"What's your name?" there was something about him, the way he withdraws himself to a corner. His age must've caused him to shy away from conversations or interactions. He seems to be comfortable with the boys but not with the people outside their group.

"Subin. Jung Subin." he answered discreetly.

"Nice to meet you, Subin. I'm Alli." I offered my hand and my best smile. Something about him draws a feeling inside me that I can't explain.

He stared at my hand at first but eventually took it for a slow hand shake.

I'm still smiling, trying to give off the feeling that he's safe with me, that it's okay to come out of his shell.

His lips gradually formed a smile. It was a small shy grin but it lights up everything and the world seems to be brighter 

___________

"It's you, isn't it?"

The boy in front of me is taller than I remember and his handsome features became much more apparent. The shyness doesn't look like it lives within him anymore.

I fight back the urge to answer him and kill the feeling of hope within me.

This world doesn't know me.

I am a foreign existence.

We didn't realize we're the only ones left in the middle of the lane and the pedestrian light has already shifted to red. We both looked at opposite directions then hurried to be anywhere but on the middle of the cross road.

Again, I found myself detached even from the recognition he showed.

It is impossible. There is no chance that someone would know my existence. I'm trying to convince myself that he must've mistaken me for someone else instead of really remembering me. It would make no sense if that's not the case. But then again, nothing made sense in my world even from the start of this phenomenon.

I see him on the other side, trying to look for my face in the crowd. I effortlessly hide among the moving umbrellas and silently walk away.

No.

It's not what I thought.

He doesn't remember me.

He must be looking for someone else.

Not me.

Not me.

It'll never be me.

"Alli-yah!"

No, Alli.

You won't look back.

Keep walking.

Don't look at an illusion that someone, that he knows you.

You have no place in this world.

You must always remember that.