Jae is growing tired. It’s almost 3pm, meaning she has less than twenty minutes to get to the bus station. She’s like this most days, only worrying about missing the bus home, rather than actually focusing in College. As long as she catches the early bus, the bus she catches each day, she doesn’t have to get caught up in rush hour. Specifically speaking, Jae cannot stand to walk through the busy town centre, especially at peak time. She’s grown accustomed to avoiding people, just the random people you would pass, when walking in town. To Jae, these people aren’t a threat but more rather people she would rather avoid. You could call her ignorant, but Jae just isn’t a people person. She isn’t someone to smile randomly at strangers. It just isn’t her. In fact, she rarely talks to anyone these days, not even family. Though Jae is aware of how this is affecting her, her confidence when talking to friends at College, she’d rather brush it off. Honestly, Jae has decided to brush everything off. That’s why she’s now walking through the almost deserted town square, with a glum expression.

…

“I’ll be there.” Junhong muttered, ending the call. With a deep sigh, he placed his phone in his jacket pocket and looked toward the empty bus stand. As always, he was early. Setting his backpack down, on the floor, Junhong leant against a pillar. He scanned the platform, noticing people from his neighbourhood, people from school and even his mothers’ best friend. Rolling his eyes as she passed, Mrs Kang, his supposed “aunty”, Junhong bit down on his lip as he noticed the one person he liked seeing each day.

“Oppa!” The little girl came rushing towards Junhong, two lollipops in hand. “One for you, one for me,” she giggled, handing the taller male an unwrapped lollipop.

“You haven’t already it, have you, Jinnie?” Junhong snickered as the younger girl furrowed her brows, shaking her head furiously. Jinah was a family friends’ daughter. Junhong would see both Jinah and her mother each day as they would travel back home from the children’s’ centre.

“No!” Jinah hissed.

“Okay, okay.” Junhong puffed out his cheeks as Jinah proceeded to hug him, as she would. However, she didn’t, not today.

“Oppa, don’t the lolly!”

A flustered Junhong was now the one furrowing his brows. “Why not?”

Jinah pointed towards the seating area, tugging on Junhongs’ arm. “You have to give it to the girl over there.”

Junhong laughed a little as his eyes followed where Jinah was now looking. There, sat a young girl, around twenty or so, whom Junhong could recognise. Shrugging, he gently clasped his hand around Jinahs’ and the two of them walked towards the girl.

Upon approaching the girl, who seemed to be solely focused on the content in her phone screen, Jinah let go of Junhongs’ hand and sat beside her. Still, the girl didn’t notice. Junhong could tell she was pretty zoned out from the world, with her earphones plugged in and eyes always reverted away from the attention of others.

Jinah placed her palm out, in front of Junhong. “Oppa, the lolly,” she directed, knowing fully well that Junhong would oblige and pass her the lollipop. Once in her grasp, Jinah held the lollipop out, in front of the young girl.

Lifting her gaze from her phone screen, the girl glanced at the youngster, a small smile appearing on her lips as their eyes met.

“Is..is that for me?”

Jinah nodded whilst grinning toward Junhong, who was focused on the girls’ expression. He watched as the girl unplugged her earphones and took the lollipop from Jinah, thanking her.

“You looked sad today.” Jinah mumbled.

The elder girl frowned, realising how obvious it was that she wasn’t happy at the moment. “Well, thank you. I’m happy now you gave me this present.”

Jinah giggled as she looked up, at Junhong and back towards the girl, “You’re welcome.”

“C’mon, Jinnie, the bus is nearly here.”

Both Jinah and the girl looked up at Junhong, who had his eyes on the bus stand and the approaching bus. Junhong turned slightly and grabbed Jinah’s arm, the two running off towards Jinah’s mother.

..

Jae watched the two youngsters running towards a middle-aged woman. She was quite confused as to why the little girl had approached her like that, but felt slightly thankful. This was the first time she had smiled in a while.

Grabbing her bag, Jae headed towards the bus. The queue wasn’t that long, so Jae was able to get a nice spot at the back, out of the way.

“Oppa, can we sit at the back today?” Jinah asked, looking towards both her mother and Junhong.

Jinah’s mother chuckled as Junhong rolled his eyes, knowing the reason the little girl was so desperate to sit at the back of the bus.

“I’ll take care of her.” Junhong promised, leading Jinah to the back, where she sat in the empty spot next to the elder girl from earlier.

“Unnie, I’m back!”

“Hey, sit next to me, Jinnie.” Junhong scolded, laughing as Jinah folded her arms, shaking her head furiously.

Jae looked up to see Junhong sat in the seat in front of her. He had his arms resting across both head rests as he kept an eye on Jinah.

“Unnie, do you live near Junhong oppa?” Jinah suddenly asked, causing both Jae and Junhong to look at one another.

