Kim Jinwoo threw himself on the sidewalk, looking tired and bewilderment. It was the first day of his trip in Venice and he was never good in directions. Taehyun, his best friend, was right when he told him to not go by himself. He would get lost easily.

Now here he was, sitting on an unknown sidewalk, drenched with sweat and water that spilled from his water bottle when he drank. He was a bit panting after walking around for almost three hours in the same area. He could just ask anyone, since there are a lot of people were passing by, but his English was not that good, and he was unfortunately a shy person, so he could not approach people and ask for direction without getting nervous and greedy.

“You look lost.” Someone said from his right side, unexpectedly speaking in Korean, so he could understand and turned around to look at the person. “You’re from Korea, right?” The person asked, with an overflowing grin painted on his face.

Jinwoo raised one of his eyebrows, thinking that he might be just imagining things. But then the person sat down beside him. Jinwoo leaned back a bit, still did not want to get too close to stranger.

“You must be from Korea. I guess you understand what I’m saying, right?” The person, who was a tall boy with small eyes, said again, turning his face to Jinwoo, and now with a smile on his thin lips.

Jinwoo was quite hesitant to answer, but he answered anyway. “Yes, I’m from Korea.”

The person smiled wider. “Whoa, so I was right? Cool!” He said, almost too excitedly. “What are you doing here? You look lost.”

Jinwoo always kept what his family and friends said in his mind, ‘Don’t ever tell or admit to strangers that you get lost, just stay cool and pretend that you deliberately go there, and ask them some place that you know, just as an excuse that you’re on your way there.’

“No, I don’t. I’m just walking around.” Jinwoo said, looking away and tried to look cool.

The person chuckled. “But you look lost.”

Jinwoo, who was trying to relief his panic by drinking, choked. Do I really look lost? He thought.

“But, that’s good if you don’t. I hope you have a nice trip here.” The person said again, fixing his snapback and backpack, and walked away.

Jinwoo did not know why, but he automatically got up and walked, following that person. He walked quitely, hoping the person to walk faster and just left him, but it did not happen as he wanted to. The person stopped walking and turned around.

“Are you following me?” That person said, raising one of his eyebrows.

Jinwoo startled, but he managed to reply. “Nope, I really want to go this way.”

That person nodded. He turned around again and continued walking.

And so Jinwoo continued walking to the same direction.

Knowing that Jinwoo was following him, the boy fasten his steps, nearly ran, but Jinwoo did the same.

“Where are you going acually?” That person turned around and found Jinwoo who was panting after walking faster.

“I don’t know, okay? Yes you were right! Im lost!” Jinwoo said a little too loud, making the person step backward with a surprise look on his face, but then he chuckled. “Why are you laughing?” Jinwoo asked, irritated.

“You just admitted that you were lost.” That person said, grinning.

Jinwoo rolled his eyes. “You happy?”

The boy did not laugh or mock or do anything to him except smiled and approached him. “Why would I be happy for that?”

Jinwoo looked away. “Because you look like you would. And I look like a loser.”

The boy shook his head and smiled. “My name is Seunghoon. Lee Seunghoon.” He finally introduced himself, offering a hand for a handshake.

Jinwoo shyly received the offer and they shook their hands. “I’m Kim Jinwoo.” He replied, did not dare to look at Seunghoon in the eyes because he was a bit embarrassed.

“Nice to meet you, Kim Jinwoo,” Seunghoon smiled, “from Korea.”

Jinwoo glanced at the boy and caught the smile. He suddenly felt a strange warm in his heart. And that was the time when he realized that Lee Seunghoon was fine, not that kind of strangers his family or his friends told him.

***

So Seunghoon helped him to find his hotel. They unexpectedly stayed in the same hotel, on the same floor, rooms next to each other’s, and only one hour check-in time difference (Seunghoon was the first to check-in in that hotel).

“Are we meant to be?” Seunghoon asked non-chalantly, when they were about to enter each other’s room. He grinned, the same grin Jinwoo witness the entire day they ended up spend together.

“I don’t know.” Jinwoo replied and shrugged. He opened his room. “See you tomorrow?”

“What’s your plan for tomorrow?” Seunghoon asked again as he opened his own door.

Jinwoo shrugged. “Rialto Bridge, Saint Mark’s Basillica, Grand Canal?”

“Sounds like a good idea.” Seunghoon smiled.

“Seunghoon?”

“Yes?”

