When the school day was over I couldn’t have been happier. It wasn’t that I disliked school but I disliked the feeling of being different. Some days my mind would remind me that I’m at this so called ‘special school’ because I need to be not because I’m special at all. Instead it is because I’m broken and can’t go to a school with ‘normal’ kids my age. I felt even worse today now that Taemin could hear. Again I know I shouldn’t be so upset and that I should be happy for my friend but he was what I wanted to be; normal. Or at least a hell of a lot closer than I was.

            I walked to the front gate of the school to wait for Soohyun to come and pick me up. Soon I felt my phone vibrate and saw that I got a text from Soohyun. He said that he was having trouble getting out of work today and was going to send Inguk to come pick me up. I texted back and told him that it was ok and I would take the bus. It wasn’t even thirty seconds later before he texted me a very stern message telling me not to take the bus and just wait.

            Why does he keep acting like I can’t do anything? I can ride the bus home; I mean it can’t be that hard. I thought to myself as I put my phone away. I checked my pocket to see if I still had the bus pass that the school gives us every month to take the public bus and luckily I did. I smiled to myself before heading to the bus stop. When I got there I read the sign and decided that the B601 would be the best bus to take. I took a seat down on the bench and waited for the bus to come. As I was waiting I noticed someone sitting next to me. He looked around my age, his hair dyed a warm brown color, and from my angle he appeared to have a strong jaw line. I wondered what he did for fun. He probably hung out with friends, went on dates, and went to parties. While here I was, taking the bus for the first time by myself.

            The bus soon pulled up and I got in line to get on. I watched what everyone else before me did as they swiped their cards and when it was my turn I did the same thing and continued to walk until I found a seat. As I was sitting I noticed people staring at me and I didn’t understand why. I tried to ignore it until the driver came to my seat. Did I do something wrong? I did what everyone else did, so why is he here? I wondered to myself. He was speaking too fast as well for me to try and read his lips and I felt myself start to panic with the thought that I could be in trouble. I felt my eyes start to water out of both frustration and me being scared. I was about to just get off the bus when I noticed the boy from earlier put a hand on the shoulder of the bus driver and say something to him. Only then did he walk away and stop yelling at me but by that point I couldn’t help it and the tears started to fall from my eyes. I decided I was just going to get off the bus and wait for Inguk to come and pick me up. As I was about to walk off, however, the same boy stopped me and said something. I looked at him and tried to read his lips but I only caught the last part of his sentence: ‘Paid for you.’

            Paid for me? What does that mean? I wondered but was soon jolted from my thoughts as the bus started moving and I fought to keep my balance. The boy in front of me grabbed my arm and helped me steady myself which I was thankful for. I bowed to him and sat back in the seat I was previously in as the bus continued its route. As the bus kept going it felt like it was travelling further away from my house instead of closer. After two stops I started to get nervous so I dug a piece of paper out of my backpack and wrote a question on it. Then I turned around and summoned the attention of the boy that helped me earlier. I showed him my question, which asked if the bus was going to Seodaemun-gu. I saw him look at me strange, probably wondering why I didn’t just speak, but at the moment I wasn’t worried about trying to be normal anymore, I was just worried about getting home. He took the paper from my hands along with the pen and wrote something down. When he was done I quickly took the paper back and scanned it for his answer.

            This bus goes to Mapo-gu. B603 goes to Seodaemun-gu.

            My eyes went wide as I read his answer and I knew that I needed to get off the bus. Once the bus stopped again I grabbed all of my things and got off. I assessed my surrounding as soon as I was off the bus and realized I had no clue where I was. I reached into my pocket to get my phone to contact Inguk to come and get me but as I searched my pockets I realized I didn’t have my phone.

            I must’ve dropped it on the bus! Ahh what am I going to do now? I thought to myself, three seconds away from having a panic attack. As I was starting to hyperventilate I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned around and saw it was the same boy from the bus, he had his hand out and I saw that he had my phone. I quickly took it from him before dialing my cousin’s number. I waited for a while until I believed he picked up before starting to scream into the phone.  I didn’t know if I was making sense or if he could even understand me. I hardly ever used my voice but I was in full panic mode that I wasn’t even thinking rationally. For all I knew I could have been talking to a still ringing phone. I was about to hang up and text him when I realized that what I was doing was useless. That was until I felt my phone being removed from my hand. I whipped around to see the boy from before speaking into my phone. I couldn’t see his mouth so I had no clue what he was saying but that didn’t stop me from reaching for my phone. He kept me at arm’s length and continued to speak. I was becoming insanely frustrated and was about to hit him. I didn’t care that he had helped me before, he wasn’t helping me now. Before I could attack him; however, he handed me back my phone and turned my attention to his face.

            He then spoke in a slow fashion and said: “You can’t hear, can you?” I looked at him strangely before shaking my head. He nodded his head as well and took my hand into his. I didn’t know what he was doing and tried to free my hand from his grasp but he wouldn’t release me and kept walking until we reached a bench. Once we sat down he pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil and wrote something down. I again stared at him strangely until he handed me the paper.

            “Your cousin is on his way. I told him where you were and he said he’ll be here soon. So calm down now. My name is Kim Jonghyun by the way.” I read his note and my racing heart calmed down immensely. As long as Soohyun was on his way to get me then everything would be fine. Well at least until we got home and he started yelling at me. I reached out for his pencil, which he easily handed over to me, and wrote my own note back to him.

