You know what’s wrong with taking the bus? Not the bus itself, although that’s sometimes a problem. The actual problem is waiting for the bus. Especially the one that I take. It’s normal to walk 2 or 3 blocks before finally getting on an already half-full bus.

And the amount of time to walk is about the same amount of time it takes the Kingka to catch up.

I was hoping…no, praying that he would just remain behind me, but god seems to think I’m very insignificant, since Taemin was walking next to me listening to his own music, with his groupie following behind. I could practically hear the gossip through my headphones, and that’s quite a feat to pull.

“Hey, you’re really not helping me, can you please go away,” I said under my breath knowing full well he’d be able to hear me.

He turned to look at me. I had spoken to him, but I kept my face forward not wanting anyone behind to realize whether or not we were talking. Drama for something not-at-all dramatic.

“I want to talk, and I’m annoyed because of all these people following me.”

“My darling kingka, we’re in different leagues, we cannot be friends. Please leave me to my peaceful unknowing existence.”

“We don’t need to be friends at school, but we can talk after school; can we not? Or is that forbidden too?” His voice was hard and from the little I knew about his personality, he was getting more and more pissed off.

“I-” I sighed. He didn’t seem bad – probably wasn’t. But, I can’t afford my search to be pulled to a halt, if I began to trust more.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t”

“You can’t? Or you won’t?” his laugh laced with dark humor. “After school? What’s so important after school?” He was definitely annoyed by my evasiveness.

“I always got to a café. Nothing important, but it’s my alone time.” Wasn’t a lie exactly…it was just me retaining some information – that surely was not relevant to this conversation.

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not.”

“Then, you won’t mind me tagging along?”

Damn, walked right into that one. Yes, I’d mind very much. “Sure, but won’t people notice?”

“They might, but the closest café isn’t exactly a couple of blocks away.”

“I go to an internet café.”

“You go to Civil Play?”My eyebrows shot up.

“You know Civil Play?”

“Do you always do that? Answer a question with a question?” He chuckled. “Yes, I know Civil Play, it’s very nice.” His tone was soft and borderline unaffectedness.

I kept my eyes foreword and tone disinterested.

“Mmmm…looks like Civil Play it is, but I need to stop by at home,” I prayed he would leave me knowing that I was going home.”

“Really? I’ll wait for you,” he turned his head and flashed me a grin.

Guess I had no choice then.

“Mmmkay, get 4 stops down and it’s the condo building to the left.”

“Okay.”

And we continued the rest of our walk to the bus stop silently. Two busses had already passed, both having been full. I didn’t understand him, why was he so insistent?

There was absolutely nothing interesting about me. I portrayed the image of a regular quiet insecure nerd. No one paid me mind or any attention to me before, why was he? What’s more, why did he notice so much that even my friends were ignorant to?

We stood at the stop standing side by side.

There was a huge group of people also walking towards the stop, when the bus came. Cue the stampede. As soon as the bus came to a stop in front of us, we were already surrounded by a group of people pushing and shoving in attempts to get on.

Someone pushed me from behind and I tripped over my own feet and pitched backwards, only to be stopped by someone standing directly behind me. He grabbed me and steadied me. I turned my head – oh of course, like every high school cliché, he had to have caught me.

He smiled and let me on the bus before him, before getting on himself.

We stood near the front, holding the bars as the bus began moving, only stopping at the exits passengers signaled.

There was still a lot of pushing and shoving, but near the front, it was very unlikely that you would fall.

We were a minute away from my stop and a lot of people got off with transfer to take the next bus, so it would be very inconspicuous for him to get off and no one to realize it.

I nudged him and pressed the stop button so the driver would know that we had to get off at the next one. The bus turned a corner before coming to a stop, and we got off and walked.

Me ahead of him towards a large white brick building, when observed from the opposite side was made of glass.

Home Sweet Home.

A place where being alone really sunk in. Sigh.