A Piece of Eternity

SIX

Anyone outside? Clear.

Seo Hyun goes out of the gate and stand there. She glances at the lunchbox she’s holding. It was wrapped in a blue handkerchief. She was making her own when she suddenly thought of making another one. She waits for Yonghwa to come out but there’s no trace of him.

            “Did he leave early?” she asks herself.

A few minutes more and she decided to go. As she turns to go, an unexpected visual startles her.

            “Good Gracious!” she exclaims with her hand on top of her chest.

Yonghwa is there, leaning to the wall with his hands on his pockets. From staring at the concrete ground, he looks at her and raises his hand for a greeting.

            “ ‘Morning!” he says with a slight smile.

            “You’re there?!” she says right after she bounced back from shock.

            “Hm.” He nods.

            “What in the name of God are YOU doing there?!”

            “I was waiting for you.” He answers shortly.

            “I scanned the street earlier but I didn’t see you.”

She obviously didn’t see him standing there because of the gate door. Yonghwa just shrugs his shoulders.

            “Let’s go.” He says.

The two walk together.

            “What’s that?” Yonghwa says when he sees the lunchbox she’s carrying.

            “Uh…This..”Seo Hyun reaches her arm to him. “Take it.”

            “You’re giving this to me?” he receives it.

            “Yes.” She looks away. “It’s a form of thank you.”

Yonghwa smiles.

            “Thanks. I definitely won’t refuse this.” He says.

They ride a bus and since there are no available seats, they have no choice but to stand. When the bus door opens, many passengers enter. By instinct, Yonghwa’s hand goes to Seo Hyun’s back in order to elude her from the rushing passengers. It becomes crowded inside but he made sure to keep her close to him. Seo Hyun got nervous as it gets filled with people and she’s really relieved that Yonghwa is there with her because he keeps a free space for her so that other passengers won’t wham into her. She just recently tried taking the bus. The first time she rode the bus is the time that she had mistaken him as a stalker.Growing up with a silver spoon in her mouth, there’s always a driver to drive for her or a taxi to take her anywhere she wants.

The bus finally arrives to their stop.

            “Follow me.” said Yonghwa.

He goes first to make way for her among the people.

            “You okay?” he asks when they got out.

She nods and an automatic chuckle comes out from the both of them.

            “Today is your chance to apply the things I taught you. Are you ready to make friends?”

            “Hm.” She replies.

            “Wait.” Yonghwa grabs her arm and they stop. “Are your eyes bad?”

            “Huh?”