldn't stage or get tired of. Those words had no place around him.
Kaius lowered his camera, staring longer than he should have. Who is he? he wondered, tracing the outline of Eliot's silhouette with his eyes. It was strange... how a random, rainy afternoon could suddenly feel like the start of something significant.
On the other side, Eliot shifted, trying to brush droplets from his arms when his glance shifted toward the building across, his eyes scanning idly, not really expecting to meet anyone's gaze.
For a fleeting second, his eyes lifted towards the second floor. And there... Kaius froze.
Their eyes met.
It was quick, an accidental eye-to-eye contact. A brush of glances, the kind you could easily dismiss as coincidence. Yet something about it lingered. Eliot's gaze wasn't sharp, nor was it curious, it was just simply passing. But in Kaius's case, it was enough to send a ripple through his chest.
He looked away, pretending to check his camera settings. But his heart had already betrayed him, beating faster than it should.
Back under the shed, Eliot shook his head lightly, as if reminding himself that he would just wait until the sky stopped crying. He slipped his hands into his pockets, humming a faint tune, still unaware of the boy who had just taken a photo of him.
KAIUS lingered for a moment longer, the image of Eliot still imprinted on his mind like an afterimage. He adjusted the camera strap around his neck, wondering if he should take another shot, when a loud voice cut through the steady rhythm of the rain.
"Kaius!"
He turned around, a little startled. Standing a few meters away was Ian, one of his classmates and closest friends in their program. Ian's hair was also damp from the rain, strands sticking messily to his forehead. He looked slightly out of breath, as if he had been searching for Kaius for centuries.
"There you are," Ian said, walking toward him. "I've been looking for you for ages. Professor Delgado is calling for you. He said it's urgent."
Kaius raised a brow. "Urgent? Why?"
Ian shrugged. "He said, it's about the interdepartmental project. He doesn't want to delay it;he wants to talk to you right away."
The name of the project rang a bell, though Kaius hadn't paid much attention to the details yet. He had been too caught up with his usual assignments, photo shoots, and editing tasks. Still, if Professor Delgado was the one calling, it was something he couldn't ignore.
"Alright," Kaius said, slinging his camera more securely on his shoulder. "Lead the way, bud."
Ian just scratched his head. "Come on, bro, why do I have to tag along? You're a big boy, dude. Go on yourself."
Kaius only threw an arm around his shoulder instead of acknowledging his small complaint. The two of them walked down the corridor, the sound of the rain muffled now by the thick walls of the Photography wing. Ian filled in some silence, it wasn't obvious that he was only reluctantly accompanying Kaius.
"You know, you're the one Professor Delgado chose again," Ian said, half-teasingly. No envy or anything, just teasing, really. Especially since he knew Kaius hated being teased about it. He used to be labeled as a suck-up. Until others just accepted that, well, no use. Kaius was just adorable, that's why Prof. Delgado loved him so much. "Bro is the favorite, always the star. Were you Jollibee in your past life?"
Kaius smirked slightly, he also slightly messed Ian's hair which made the other boy frown even more. Though, he didn't answer Ian's teasing question. It wasn't a secret that Prof. Delgado favors him, not just by his talent, but because Kaius carried himself with a quiet yet welcoming discipline that's rare in students these days.
When they reached the faculty room, Ian gave him a playful pat on the shoulder. "Good luck, Mr. Favorite. I'll just wait here outside the faculty room."
Kaius rolled his eyes but didn't argue, since Ian's word has no room for a change of mind. He knocked softly on the door before entering.
Inside, Prof. Delgado sat behind his desk, papers scattered around him, his glasses perched low on his nose. He looked up as Kaius entered, and a smile immediately curved his lips.
"Ah, Kaius. Sit down."
Kaius complied, placing his camera gently on the desk as if it was an extension of himself. Of course, he would really take good care of it. He bought it with his own money. He wasn't like those so-called nepo babies who only say, "Daddy, I'll buy this, you pay for it," or who proudly flaunt on social media expensive gadgets they got from stealing from the public treasury. Shameful.