“Uh, I’m…not sure?” Jae questioned, looking elsewhere.

Junhong had his eyes on Jae, wondering why she seemed quite nervous. He decided to answer, instead. “She does, Jinnie.”

“Where does she live, then?” Jinah asked, not believing him.

“Just a few blocks from your house, actually.” Junhong smirked as Jinah gasped.

“Oppa, how do you know everything?!”

“I just do.” Junhong replied, sniggering as Jinah ran towards the front of the bus, as her mother had called her to get off at their stop.

“Bye oppa, bye Unnie!” Jinah called, waving at the two.

..

There was a short silence before Junhong turned back in his seat, to talk to the girl.

“So, you go to Kings’ College, huh?”

Jae nodded at the boy, trying to make eye contact but failed miserably.

“My cousin goes there, you might know him.”

“I doubt it.” Jae muttered under her breath, thanking the heavens that her stop was coming up.

“He’s in his final year.” Junhong stated.

“I just started this year.” Jae replied as she got to her feet.

“Well, see you, then.”

Jae nodded, smiling a little before she proceeded towards the exit.

…

Junhong arrived home, throwing his backpack to the ground as he fell front first onto his bed. For some odd reason, the girl from the bus was on his mind. He was a little annoyed at how unsociable she seemed. Maybe she was shy, or maybe she was plain rude. Either way, she was pretty. Junhong let out an exasperated sigh as he thought about how he must have come across, asking her personal questions like that. Getting to his feet, Junhong grabbed his skateboard and left his already empty house.

…

“Where are you going?” Jae’s father called as he arrived home about two hours later, grocery in hand.

“I need some pictures for my project. It’s still light outside.”

Her father needn’t say anything else since she had already left.

Jae’s converse crunched against the gravelled driveway as she made her way towards the beach. It had been a while since she visited the pier. Having lived so close, she could never be bothered walking the short distance due to all of the assignments she had, as well as wanting to avoid people. But today she had to go; she had to get the shots for her portfolio.

…

Junhong came to a halt as he noticed the girl from the bus. He had been busy, chatting with some school friends, since they met as they would most evenings. He hadn’t noticed her in the neighbourhood before and so he kept his eyes on her.

“Earth to Junhong.” Daehyun called, waving his arms in front of his friends’ eyes.

“Huh?” The younger boy questioned, looking back at his two friends.

“You got a crush there, J?” Jongup sniggered as Junhong snapped his head back towards them once more.

“No. I just know her.”

“You want to know her.” Daehyun teased. “She’s outta your league.”

Junhong scoffed, “Really? Let’s see, then.”

…

Jae flinched as she felt a tap on her shoulder. She was half way through the shots she needed of the pier, until he approached her.

“I thought it was you,” Junhong grinned, grabbing the camera from Jae’s hands.

“Excuse me but, that’s expensive.” Jae mumbled, furiously blushing as she heard wolf whistles from behind the two of them.

“Oh, don’t mind them. They’re just being immature.”

“Can I have it back now?” Jae asked with a stern expression.

“Why not use a camera phone, though?” Junhong questioned, passing it back.

Jae sighed as she continued to work. “It’s not as effective. Camera phones are perfect for filtering with those rubbish apps that everyone seems to love.”

“Oh, you mean Instagram?”

Jae nodded as they seemed to be on the right page. “There’s only so much that can be filtered. What’s the point in making things out to be fake?”

“But it doesn’t necessarily make them ‘fake’, just, more attractive. ”

Jae shrugged and continued working.

“Just so you know, that camera of yours isn’t going to catch the real beauty of the ocean.”

“Pardon?”

“The real beauty is actually experiencing it.” Junhong leant a little closer to the elder girl. “I dare you to run as far into the water as you can.”

Jae furrowed her brows as she scoffed at such a ridiculous idea.

“Scared? I’ll go with you, then.”

“I don’t even know you.”

“You don’t have to know me to do it.”

“You’re crazy.” Jae sniggered.

Junhong shrugged, “There’s nothing wrong with being a little crazy. You game?”

Jae thought for a minute and rolled her eyes as the wolf whistles continued. “Do you know them?”

“Maybe. So, what’s it to be?”

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t think, just do it.”

Jae looked towards Junhong’s extended palm. For some reason she had the urge to run away from the situation.

“C’mon, I already gave up my lollipop for you, give up your time for me.”

“Lollipop?” Jae asked, laughing as she remembered Jinah.

“Yes. It was actually meant for me, the lollipop.”

“Oh..uh.”

“Don’t think.” Junhong stated, grabbing the girls’ hand.

A scream was heard, followed by laughter.

..

“Do you think she knows?” Daehyun asked Jongup, as they watched the couple.

“No.”