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The dim lights of the train station flickered, casting pale halos over the nearly deserted platform. Hao stood near the edge of the yellow line, his eyes glued to the arrival board that continued to flash with a single, infuriating word: Delayed.
He checked his phone for the umpteenth time, the time glaring back at him. 6:30 PM. His interview was supposed to start in thirty minutes. His first job interview, no less. The café was across the city, and here he was, stuck, waiting for a train that seemed determined never to arrive. He sighed, the cool autumn air doing nothing to calm his nerves as he clutched the strap of his messenger bag.
In the background, muffled footsteps echoed across the platform, and Hao barely registered the arrival of a few more people. His eyes flickered to the far end of the station where someone—a guy—was pacing, drenched from the rain, but Hao’s focus quickly returned to the display board. He couldn’t afford distractions. Not tonight.
The guy at the other end of the platform caught the corner of Hao’s vision again, as he wrung out his coat and ran a hand through his wet hair, shaking the water from it like a do fresh out of a puddle. Hao’s lips twitched into a faint smile, but it vanished just as quickly. He was too anxious to find the humor in someone else’s misfortune when his own hung so precariously.
Hao’s nerves had been a mess all day. He’d carefully prepared for this interview—printed resumes, memorized responses, even practiced his best smile in the mirror. Now, it all seemed to be crumbling. His reflection in the glass window of the station showed a tired yung man, pale from worry, his brown hair slightly ruffled from the long day. His black overcoat hung a bit too loose on his slim frame, but he’d hoped it would make him look professional.
Why had it started raining right when he left the house? Why was this train delayed, of all days? It was like the universe had decided to test him. He fiddled with the edge of his coat sleeve, biting his lip, his mind running over worst-case scenarios.
What if he didn’t make it in time? What if they thought he was unprofessional for being late? His future was supposed to start today—his first real job at a place he actually cared about. Working at a café sounded ideal to Hao. He loved the quiet atmosphere, the warm coffee smells, the soft hum of conversations. It was the kind of place where he imagined he culd find some peace, surrounded by books and maybe, just maybe, people who weren’t too overwhelming.
But now…now he was going to blow it. All because of a stupid train delay.
A loud crackle from the station speakers pulled Hao’s attention. An announcement echoed through the space: “We apologize for the delay. The next train will be arriving in approximately… fifteen minutes.”
