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The sidewalk was dark with dew as my sneakered feet beat a rythm on it, timed and bored. Tap. Tap. Tap. My hands clutched the bag straps pushing against my shoulders.
The day was dulling into the afternoon, and it was a Thursday so I had gotten out early. Unfortunately, it also meant that my dad would be working late today.
I pulled to the side and walked over to the gate, slipping in with my eyes still dully staring at the ground. The day felt duller with the knowledge that I would be on my own for a large portion of the day until it was time to turn in.
I sighed as I walked, and glanced to the left, and then to the right. The path to my house was silent, but there was a faint rustle of leaves in the air after the slight drizzle that had fallen early after dawn.
I bent to tip over the aloe vera pot at the front door of my house, retrieving the spare key under it before unlocking the door and entering. My own key was safe in the pocket of my jeans, but for some reason I felt like using the spare one. So I did.
Once inside, the smell of coffee and old paper invaded my senses almost overwhelmingly as compared to the fresh rain scent of the outdoors. I took off my shoes at the door, peeling off my socks and curled my toes as I walked onto the cold floor of the living room barefoot.
The house was impeccable as always, but I was alone where no disapproving parent looks, so I pulled off my backpack and threw it onto the sofa. My eyes lifted from the lonesome bag and crawled up the new cream walls, onto the lone clock.
Five.
I groaned, and collapsed on the couch next to my possession. Aside from assignments, I had nothing to do, and no friends to visit—this was a new place, but I doubted I would have been willing to visit anyone after what had happened. Anyway, I had the entire weekend to myself, and even after almost a whole week, I hadn't socialised much.
Seoul was new to me, and I was new to it. At least Daejeon had been everything to me as I grew up—despite the dramatic population of the city, I had known it relatively well. I didn't know Seoul, it was almost a stranger to me; I had always considered my residences to have souls. And here, it was almost alien. I didn't belong.
There, I had at least had my driving, my friends, my freedom.
Here, there was nothing I felt anchored to.
I closed my eyes, and pinched the bridge of my nose. Maybe tomorrow would be better.
In the past days, I hadn't seen the red-haired boy again. I think I would have liked to think that I hadn't been looking for him, but I was. My eyes had sought the halls, the corridors, and even the notorious cafeteria—but with no luck.
