Translation of Love

10

Culture Shock

I'm staring at my phone, studying all the steps and directions I need to take to get to the cafe Taeyoung wants to meet at. I keep repeating the different street names, but they all kind of sound the same after a while.

What if I get on the wrong bus? Just the thought makes my throat clench in fear. I haven't dared use public transportation yet. Partly because I don't feel particularly excited to explore and also because everything I need is within walking distance.

Plus Seoul is a colossal giant in comparison to the relatively small city I'm from back home. There are people everywhere, at every corner, and the traffic seems to be non-stop. I haven't quite gotten used to the cityscape either. The immense amount of buildings and compact housing are a bit suffocating to me right now, but I know it's probably just culture shock. I'll get used to it. I hope.

My phone beeps, pulling me away from my bus route studies.

태영: 캠퍼스에 있어요?
[Are you on campus]?

소희: 네
[yes]

I lied, because really I'm sitting at the bus stop. I was planning on trying to find this cafe really early, just in case. It isn't far from the school gates though.

태영: meet me at the gate, we can head to the cafe together

I let out a big sigh, the puff of air that was suspended in my lungs. I had wanted to ask him if he could come with me before, but being the timid person I am—and especially at this moment in my life—I couldn't bring myself to do it.

So with a lighter conscience, I stand up from my seat and head back down the street. I lean against the wall once I reach the gate, playing with my phone case and observing people. I feel like such an outcast, I can't help but feel like I stand out like a sore thumb. People here stare quite a bit, and I learned that staring isn't seen as rude here like back home so I try not to think too much of it, but it's still unsettling. Do I really look that different? I've even been wearing darker clothes in an effort to camouflage.

"Sohee?"

My blank stare breaks as I finally notice the figure beside me.

"Oh sorry, I didn't see you," I mumble.

One side of his face twitches with a slight smile.

"Here," he hands me a particularly cute card with a bear on it, a character I see quite often around Korea. "You said you didn't have a T-money card yet."

"Oh, you didn't have to. I was going to buy one," my hands slightly wave in an effort to say it's not necessary, but he grabs them and places the card on my palm.

"Don't worry, it's cheap anyway. There's 10,000won on there. You can reload it at the subway station, or even CU and other convenience stores. I can show you how later."

"Thank you," I stare up at him, very grateful for his guidance but unsure of how to show it.

"Let's go." He pulls a fabricated smile before heading to the bus station, his hands in the pockets of his pants.

I softly follow him, staying back a bit, like a shadow.

He looks back at me. "Am I going too fast?"

"Huh? Oh no, sorry." My cheeks flush red and I stare at my feet as I jog up to him. Why am I so nervous? I can't even walk beside him without acting like an idiot.