Stray Kids Imagines

The man on the bus - I.N

You get on the bus and find a free seat next to a man. The man sitting next to you is humming softly to himself, his fingers tapping out a rhythm on the armrest between your seats. You can't deny that he is attractive. Maybe it's the way his head is cocked to the side, or the distant look in his eyes, as if he's lost somewhere deep in thought. After sitting down you're about to pull out your phone and dive into your social media feed when he speaks up, his voice surprisingly smooth and confident for someone who seems a bit out of sorts. 

"Excuse me," he says, "do you happen to know what time it is?"

You glance at your phone, noticing that it's a little past eight o'clock. 

"It's five past eight," you reply, and as you say this, you can't help but notice the way his eyes light up. 

He gives you a small, grateful smile before leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees. 

"Thanks," he mutters, and then he pauses, seemingly lost in thought again.

You decide to strike up a conversation, figuring that he might be lonely or just need someone to talk to. 

"Where are you headed tonight?" you ask, hoping it's not too personal a question. 

He looks up at you, surprise registering briefly on his face before he answers.

"Oh, nowhere special," he says with a small shrug. "I've just been going back and forth between my apartment and this coffee shop down the street. I used to live there, but I moved out a few months ago." 

There's a note of longing in his voice as he says this, as if he's not quite ready to let go of the memories associated with that place. You're about to ask him more when he adds, "I've been meaning to find somewhere new, but I guess I'm just... stuck."

You nod understandingly, unsure of what to say. The bus comes to a stop at a red light, and he glances out the window, watching the people on the sidewalk go about their business. 

"Sometimes I think everyone else has it figured out, you know?" he says, more to himself than to you. "They're all so confident and sure of where they're going, and I just feel... lost."

You think about this for a moment. 

"You know," you begin, "sometimes it feels like it but most are just putting on a front. We all feel lost sometimes, or uncertain about the future. The important thing is to keep moving forward, even when it's hard." 

He looks at you with a small, grateful smile. 

"And who knows? Maybe you'll find your way back to that coffee shop, or maybe you'll discover somewhere even better." 

"That was some deep thoughts, thank you! What's your name?" he asks with a genuine, bright smile. 

"My name is y/n. What's yours?" 

"I'm Jeong-in."

The bus comes to a stop at your stop, and you feel a bit of regret that you'll have to leave this stranger behind. 

"Hey," you say, reaching into your purse and pulling out a business card. "I work at a local art gallery. If you're ever looking for something to do, or just want to talk, stop by. We could use another friendly face around here." 

He takes the card with a nod of thanks, his fingers brushing against yours for just a moment.

"Thanks, y/n" he says, his voice barely audible over the noise of the bus. "That means a lot." 

He looks down at the card, fidgeting with it for a moment before sliding it into his wallet. 

"Maybe I will," he adds with a small smile. "You never know." 

And with that, he turns back to face the front of the bus, and you hurry off the bus.

As you stand at the bus stop you feel a mixture of emotions as you watch the bus drive off. You're glad you were able to offer him some comfort and support, but at the same time, you can't help but feel a twinge of sadness for him. You wonder if he'll ever find his way again, if he'll ever feel truly at home.