Bang YongGuk

I  took time to look at myself in the mirror after my shower and was gladly surprised. I hated to look at myself in the mirror, my eyes found the numbers 457 printed on my uniform and I loathed that view. It's been more than a month I was released and I felt better with my image. I looked less skinny and my face that was so anguler before got a bit rounder. I looked less pale, it was true that the grey uniform gave me a sick palish look whereas this pastel pink blouse suited my skintone well. I had to admit tanning a bit helped a bit to look healthier.

I smiled.

My reflection pleased me. I wasn't as handsome as before but still, I felt good looking at myself.  My hair grew a bit and I was excited to see myself with longer hair. Himchan gave me a lot of clothes, he gave me what he wasn't wearing enough or anymore, it was mostly basics and I understood what he meant by not his style  : way too ordinary for him. The pastel pink blouse fitted me well and the jeans, althought they were a bit large fitted me pretty nicely. I felt ready for my first date with HaSeul.

Only one thing was missing : cologne. I loved that and used to put that every day. I should buy a bottle of cologne soon. As I felt satisfied with my appearance, I exited the bathroom and started to read a book. HaSeul was getting ready upstairs in the other bathroom.

She was for sure taking her time. Soon, I heard steps and stood up. "You sure took your time."

I looked at HaSeul and almost missed a breath. She was so elegant like this. "Sorry I had trouble to find my skirt." She said, her hands smoothing the long skirt around her hips.

I approached her and lifted her, I took the last steps of the stairs and kissed her. "You look immensely pretty like that."

HaSeul looked really shy, not daring to look at me in the eyes and even pushed me a bit away. "Gosh this is ridiculous, I'm getting changed." She took steps towards the stairs and I took her hand. "Did I say something wrong ?" I enquired myself.

She looked a my pretty outfit. "No I just don't feel at ease wearing that. I just wanted to do an effort ..."

I came to her side and took her in my embrace. Then I kissed her langourously. She kissed me back, letting me deepen the kiss and even explore . When I pulled away, HaSeul was flustered, all red. " You shouldn't feel ridiculous with that skirt, you're  pretty with this. But if you feel more at ease with comfortable clothes  , go and get changed. HaSeul you're pretty anyways."

HaSeul considered my words for a few seconds. "Then I'm getting changed."

She came back with some large jeans and a pretty pink sweat matching the color of my blouse and I  rearranged the book pendant, happy to see she was proudly wearing her necklace. I hugged her. "My pretty HaSeul, ready to go ?"

Reassured by her nodd, I lead HaSeul outside and suddenly she laughed looking at me trying to remember where to go.  “You don't even know where the bus stop is located.”

I gently pushed her in front of me. “So lead me.” HaSeul took my hand and we walked slowly to the bus stop. We kept holding hands and waited for the bus together. I was staring at our hands intertwined when HaSeul asked me where we were going.

“It's still a secret.” I said grinning.

She narrowed her eyes. “ Okay … but  which bus are we taking ?”

I opened my mouth and realized I had no idea how to get to Wolmido. We talked about that place so much that it felt natural to spend our first date. HaSeul saw how puzzled I looked  and laughed. "Are we taking the plane ? A taxi ? A boat ? Metro ?"

I realized I should have look it up yesterday night.  "I need a bus that takes us to a metro station."

HaSeul nodded, with amused eyes, she didn't fuss about it. As we sat next to each other in the bus, I rested my arm on her shoulder. She stiffened at first but relaxed herself, resting her head on my shoulder.  It just felt right. After all that time and frustration we were free to touch each other freely like this. I thought for some reason, I would never find another normal life, that love would never happen to me ever again. So today I felt lucky,  really lucky to have her next to me.

I looked at the map of the metro arriving at the metro station, asking HaSeul to stay on the bench. As I gave her the ticket she smiled. “If we're going to Incheon Station, I guess we're going to Wolmido ?”

I gasped. "How did you find out ?"

"YongGuk it was obvious it's the only thing located in Incheon and you don't know the area." I must admit she did follow my little game pretty well. She must have found it funny.

She clapped in her hands. “It's been years I haven't gone there. I am so excited !!!”

HaSeul didn't talk much with me, it's been years I haven't took the metro and I was trying to get used to it. It didn't change much, it's still full of people running around to catch the metro. We were waiting for our metro to arrive, sat on a bench and I was staring at people walk with a lot of attention. Where did that woman needs to go for her to run in such high heels ?  Those high school students made me smile, they still looked tired, like in my memory. I was like someone admiring a painting, but it was real life. All of sudden, I remembered I was with someone and had a smile when I saw what she was doing : reading.  Haseul was holding my hand with her left hand and holding the book with her right one.

"Why are we waiting so much for the metro ? Isn't it supposed to arrive quickly ?"

She closed back her book. "Well, we're not going to Seoul so there's less demand. So far, so great ?"

"Yeah, I felt like I lived in a cavern for seven years ... but the world didn't change that much." I revealed. HaSeul considered me, trying to read between the lines, not sure if I was happy as I said that. Soon the metro arrive and we got in there. At first, it was empty but soon, it became crowded and I felt a bit nervous. I never liked being surrounded by a lot of people, but jail made that fear even more proeminent. Some people crossed eyes with me and I felt sweat on my forehead. Did they recognize me ?

Soon, HaSeul came to take my hand. "YongGuk, everything is fine. You need some distraction. Want to hear about the book I'm reading now ?"

I stared at her as she explained to me t