Your Deepest Fear

•That boy in small alley• KR

Seoul, South Korea

I'm on my way back home from school. I'm in my senior year right now.

Typically, I would walk home from school, because the distance between my residential area and high school is close. The nearest route is to walk through a small alley that connects directly to my neighborhood.

I headed inside the small alley, there's small citizen house there. Usually, people from middle to low class families live there.

That's where I encountered a boy my age, carrying his backpack and wearing a different high school uniform.

Oddly, I have never seen his type of uniform before.perhaps, He's new to this area.

I walked past him.

"Excuse me" He summoned me, I turned around.

"Yeah?"

"How do I get to Sucheon road?"

"I'm heading there.just go straight ahead" I told him affably.

"Thanks" He smiled at me.

"Are you new to this area?" I asked him, He shook his head and said, "I've lived there for a long time"

I find his answer bizarre. If so, why would he ask me route to his house? I mean, technically, we're neighbors. Since I don't know much about my own neighbor except the old couples next door, it's understandable that I never saw him.

Silence.

The two of us headed down Sucheon road, and since my house located at the corner, I stopped first.

"Is this your house?" He asked, I nodded my head.

"Okay. mine is still far" He chuckled.

"You should come over sometimes.we can help with each other's homework" I told him. He nodded his head with a smile then walked away.

As soon as I stepped into the living room, my mom looked at me weirdly.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Who are you talking to?"

"Our neighbor"

She chuckled and said,"No.there's nobody but you!"

"What? That doesn't make sense, mom. Did you see a boy with high school uniform?"

"You're clearly talking to yourself"

I adamantly shook my head, "Perhaps you didn't see him"

The next day

It's 3 PM. I'm on my way back home from school, walking along the same route.

I saw him again, wearing his school uniform.

"Hey!" I summoned him, he turned around.

"Hey.." He smiled.

"What's your school name?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Dokji Highschool. yours?"

"Myeonghwa Highschool" I replied.

Wow, even though I have lived in Seoul all my life, I've never heard of Dokji High school before.

We're making our way into the neighborhood, and we go on our separate ways after talking in front of my house.

As soon as I stepped into my living room, there's a guest.

"Annyeonghaseyo.." Ms Kim greeted me.

"Eh, Annyeong ahjumma" I greeted her affably.

"Who are you talking to?" She then asked the same question as my mom yesterday. My heart felt like it had dropped for a second.

"Eh.. my friend"

"I heard you talking to yourself" She replied in perplexity.

"Um.." I'm not sure what to say at this point, but how could nobody hear his voice? Is he really invisible? Or did both my mom and her friend try to prank me? I don't think so.

3 days later

I'm on my way back home with my friend, Seo Yeon. We're about to do a group project. It's 5.10 PM, and surprisingly, once I entered the small alley, I saw him.

"Hey, did you see that boy?" I pointed my index finger at him.

Seo Yeon squinted her eyes and shook her head and said, "there's nobody in front of us"

I pinched her arms.

"Arrghhh!!"

"Can't you see him? That fucking boy?"

"The fuck is wrong with you!" Seo Yeon yelled angrily, He then turned around and smiled at me.

I smiled back at him.

"Sorry for the inconvenience" I told him.

"This is creepy.who are you talking to?your imaginary boyfriend?" Seo Yeon laughed.

"Ssshh" I replied.

"It's okay." He smiled at me.

Wow, he really is invisible and I'm the only one who can see and interact with him, but why? Why me?