“Excuse me?”

Alright, I admitted, I did not know which direction to go. And I only had minutes left to catch the final train of the day. Well I was sure that I was lost, to a stranger of this city like me, everything looked new, even the leaves on pavements.

The asked guy looked up from his device, plugged out one ear-piece and halted his quick steps momentarily to listen to what I desired to say to him. “Yes?”

There were not too many people in the station at this time anymore, since it’s nearly midnight. The feel was so weird, since just mere 2 hours ago, this place was still so crowded, much crowded than what i could imagine. Yet when I came back from a super late dinner, just 2 hours later, this place looked this deserted.

“If I wanna go to this station,” I bit my lips while telling him my final destination of the day, “....which way should I go?”

I didn’t have many options at that time. Among an old guy with a stick who looked like knew very well where he was heading to, a mom who was busy with her toddle, a couple who too immersed in their own world despite the day was closing up, and a lone guy who walked with a fast pace, eyes glueing to his playing device and ears plugged into headphone, I guessed the lone guy was my only hope. So, before he walked passed me, I grabbed his attention immediately.

“Oh in that case…” He slowed his steps yet still walking. “You should turn left.”

“Oh ok, thanks.” I guessed this was a bad habit of mine. The answer wasn’t so clear to me, yet i still nodded and thanked him, thinking that ok-I-got-it. I confusedly looked left and right, the guy already walked passed me, music was back to his hears, the game he was playing was continued when I saw he already stepped on the escalator in front of him without looking up.

I should have listened to Angeline. I should have called a cab. We were so late for dinner already, and by the time we walked out of that restaurant, there were just slightly more than 30 minutes before midnight. Angeline already advised me not to take the train, since I was still not that familiar with this city despite spending all day to explore it. Being a sweet angel just like her name, Angeline even offered to take me back to my hotel herself, but I rejected, since her place was practically on the opposite way. I just smiled and assured her that no, I knew where I should go, and I wanna enjoy the late night.

Should I call Angeline now? I thought miserably. I could use GPS, if my battery status wasn’t showing only 5% left. I didn’t wanna risk the last hope in case something really emergency happened, so that I still could call her.

Confusedly, I stepped on the escalator as well, feeling unsure again. Sighing inwardly, I tapped that guy again. “I’m sorry, but, you said this way, right?” I motioned my hand to the left.

“Yes.” He plugged out his ear-piece once again, smiled briefly at me. “When you get off this escalator, turn left and wait for the train. It will come in about 10 more minutes I believe.” He shrugged, pointed at the screen which was showing us the final schedule of the day.

“Oh now I really got it.” I really did this time. “Thank you very much.” I grinned and blew out a relieved sigh.

My phone buzzed right at this time and I looked to the screen.

“Are you lost dear?” angeline texted me with a worried icon. I tried my best not to laugh out loud. It was like she was right next to me.

“Nah, I’m on the way already. Will text you later when I home in bed. My battery is gonna die any moment now.” I quickly replied before my phone really turned out of use.

“So….” A voice spoke and I looked up, seeing the guy I was asking for direction was standing beside me, smiling at me with hands dipped into his pockets. “You seem to not familiar with this place. What are you here for? Work or….?”

I didn’t realize we reached the line to wait for the train. The station was surprisingly pretty crowded now, not as much as rush hours but at least more than I thought. Some looked tired and exhausted after a long working day, some looked relaxed, and some looked nothing specific, like me, like us.

I didn’t notice since when but that guy had take off his ear pieces completely, now the pair were hanging loosely on his collar, and his playing device was no where to be seen also. And he was talking to me just now. I guessed he was up for a small chat with stranger?

“I am just traveling.” I replied, flashing him my tired smile.

I was really tired. After spending a whole day just walked and walked and walked through malls, streets, stations, shops, parks... basically everything could be considered as “interesting” for a visitor, my legs nearly went numb. Even though Angeline treated me a very nice dinner with the best food this city could offer to me, I was still exhausted to the bones. Or was it because I was too full after the feast?

I took a better look at the guy. I didn’t really notice him since I was too nervous that I might be lost forever in this strange city. The scare for my life was greater than a proper look to whom might be my life savior.

Now I realized, I might really consider my choice carefully without noticing. My late first impression about this guy was, hey, he’s cute.

He looked….carefree, that was what came first to my mind. I didn’t know why, but, he just looked so to me. Relaxed. Quick but noticed it all. Nonchalant but attentive at the same time. He’s just….nice.