            ‘Thank you, for helping me today and my name is Kim Kibum.’ He read it before writing his own statement out again.

            ‘I know. You’re cousin said you’re name while we were on the phone. Where are you from?’

            ‘Daegu. I only moved out to Seoul recently.’

            ‘Oh so is your school in Jung-gu?’

            ‘Yea, I live with my cousin in Seodaemun-gu. That’s why I was trying to get there. I’ve never been on the bus before.’

            ‘I can tell. It’s not that confusing, well as long as you get on the right bus.’ I read his most recent statement and saw that he had a smile on his face, laughing. I guess it was kind of funny to see someone my age not knowing how to take public transportation. We talked for a little while longer and I enjoyed how easy it was to converse with him. I learned that his name was Jonghyun, that he was one year older than me, and also went to school in Jung-gu; except he went to a fine arts school where he studied vocal performance.   

            It didn’t take long for my cousin to arrive and I saw that Inguk was in the passenger’s seat. I knew I was really going to get it when I saw both of them had come to get me. Inguk hyung wasn’t going to say anything, he never scolded me, but Soohyun hyung would scold me enough for the both of them.

            ‘I have to go but thank you for keeping me company and helping me.’ I wrote out and handed the piece of paper to Jonghyun before standing up and heading to the car. As I was walking I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around to see Jonghyun standing their holding the same paper.

            ‘Wait, can I have your cell phone number so we can maybe text each other sometimes?’ I read his message and smiled. I could actually have a normal friend I realized, so I quickly wrote down my number and told him to text me his. As we drove away I waved good bye to Jonghyun with a huge smile on my face.

That diminished quickly once we got back to the apartment. Soohyun sat me down on the couch and lectured me very sternly for at least thirty minutes and if you think it’s impossible to come off angry using sign language then you are very wrong. I could tell he was yelling while signing to me and Inguk hyung had told him to calm down multiple times, also using sign language. He often did that even though they could hear each other fine because he said he didn’t want to seem like he was excluding me from their conversation. So he’s been learning sign language as well. As soon as Soohyun hyung was done yelling at me he knelt down and pulled me into a hug. He pulled away slightly and said ‘I only get angry because I care and worry about you. If that boy wouldn’t have been there to help you, anything could have happened. Please don’t worry your hyung like that again.’

‘I won’t and I’m sorry.’  I said before hugging him back.

            I knew he was only worried about me but I really wanted to try and act like a normal person. Taking the bus was probably too big of a step, however. The one good thing that came from it was meeting Jonghyun. After I ate dinner with Soohyun and Inguk I received a text from an unknown number while I was working on my homework.

From Unknown Number:

            Hey Kibum, it’s me Jonghyun.

I smiled as I read the message and quickly saved his number before replying.

To Jonghyun:

            Hey

That was all I sent back but that’s because I couldn’t think of anything else to say. Should I thank him for helping me again? Or would that just make me sound stupid? He texted back quickly as my thoughts kept swirling around in my head on what I should talk to him about.

From Jonghyun:

            Did you make it home ok?

To Jonghyun:

            Yea. I got in a lot of trouble though for taking the bus.

From Jonghyun:

            Really? Why?

To Jonghyun:

            My cousin thinks I’m incapable of taking public transportation. Even though it seems that I’ve proven him right from today’s event.

From Jonghyun:

            I can teach you how to take the bus if you want.

When I received that message from Jonghyun a smile grew on my face. I quickly stood up from my desk and ran out of my room to show Soohyun. I ended up walking in on him and Inguk making out on the couch. I knocked on the adjacent wall next to me and they both looked up. I saw a small blush break out on Soohyun’s face as he signed to me ‘What wrong Kibum? Do you need anything?’

            I shook my head and walked over to him so that I could show him the message from Jonghyun. The smile remained on my face as he read the message and I became excited about the fact that I might actually be able to take the bus. My smile quickly fell, however, when Soohyun handed me back the phone and shook his head no.

            ‘Kibum I think it would just be for the best if I or Inguk picked you up from school like we always have. I don’t want you to trouble this person.’

            ‘But…’ I couldn’t think of something to say. I knew he was right. I shouldn’t be troubling Jonghyun when we’ve only just met. So I nodded my head before walking back to my room, my mood at a much lower level than it was mere seconds ago.

To Jonghyun:

            Thanks, but I can’t. My cousin doesn’t want me taking the bus.

From Jonghyun:

            Oh, well I can still meet you at the bus stop. We can sit together until my bus comes or your cousin comes to get you. That is if you don’t mind sitting with me.

To Jonghyun:

            No, I don’t mind. I guess I will see you tomorrow then?

From Jonghyun:

            Ok. I have to go now and do my homework. Goodnight Kibum.

To Jonghyun:

            Goodnight.

I pressed the final send button before placing my phone down and starting back on my homework. Unfortunately I was too excited to concentrate on my homework completely. I couldn’t wait to see Jonghyun tomorrow. It felt nice to have a friend that wasn’t like me. That wasn’t broken but was normal. Maybe by hanging around him long enough I could start to feel normal myself. 

Sorry for the long wait for the second chapter. I slowly realized that I have no idea where I want to take this story. So it might not end up being that long. Maybe 10 chapters at the most. Anyway here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed it!

~Lolo