baby steps, areum, baby steps, she tells herself, trying to convince herself that she'll be fine. her brother stands behind her, waiting for her to board the bus.
"the offer still stands, ok?" mingyu says calmly, reminding her that he can still send her to the cafe.
"no. i have to do this," she replies firmly, turning to face mingyu with furrowed brows, determined to prove her resolve.
mingyu smiles softly and shrugs. "just saying, ok. i'm just saying."
"now go, the bus is leaving soon. just text me if you need anything," he adds.
areum nods and boards the bus, scanning her card. she looks back at her brother. even though the ride is only ten minutes, it feels like a significant separation.
as the door closes, areum smiles at her brother, who smiles back and mouths "good job" while waving vigorously until she becomes a tiny speck in the distance.
"miss, please take a seat," the kind, elderly driver says politely.
areum chooses a seat at the back, near the window, where she can enjoy the view outside and feel more at ease. with only her and an elderly man sitting at the front, the bus isn't as nerve-wracking as she anticipated. the quiet hum of the bus and the soft light filtering through the windows add to the calm atmosphere.
this is okay...
a gentle pshhhh sound escapes from the bus as the doors closes. before the driver can even step on the pedal, a man hurriedly steps inside, just before the doors shut behind him.
"ahh, i nearly crushed you!" exclaims the bus driver, his voice filled with surprise.
"sorry, ahjusshi," says the man, bowing deeply to the driver, his face flushing with embarrassment.
areum glances up briefly, her curiosity piqued by the commotion, but then her gaze shifts back to the window, watching the cityscape blur by. she feels a sense of relief as the bus starts moving smoothly, her initial nerves settling.
she plugs in her airpods and scrolls through her playlist, searching for the right mood. after a moment, she selects a song called "space" by the poles, the soft electronic beats beginning to play in her ears as she settles back into her seat, letting the music blend with the rhythmic motion of the bus.
the song's familiar and enticing intro sends shivers down her spine, especially as sunlight streams through the bus window, making her feel like she's in a kdrama scene.
the sky unfolds into a beautiful blend of yellow and orange, adding to the moment's charm.
what areum doesn't notice is that her unzipped bag has fallen to the floor, and her wallet has scattered near the man who just entered and is now sitting across from her.
engrossed in his book, the man catches a glint of something shiny from the corner of his eye. his curiosity piqued, he bends down and spots the wallet with a sparkling keychain.
"what is this?" he wonders aloud as he picks up the wallet and examines it. it's clear it belongs to the girl across from him, and he feels a pang of responsibility to return it.
"miss? miss," he calls out, trying to get her attention, but the music blasting through her airpods drowns out his voice.
after several attempts with no response, he decides to place the wallet back in her bag, which is lying open on the floor.
just as he's about to return the wallet, areum, lost in the world of her music, suddenly catches a whiff of a strong, sweet perfume. she turns slowly and is startled to see a man holding her wallet.
"what are you doing?" she exclaims, her voice sharp with alarm. the man, startled by her reaction, drops the wallet and stumbles backward, his face flushed with embarrassment.
her eyes are wide, and her grip tightens on her bag that lies on the floor, as she adopts a defensive stance.
the man, now sitting on the floor and looking up at her with wide, defensive eyes, scans her expression, clearly understanding that she thinks he's trying to steal her wallet. "no, no, no! this is a misunderstanding," he says, scrambling to his feet and brushing dirt from his pants.
"your wallet fell out of your bag, and i was just trying to help—"
"and you didn't ask?" areum's shock swiftly morphs into anger. her voice rises, catching the attention of the passenger at front and making her face flush with embarrassment. her hands shake slightly as she tries to control her rising frustration.
the elderly man sitting in front, who has poor hearing, peers over his shoulder and, misinterpreting the situation, thinks they're a couple arguing.
"aigo, young couples these days have no respect in public! you, the boyfriend, just apologise to her," the old man interjects, adding to the chaos and making both areum and the man look at him in confusion.
"no! he was stealing from me!" areum tries to explain, but the old man waves dismissively, telling them to stop causing a scene and look forward.
"miss, i was only trying to help," the man insists, his voice soft yet earnest. "your wallet fell out when i was sitting over there," he points to the seat he had occupied. areum follows his gesture with wary eyes but remains sceptical.
"i promise i didn't take anything," he says gently, though frustration laces his tone. he's hurt by the accusation, especially since he was only trying to assist her.
areum examines him closely, her anger slowly ebbing as she sees his sincerity. "okay, fine"
"just give me back my wallet," she says, her voice calming as she accepts the wallet he hands back to her.
"settled," the man says, returning to his seat, still visibly upset. he mutters under his breath, "crazy woman," as he slumps into his chair.
"should've followed mingyu instead," areum thinks, her mind reeling from the encounter. she reflects on how having a goal, like using public transport, doesn't always guarantee a smooth journey.
—
since the café is located in a housing area, areum walks from the bus stop, relying on the map on her phone for guidance. but the map keeps glitching, and she's frustrated as it fails to provide clear directions.
at the same time, she can't shake the feeling that someone is following her. glancing back quickly, she sees a shadowy figure in a black jumper or hoodie maintaining a close but distant distance behind her.
what if i get myself killed or kidnapped? areum thinks, panic rising as she recalls all the frightening documentaries she's seen.
first the incident on the bus, and now i'm being followed???
her heart pounds as she quickens her pace, her fear escalating with each step. despite her growing anxiety, the figure continues to trail her. finally, gathering all her courage, she turns around to confront her perceived stalker.
"YOU?" areum shouts in surprise, her voice trembling.
it's him—the man from the bus.
