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"heading home again, miss?" the bus driver asks. showing the smile that warmly invites me every week. i nod my head. my body naturally guides me to the back of the vehicle. and stops when it arrives at my seat. i take off my jacket, hang it up. before i sit down i notice a new face outside of the bus. the bus driver - whom i call mister go by the way - sees him too. new face stands in the back of the line.
kim minji walks in, seo byeongkwan follows. the old man with the scar on his left cheek. hayoung, hawon, haneul and their mother. and many others. i recognize everyone. as i sit in the back. a soft sigh leaving my mouth. tired.
my attention now on the station outside. trains passing by. a taxi arriving, driver lighting up his sigarette. running to open the door for the next customer. he works hard, sweat is dripping from his forehead. it is warm; summer recently arrived. there is a light breeze, the window i just opened letting some of the wind in.
there are many people on the bus but it the ride is silent. the busy and fastmoving world around us has tired us out. long faces, dark circles. the sun slowly sets.
hayoung, hawon and haneul were sound asleep, no, hayoung had her eyes open. "as the oldest child i have to look over my younger siblings," she once said proudly. she has never failed to stay awake since. their mother always gives them a loving look. she looks nice, i think to myself.
it is a long ride with six official stops, approximately thirty minutes between them. mister go and the man with the scar have known eachother for a long time, so mister go made an extra stop for him. as the man with she scar was old and can not walk for long.
when people arrive at their stop they bid their goodbyes. we react. everyone knows eachother.
after the second stop - after kim minji and her friends leave - i suddenly remember new face i wonder where he placed himself. i am in the back. i look around. i scan the bus. there he is, looking out the open window. quite strong for a newbie, he has not fallen asleep yet. he is smiling, eyes closing then opening. savoring the clean air. i take my eyes off him.
the old man leaves after the third (and a half) stop. his soft snoring leaves the bus. his collogne leaves. his loud but nice laugh. see you next week, mister scar. after he leaves, the bus is almost empty. most people already arrived home. here i am, in the back of the bus. i want to be home too.
the fourth stop is hayoung, hawon, haneul and their mother's stop. they leave silently unless hawon is awake. he always leaves loudly: "BYE EVERYONE, WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK!" he likes our attention. we like him too.
after the fourth stop it is hard to stay awake but a years practice sure helps. new face is still looking out the window, the window is now closed. must have been cold, i think. he has a nice face. soft features. i start wondering what his name might be. i shake my head. i don't need to know his name. we only happen to be on the same bus.
when the bus arrives at the fifth stop - where i leave - new face stays seated. he is now the last one on the bus. as my foot touches the last stair, i look back. i look at new face and smile at the back of his head.
"goodbye.." i soflty say.
he turns around with watery eyes. still smiling. as a tear drops he says: "goodbye." his voice trembles a little.
you will be okay, new face, i think. only one stop left and you will be home. i smile one more time and wave him goodbye. i see him dropping his face in his hands, his body shaking.
