As you place the musical score sheets next to the turtle box, you heard another voice. It’s coming from the corner. You took a glance and saw a young-looking boy talking to someone over his mobile phone. Among all the people scampering around you, it is he who you believe is the youngest one. 19 years old? 20 years old? You were convinced that his age is playing just between those numbers.

But when you think about it, the kid looked familiar to you. It’s like you’ve seen him already. You just can’t be sure where. In a mall? In a park? On TV? Right! You’ve seen him on TV! He was in a drama. What was that called again? Apple Kisses? Oh! April Kisses! He played the younger version of the male protagonist there!

You took a step closer – with the intention of making friends – but your guts waned when you heard him speaking in English. Overpowered by the fear of the language, you opted to just stay where you are. But it didn’t stop you from overhearing what he was saying. Though you cannot understand this young man’s words, your little knowledge on the foreign tongue allowed you to understand these things: SAD, KOREA, CALIFORNIA, WANT TO GO BACK, I MISS YOU, MOM. 

Slowly, you realized that maybe, this man’s a Korean but was born and raised in the USA. He must be sad living estranged in a country, continents away from his family. Affected, you decided to just postpone your intention of making friends and walked pass him to find another place to rest.

As you did, his gaze met yours and it struck your heart to see the growing loneliness there. Without thinking, you placed your left hand on his right shoulder and smiled.

“It’s going to be okay.” You said in English. Even you cannot understand where it came from but the worries vanished when the young man’s face lightened up. It’s like he’s telling you that your words are of the angels’. He smiled at you, and in a deep, pleasant-sounding voice, he said, “Gomawoyo.”

Then, he left.