“Oh really?” He flashed that easy smile to me again. “So...how’s the trip so far?” Folding his arms together, he stood straighter to face the line and asked with a genuine voice.

“Good.” I put my phone back to the bag, it was no use now anymore anyway. “I have been in love with this city for a very long time you know.”

And I waited, for the reaction I knew would appear. He, as well as any other citizen of this place, always showed that surprising expression whenever I revealed to them that, I loved this place.

“Why?” He asked me with true interest, turned to my side fully.

“I just do.” I shrugged. “It doesn’t have to be a reason.”

“So this is your first time being here or….”

“Second time.” I replied. “I went here last year as well, but I didn’t have many time last year so I come back again.”

They informed us my train would arrive in 2 more minutes, and people started piling up to the lines. I looked around, that weird feeling again.

“And you? You’re….” I trailed off while taking another look at him. To be honest, he looked more like a tourist than a local to me, with that carefree appearance.

But that easy smile appeared again, this time I could see the white teeth clearly. “No, I’m living here. I just got off from my work.”

“Really? You look more like a traveler to me.” I spoke out my thought, because I couldn’t help. And he barked out loudly.

The train arrived right after, and I thought, just, maybe, I felt something, some strange feeling in my chest, that, I didn’t wanna step on that train. Yet.

I got a surprise when he also stepped into the train. “You go this train too?” I asked him surprisingly, over the crowd trying to squeeze in the last train of the day. We were pushed inside, to the corner, and I quickly grabbed on the stool to steady myself, he was right next to me.

“Yeah, my stop is right after yours.” He replied, smiling, again.

I looked up to the instruction board. We got 2 stops together….

“So….” I heard he spoke quietly. “What do you do at your place? As in career?”

Oh, so our chat was continued I guessed? “Office work. PR, marketing, sale, business, whatever you call it.” I grinned. “How about you?”

“Graphic design.”

“That’s great!” I suddenly found myself being attracted by this conversation. “I work with my designer, and….” So, we went on talking about our works for a few minutes enthusiastically, until the train stopped momentarily.

One more stop until we parted.

“What will you do tomorrow?” Now thinking back, I didn’t know if I was really clueless, or there was really no special meaning behind that question.

“I’m thinking about visiting the central park. Later maybe I wanna find some nice place to chill out. What’s your suggestion?” I leaned on the door, facing him while folding my arms.

“If you really wanna have fun, you should go to….” He said while furrowed in brows in deep thought, telling me the area. “But it’s more fun at late night, chilling out in a cozy bar. When will you leave?”

“Tomorrow evening.” I replied, and in that moment, we looked at each other in silence briefly, for like, 5 seconds. I didn’t know why, we just did. Like, that crowded train was empty with just two of us. I don’t know if it’s just my hallucination or not, but that moment was really….memorable to me.

The train announced that we were about to stop at my destination in several more seconds.

“What’s your name?” He asked me, and I realized we really hadn’t exchanged the very first basic question between strangers.

I told him my name, listening to his repeat and nodded before asking back. “Yours?”

He replied, but that moment was disturbed by another announcement, reminding us that my stop was here, and the train stopped with a slight force.

“I hope you enjoy your stay here.” I heard him speaking, looking up to find him flashing me that genuine smile again.

“I am. Nice to meet you, and thank you.” I said and quickly extended my hand, didn’t wanna miss the 2nd and 3rd basic saying and a must gesture between strangers.

I hurriedly stepped out the train and turned back to look at him. I smiled and waved him goodbye, heading for the escalator bringing me up, out of this station.

I will admit it. I didn’t wanna expose my true feeling at that moment too obviously, that I wanna stand there and watch him leaving off my sight, so I acted like I didn’t wanna look back.

But when I was in the middle of the escalator, I slowly turned my head, right on time the train - his train - took off.

And I saw him, inside that crowded train, at the spot while just seconds ago, I was there with him. He was looking up at my direction as well.

And one more time I had to question if it was just my hallucination, since I saw he was smiling at me.

_____
 

Up to now, this is still one of top 3 things I regret most in my life, that I didn’t ask for his name for the 2nd time. I just remember that his name started with “D”, but I don’t remember what is it in full. Derek, Dennis, Daniel, I don’t know for sure. His face, I don’t think I remember every single little detail, since I was so tired and dazed that night. I just had a vague memory about that guy.

And now I don’t even have a name to hold on to.