It was almost midnight on the way to Monday and she’s been waiting for a good 30 minutes for the last train to arrive. She shuffles to the last cart, feeling her mood lighten up a bit seeing as she the only inside. She always felt like the last train was overcrowded even with just one person aside from her in it.

Adjusting the straps of backpack and secured her headphones in place, she adjusted the volume of what she’s listening to and lost herself in the music.

She really dislikes the Sunday shift, especially when she needs to wake up again in a few hours because she has school. If only she could find another job, but who was she to be picky? Her job at the café paid her well and it was near the dance studio.

It was located near the Universities around the city so the usual patrons were students; they don’t demand for much. Mostly just a cup of coffee then they set off to their own worlds lost in stacks of papers and large text books. Plus the dance studio was being run by students as well and they teach her for free.

She was sure she couldn’t get perks like that if she worked at the supermarket a block away from their home.

Nope. She was sure she’d rather endure the 45 minutes train ride to her home, not including all the walking she has to do to get to the station, than to die of boredom bagging people’s groceries.

And as always, she hums along the music while tapping her foot and bopping her head to beat. There are times that she sings out loud, but only if she’s the only one in the train.  If only she wasn’t tired, she’s sure she would’ve done the same.

Music (aside from dancing) has always been her passion. Hence, another reason for her to work harder— going to university to pursue her dream.

Maybe one day, it won’t just be a dream.

-x-

The track on her playlist is now onto the next song, it was the theme song of an American teenage drama movie involving professional dancers. It was a song not of her native tongue, it was in English, which she tried so hard to learn.

She started of humming along, eventually singing out loud. It wasn’t as if someone would hear her anyway.

Then she found herself repeating the position that she learned earlier from one of the students at the dance studio. Body straight, one leg stretched out, foot pointed to the front; her opposite arm forming a curve above her head. She moved her body to make a spin, all while singing along to the song.

This has been one of her dreams, to perform, to share her gift of voice. It has crossed her mind a number of times to try out in South Korea’s many talent agencies, to get formal training, to debut. But she knew doing so takes money, money that she didn’t have, that her family doesn’t have. And being an idol wasn’t what she wanted to achieve, she wanted to flourish in theatre, where she knew that she will be appreciated and applauded because she knew how to sing without the help of autotune. Not that she’s judging the many idols in her country, but one cannot ignore that reality of it.

As the song and her performance were nearing their end, the final words of the song barely a whisper, her waist bended, again her foot pointed in front her, one arms loosely wrapped around her torso, she formed a bow.

So engrossed was she that she didn’t notice the person clapping for her until her headphones fell off her head. She suddenly stood upright, shock etched upon her face, she felt her whole body heat up and her cheeks most likely the same color as a tomato.

“O-ohmygod, I’m so sorry!” she stammered, as she picked up her headphones from the dirty train floor, keeping her eyes glued to it. “I didn’t know that someone else was on the train.”

She could sense the other person moving closer to her. She forcefully closed her eyes, gripping the straps of her bag, praying that the other person was not a criminal or delinquent.

“It’s ok,” came from the deep voice of her audience. “You have a beautiful voice and you dance gracefully too.”

She looked up to the bearer of the compliments and found herself wishing she didn’t instead. He was very tall and very handsome— pointed nose, dark brown hair with sided bangs, curled pouty lips. But alas, she ended up staring instead.

Luckily she found her voice once more instead of just having gaping. “Still… you must be tired and all that. I’ll keep quiet now.”

The train stopped per usual, a few passengers alighting the train heading home.

“Please. Continue. Your performance is way more interesting than sleeping,” playfully remarked the beautiful stranger. Her cheeks turned crimson yet again.

“Are you familiar with the song I was singing?”

“Actually yes, I happened to see the movie too.” The stranger confirmed. “Although a few years after since I was only 10 when it was released.”

“Not a lot of people were interested in it, well, here in Korea anyway” she pouted. “I tried to learn English determinedly so I could understand it since subtitles were not available.

“…do you speak or understand English well?”

He grinned at her before responding in the language they are talking about. “Yes. I can understand and speak it just fine. I actually grew up in the states.”