“Would you like to...”

“Go with you tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“Sure.” Seunghoon said, “It’s better to get lost with a friend than alone, right?” He chuckled.

Jinwoo smiled brightly. “Right. See you tomorrow, Seunghoon.”

“See you tomorrow, Jinwoo.”

For the first time in his life, Jinwoo felt like he found a home outside Korea.

***

“Why do you travel?” Seunghoon asked. They were sitting at a small restaurant on the edge of the Grand Canal, their last destination for that day, watching the sun that was setting quietly.

“Because it makes me happy,” Jinwoo answered, “visiting new places makes me happy.”

Seunghoon nodded. “It does.”

“You? Why do you travel?” Jinwoo asked back.

“I’m searching for meaning.” That was Seunghoon’s answer.

Jinwoo frowned. He was hoping the same or similar answer as him, or at least a decent answer that people who travel would answer, but Seunghoon did not. His answer made Jinwoo want to ask more. “What meaning?”

Seunghoon looked down and smiled. “All the things that happened in our life have meanings. I’d like to know how many things I manage to learn in my life while I travel. It’s exciting.” He turned to look at Jinwoo, who was looking at him without blinking his eyes. “Have you ever heard a quote, ‘getting lost helps you find yourself’?” Seunghoon asked.

Jinwoo did not respond, but he did not need to anyway, because Seunghoon spoke again.

“I want to get lost, and find myself.” Seunghoon smiled.

There was a long silence after that. They watched the sunset quietly, enjoying the sight of orange sky and Gondola passing by, and listening to the gondolier singing some traditional songs.

“I’m afraid.” Jinwoo said out of nowhere, but he meant it.

Seunghoon did not say anything, but he looked at Jinwoo, waiting for him to continue.

“I’m afraid of getting lost.” Jinwoo added.

Seunghoon raised his eyebrows. “Why?”

“I don’t know. I don’t like being lost, but I keep being lost.” Jinwoo pouted.

Seunghoon patted Jinwoo’s shoulder. “Don’t be afraid, Jinwoo. You’ll find your way.”

Jinwoo frowned. He did not understand, but he did not want to. He would find his way, just like Seunghoon said. And he silently hoped that he would find the answer soon, together with Seunghoon.

***

It was their third day staying in Venice. They were walking together, surrounded by various historical things and beautiful Middle Ages European decoration in Correr Museum. They walked in silence, admiring the artsy interior.

“Yesterday I saw a lion kiss a deer.” Seunghoon said all of a sudden, so quietly that almost sounded like a whisper, but Jinwoo heard that.

“What?” Jinwoo asked.

“That was a parable.” Seunghoon said, still in lower voice. “That there’s nothing impossible in this world. Even a lion would kiss a deer. Something like that.” He continued walking around the museum, taking a few photos with his camera, and then smiled at Jinwoo.

“Why did you tell me that?” Jinwoo asked once they were outside the museum.

“About?”

“The lion and deer thing.” Jinwoo was curious. Seunghoon was really someone. He always succeeds on making Jinwoo confused and wanted more explanation.

“Oh, I was just saying.” Seunghoon grinned. “When you get lost again someday, don’t be afraid, okay? There’s nothing impossible, so you will find your way in everything.”

What made Jinwoo fascinated were not Seunghoon’s words, but the way Seunghoon told him those words. Seunghoon spoke casually, as if there was really nothing to worry about. As if there was nothing to be afraid of.

Knowing that Jinwoo looking at him, Seunghoon smiled. A smile that caused his cheekbones more visible (Jinwoo could say that those were his favorite part of Seunghoon’s smile).

“Seunghoon?”

“Hmm?”

“I want to get lost with you.”

***

“What’s your next destination?” Jinwoo asked while they were waiting at the airport to go back to Korea.

Seunghoon did not answer immediately, he thought about it first, and then came up with an answer. An answer that made Jinwoo speechless. “Somewhere we can get lost together.”

***

Jinwoo and Seunghoon took different flights. Because they originally did not know that they would meet each other, they already booked their flights before, and unfortunately, they had to separate.

“This is for you.” Jinwoo handed out a compass to Seunghoon. “I don’t know why I bring that, but that’s a cool compass.” He laughed.

Seunghoon smiled and took the compass. “Thanks. It’s a unique item, you know? Everyone is now using GPS, forgetting that compasses were existed.”