"I trust Ian already told you why I called you here?" Prof. Delgado began.
"About the project, Sir?"
"Yes, exactly." Delgado leaned back in his chair, folding his hands together. "The university is organizing an interdepartmental collaboration this semester. Each major will send one representative to work on a joint creative project with another discipline. For us, photography, it will be the Literature Department."
Kaius nodded slowly, attentively listening to all the given details.
"The concept," Prof. Delgado continued, "is simple but challenging. You will collaborate with the representative of the Literature Department to produce a collection: photographs paired with written works. Poetry, short prose, or essays, whatever form they choose. The goal here is to explore how images and words can complement one another, creating a collaborative narrative between the two departments."
For a moment, Kaius imagined it: photographs breathing life into words, words deepening the meaning of photographs. A symbiosis of a different kind of art form.
"And you want me to be our department's representative," Kaius asked, even though he already knew the answer to his question. He just wanted to confirm it.
"Of course," Prof. Delgado's tone carried no hesitation. "Your eye for imagery, your discipline, your ability to tell a story through frames, and your love for photography... you're perfect for it. Besides," the professor added with a grin, "I trust you to represent our department with the excellence it deserves."
Kaius felt a faint warmth in his chest. Praise from Prof. Delgado was nothing new, but somehow, every word still carried weight.
"What exactly will be expected of me, Sir?" Kaius asked, leaning forward slightly.
"So, here's the punch line. You'll be partnered with the chosen representative of the Literature majors. Together, you'll conceptualize a theme, create the content, and present the final product at the campus exhibition at the end of the term. It won't just be graded; it will also be showcased publicly. Just think of it as a bridge of two worlds. Both not trying to outshine one another, nor trying to fit in, instead... creating a harmony, a balance between the two of you without stepping into their own playground."
Kaius absorbed the details well, his mind already shifting into planning mode. "When will we begin?"
That was the question he just thought to ask. He had been too engrossed in planning in his mind and in how he would get along with his partner.
"As soon as possible," Delgado replied. "I'll introduce you to your partner once the Literature department finalizes their choice. For now, I want you to think of possible photographic approaches such as series ideas, and visual metaphors. You'll have your creative freedom, don't worry. Also, I'll be here to guide you from time to time."
There was a pause. The sound of the rain faintly seeping through the closed windows. Professor Delgado's eyes softened, studying him.
"You know what, Kaius," he said almost quietly, "photography is not just about capturing what you see. It's about capturing what others fail to notice. The little truths hiding between shadows and light. I see that in your work. That's why I believe in you."
Kaius felt his throat tighten slightly, not from nerves, but from the sincerity of the words. He gave a small nod, his voice low but steady. "Thank you, Sir. I'll do my best."
Delgado smiled, satisfied by the reply that he got from Kaius. "I know you will. Now, go on. And Kaius...?"
"Yes, Sir?"
"Don't forget to bring me a photo of the rain this week. The campus looks different under it, and I think... only you can show me how."
Kaius allowed himself a faint smile. "I'll do that."
He picked up his camera, slung it back around his neck, and stood. As he stepped out of the faculty room, he carried with him not just the weight of responsibility, but also an odd sense of anticipation.
"You took forever, mate. I'm already dying to pee, you're hopeless, dude."
Kaius just shookhis head.
"Where did you go to elementary and high school?" Kaius asked, laughing.
Confusion was etched on Ian's face. He couldn't figure out how his old school factored into the conversation. But because he was an innocent person, he was really enthusiastic in answering his friend's question.
"At St. Anthony, why? Do you have a sibling who wants to study there?"
Kaius shook his head. He tapped Ian on the shoulder and then said, "So I can avoid it."
He said that and then immediately ran off, knowing that Ian would smack him if he caught him. But, as if...
While running, the image he saw earlier entered his mind again. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the image of a boy under the shed lingered, the boy who seemed to belong to the rain itself.
Kaius didn't know it yet, but maybe... fate had already chosen his partner in more ways than one.