She nodded at him uncomfortably. She thinks that she may have judged her pronunciations of the lyrics now that she knew it was versed with the language. She pressed the power button of her phone and pretended to read a message from it out of embarrassment but he continued to speak to her.

-x-

 “Did you come from training?”

“Training?” she asked confused, her eyebrows scrunching.

“Are you not a trainee from an agency?”

“No. I came from work.”

“Oh? Where’s your stop?” he asked, changing the topic.

“The fourth station after this one.”

“But you rode the train at the same station as me. Your work is so far from where you live.” He commented offhandedly.

“But it’s the only job I found that pays well. Plus it’s in the university area. The students give me free dance lessons.”

“So you can audition or get scouted?”

“Uh-What?”

“The dance lessons, is it to prepare you for your audition?” he probed.

“No. Like I said I’m not a trainee. And I’m also not interested in being an idol,” she responded, somewhat harshly. “I want to be a performer, yes, but being an idol is not the way I want to reach my dreams with.”

“Do you have anything against idols or something?” he chuckled.

“Sorry. Not really. It’s just that not because I sing and I dance means I want the idol road.” She explained. “Some of us want to go to theatre.”

“Ah. So you’re aiming for theatre arts.” His head bobbed up and down in understanding. “Arasso.”

They both became quiet after that, although the silence wasn’t awkward. She could him fidgeting though but she didn’t bother to ask. She looked out the window and it was her stop coming up.

“Hey,” he called out for her attention.

“Yes?”

“I just got my phone back earlier from the service center,” he showed her his phone, waving it in his grip. “Would it be ok if I try calling your phone? I wasn’t able to test it there.”

“Why can’t you call your friends instead? Surely they will be able to tell you if they can’t hear you or whatever.”

“Please?” he pleaded, giving her his puppy dog eyes. “You’re already here so we get instant results instead of waiting for feedback.”

She took a few moments to think about his request and she surmised that there are times that she needed to live freely so she agreed.

She took his phone from him and dialled her own number. A few seconds later they could already hear her phone ringing. Instead of taking back his phone, he took hers and moved a few distance away, his finger pointing to the phone, mouthing for her to speak.

“Can you hear me now?”

“Yep. Loud and clear,” He grinned. “And your voice is still lovely even on the phone.”

She shook her head in disbelief. This stranger has given her more compliments than anyone had given her for the last month.

They returned each other’s phones and she walked towards the door to prepare to get off the train. She noticed he was just behind her.

The train was almost to her stop when she decided to do something out of the ordinary. She turned to face him, took his phone in one hand and placed her hand on his nape, pushing him down to her. Their lips meet for a short but searing kiss. His phone camera saving a copy of that moment.

She placed back his phone in his jacket’s pocket as she made her way out the vehicle.

“My name’s Johnny!” he called out to her as the train’s doors started closing. “What’s yours?”

She only gave him a smile and pointed to chest, towards his phone. “You have my number right? Call, maybe I’ll tell you then.”

He sighed in frustration as the train left her stop. He took out his phone and checked the photo she was able to take. It made him smile, the way the girl became bold when she was being so shy and reserved on the earlier part of the commute. His middle and forefinger touched his lips and he instantly remembered the kiss they shared just a while ago. He knew that he wanted more of that, to him, his lips on hers felt so right.

The train was on its last stop, his stop. He alighted the train, and while he still had a good 5 minute walk till he reaches his dorm. He dialled the number he coerced her to give him.

“Hello?” he heard her answer on the other line. She really did sound so lovely.

“Hey it’s me Johnny.”

“Hello Johnny-ssi. What can I do for you?”

“I saw the picture you took with phone,” he informs her. “I miss you already.”

He heard her gasp, probably surprise by his boldness. ‘Well she can’t be the only bold one.’ He thought.

“That’s awfully bold of you, Johnny-ssi,” She stammered.

“Says the girl who kissed a stranger!” he countered, chuckling. “So are you going to tell me your name?”

“Moon Yeong,” she whispered. “Son Moon Yeong.”

“Well Moon Yeong, it’s nice to meet you. Are you averse to dating would be idols?”