“See you in Korea?” Jinwoo said when he was ready to go on board, while Seunghoon had to wait half an hour more.

“Yes, see you when I see you.”

And with that, Jinwoo nodded while smiling. He was sure he would meet Seunghoon again in Korea. He could not wait to know more about Seunghoon, to share his thoughts more, to get to know the other boy’s friends and family, to actually make Seunghoon as a part of his life.

Jinwoo waved to Seunghoon and so did the other boy.

***

“Hoooome!” Jinwoo threw himself on the couch in his share apartment with his best friend, Taehyun.

“I’m actually surprised you can get back to Korea.” Taehyun sat down beside him. “How many times did you get lost there? How did you survive?”

Jinwoo laughed. “Don’t underestimate me. I made a friend there, you know?”

Taehyun let out a not-amused laugh. “Really? Well, that’s good for you.” He grabbed the TV remote on the table and the TV.

News about a plane crash burst out on the TV. It was all over all the TV channels. According to the news, it was reported 270 passengers and 15 crew members were on board the flight, en route from Venice to Seoul. The plane including all the people on board were reportedly lost in an undetected location – that the analysts said might be a forest – at the frontier line between Russia and China.

“Woah, hyung! It’s a fortunate that you did not take that flight!” Taehyun shouted, nearly jumped from his seat. He watched the news intensely, was not aware of Jinwoo’s stiff expression. “Hyung, you’re very lucky. The flight was departure half an hour after your flight…”

Jinwoo’s heart screamed one thing. Seunghoon was there! Seunghoon was on that plane! Seunghoon…! But he could not say anything. He felt as if his whole body broke into a million pieces.

He was never expected this. He was not ready for something like this. He was not ready to lose someone that he just realized had a special place in his heart. And so he cried. He let his tears flowing on his cheeks.

“Hyung? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Taehyun was confused, and kept asking. But Jinwoo was too broken to say anything.

Getting lost helped him find himself. He found himself when he met Seunghoon. Now that he did not even know if Seunghoon was still alive or not, he felt as if he had lost himself again.

***

1 year later.

Jinwoo stopped travelling. He got a permanent job in Seoul as an editor in a book publisher. He managed to build his new life and always tried to be a tough person. He never told anyone about Seunghoon. He did not want to. He wanted to keep his memories by himself. All those little things and conversations he had with Seunghoon in a very short period of time yet the most memorable moments in his life. He would never forget that, but now he was ready to let go.

There was nothing impossible, including letting go off someone that was important in his life.

***

3 years later.

“Here, an exciting travel book you need to check up to.” Mino, Jinwoo’s co-worker, said as he gave a blue-covered book to Jinwoo when they were having their breakfast at the office. “Someone sent the book three days ago. I thought it was for me, but then I found the note in the book and it was originally for you.” He shrugged.

Jinwoo took the book and the note from Mino. He read the title of the book carefully. “The art of getting lost. By Kang Seungyoon.”

“From what I know, Kang Seungyoon dedicated this book for his friend who survived from a plane crash four years ago. It’s like a mini biography. His friend told him about his travel experiences and he wrote it in a book.” Mino explained.

Jinwoo narrowed his eyes and immediately checked out the note.

Hi, Kim Jinwoo. I hope you’re doing well.
Read this book and don’t be afraid of getting lost! My friend wrote this :)
-Lee Seunghoon-

***

1 week later.

“Have you finished reading the book?” Mino asked.

“I finished it the day you gave it to me.” Jinwoo answered. “You still can’t find the sender?”

Mino shook his head. “I tried. The staff at the post office said they would try to look for the person again today.”

Jinwoo gave a little smile to Mino that was willing to help him and left the office to his favorite coffee shop. He needed his coffee to relief his stress. He was waiting for his coffee order when he smelled a familiar scent from behind him. A longing scent that he could remember clearly, that he had missed these past four years.

“You look lost.” That was too familiar for Jinwoo. The voice was too familiar, the way that person said that phrase was way too familiar.

Jinwoo turned around and tears unexpectedly came out from his eyes after he found out who was there. Lee Seunghoon was standing in front of him, with a smile that made his cheekbones more visible, holding a compass. The compass Jinwoo gave to him four years ago.

“I told you that there was nothing impossible right? Even a lion would kiss a deer.” Seunghoon said, grinning. “It’s really nice to meet you again, Jinwoo.”

Jinwoo smiled in his tears. He found himself again, and he would do anything to keep it forever.