Tidal Wave ✔️

04

Mark couldn't sleep that night, after he met the guy at Chanyeol's bar. He anticipated for what would probably happen the following morning.

Usually, when Mark just got back from drinking, he would go straight to bed. But his soft pillows didn't feel so fluffy, and the coldness of the sheet wasn't inviting. He set the air conditioner to the lowest temperature, but it was very hot for him. Mark was sweating to the point where he took off his t-shirt.

The small lamp on his bedside table was annoying, so Mark turned it off. Engulfed by the darkness, Mark still couldn't fall asleep. He tossed around, punching his pillows a couple time, trying to find a comfortable position.

Around three in the morning, Mark gave up. He laid down, facing the ceiling of his bedroom. His eyes wide opened, heart racing like a horse in the racecourse. Time seemed to pass slowly, and Mark was uneasy about this. He always felt like time went by quickly. Not that night.

Mark questioned himself: when he had discovered what happened more than ten years ago, then what? Would it affect his life so badly?

Why did he want to find out?

Mark never asked himself the reason why. It was his instinct, telling him to go discover his past. A past he didn't know about. Whether it was bright or dark. Whether it was happy or pathetic.

He closed his eyes, but he wasn't sleeping. He was just waiting for the moment to come.

At half past seven in the morning, he got up (from the bed, he was not sleeping), and took a shower. He chose to wear a yellow and blue windbreaker and a pair of skinny jeans he wore at the bar. The weather forecast on his phone showed that it might drizzle a little bit.

Mark stashed his wallet and a small umbrella, alongside with his earphone and portable charger inside a white waist bag. He finished off his look with a red cap and his old sneakers. Mark looked at himself at the mirror.

"Here we come." He said to the nothingness. After making sure nothing else was left out, he went downstairs to the kitchen. His parents were already there. Mr. Lee was sipping a cup of coffee on the kitchen island while checking on his email from his phone. Mrs. Lee was preparing Mark's breakfast.

"Good morning." Mark announced himself when he walked into the room.

"Morning, Mark." His father smiled.

"Where is our little explorer going, today?" Mrs. Lee asked while pushing a plate of mantau towards her son.

Visiting a glimpse of my past, I hope.

"I don't know. I'll just get on a train and stop somewhere to grab lunch." Mark shrugged and took a bite of his mantau.

Mark didn't want his parents to find out about his little plan that day. He starting to feel like they covered up something he should had known. It was best not to tell them, for now.

Mark finished his breakfast, said goodbye to his parents, and left the house. He walked to Gangnam Station, and bought a ticket to Seoul Station.

He waited for five minutes before he finally boarded the train. He didn't take a seat, because he was only there for about ten minutes. Four stops later, and he stepped out to Sadang Station. From there, he transfered to another train and flashed through seven stops. Twenty minutes later, he arrived at one of Seoul Station's platforms.