The ride of the bus journey takes about two hours, arriving just after 3 in the afternoon. We had our stop, where we had our late lunch stop around 30 minutes ago.

Haston Forest is the 4th well-known camping spot attraction in Zenoir. Located outside of the city and the nearest one to your high school compared to the top 3 forest attractions scattered in different parts of Zenoir. The main activities people here can be doing are camping, canoeing, swimming, and even throwing a barbeque parties with nature as its background. You and your other 21 classmates are on a class trip. A late minute event, just a week before your graduation ceremony and your classmates are hella excited.

You, on the other hand, have a lot in your mind. One of the things are thinking about adulthood; about what you would do after this, should you be working before entering college or take months rest helping with your grandpa’s farm? Your grandpa is at home, probably busy feeding the horses and cows. He owns a small farm outside of town with a few horses, cows, chickens and even dogs. Living with them after your parents died is a blessing because of how much negligence you lived with your parents before. Your grandpa showers you with attention and love as soon as you move in with him.

But other than that, you're as happy as you can be. After finishing your final exams of your final year of high school, now you can rest those head cramps and enjoy the trip your homeroom teacher, Ms. Jung, decided to do for a celebration of the small occasion aka the finishing the exams just last week.

The air around you is filled with youth excitement and glee.

Haston Forest is big and beautiful. The air is cleaner and everything seems calm to you. Something is pulling you, soothing the nerve and making you have the little tingles in your body. It’s something maybe the nature gives you. You’ve never been to a forest so there’s always a first in everything. The forest parts where the main compound of the camping sites are clean and proper; a lot of spacious spaces for setting up camp. This part of the forest is opened to the public.

The staff of the compound greeted us, explaining the little bit about the place, the what can do’s and don’t’s as well as the rules and regulations. There are three main sectors. Sector one is where the compound building and camping sites are. Sector one is divided into two, which is the camping sites (where people are staying) and the forest trails (for people to stroll or hike in the forest).

“The forest trails charted by the compound are essential to follow because there are closed parts that aren’t allowed to enter due to safety purposes” the staff explained. Also adding the importance of following the rule and being careful while being in the forest.

Next, is Sector Two which is the most popular part of this whole public site; Haston forest’s water activities. Due to its wide lake and river in this sector, it is where water activities are held. People can go swimming, canoeing and boat ridings. Most tourists and locals, said the staff, went to Haston’s for the fun and cooling activities in the waters. Sector Three, on the other hand, is the largest part and it is the rest part of the whole Haston forest. And that sector is prohibited to enter. Danger and high risk one’s safety are to be put into mind. It’s also where nature is most preserved.

After disassembling all the carriers and things from the bus, Ms. Jung instructed us to set our tents (with some help from the staff) before letting the students do their own free time. There are a few other families or friends at your site place but your class filled up the whole place due to your number of people. The loud noise and chatter are inevitable from the boisterous and free-willed students or what adults call you as ‘kids’.

You’re not very keen on doing the activities your classmates are doing, which a lot involves loud chattering and a lot of movements, so you just sit outside your tent (which you shared with your other three female classmates) with a book perched on your lap. While reading, you could hear your classmates’ voices and some clicking phones of taking pictures or even doing live on Instagram and posting it where the signal is at.

Everything seems nice and relaxing. After weeks of studying and coop in your room, it feels like a ton of the stress lifted off your shoulders. But there is this stress, your main stress for the past eight months. Your head rewinds back to the beginning of it all, your grandpa’s voice crawling into your head, disturbing your focus on reading.

“There’s this gentleman who wants to seek your hand in marriage after you finish school”

Marriage? As in you marrying someone? You’re barely 19 and grandpa already tells you about it. All because ‘this gentleman’ has interest in you and asks to marry you. Might you also add, that it’s out of the blue.

You’re not prepared. Absolutely not. Your mind is a whirling, your heart is wrecking, your life is still going haywire, distorted and may you say you’re still confused about the future. You’re dramatic but it’s just your life. You’re young and your energy is buzzing on your skin. You want to explore and adventure the world first before pursuing any serious commitment. Like what adults say again, you’re still a ‘kid’ and ‘young girls’ who just finished your high school.

“Seoyeon-ah, he’s a nice gentleman, good looking and, and what do you girls always say? Cute? Yes, he’s cute. He’s not some stranger anymore, you said you’d met with him before. Why don’t you give it a go”

Your grandpa’s voice is still echoing in your head during your other conversation with him. Really grandpa? I don’t even know him. Yes, maybe I had met him but I don’t really know him as a person. I don’t want to. And he’s...he’s...he’s different. You had met him once or twice or maybe thrice but only by coincidence. And maybe that one time he bought you your favourite matcha iced latte but that’s it. It’s not a date, it never was. You haven’t even talked to one another, maybe introducing names and telling where he stays or what he works — but that’s all it is. You avoid knowing more or revealing more about yourself.

You’re not prepared.

He’s mysterious in his way. Those intense dark orbs when you stare at him longer than two seconds almost telling you something, like pulling you. You admit, just a bit, that you’re curious but you’re not ready to find out. He’s different that it makes you scared, for whatever reason that giving you a warning in your head. But he’s kind. As much as you trying to avoid him, he has never shown such violent or bad speeches when talking or anything bad.

He’s a gentleman, like what your grandpa had said and what you had seen. He once had carried your groceries (that you accidentally met with his friends in the grocery store) and once sending you to your house after a late class (which he was suspiciously around the school streets at the time). He’s older, he’s mature and he’s..he’s..he’s just, well he’s different. Not your regular guy of your age. But no, you don’t want to let it be deep. You tell yourself that. Despite that, the small part of your consciousness and rationality in you is saying to ‘give it a go’, ‘let it go’ and ‘get to know him’ because you were and is curious about him.

Apparently, the man has known grandpa for quite a long time. They met many years ago. Your grandpa knows his parents. Damn, you feel like this is sort of an arranged marriage or some sort that you don’t prefer in those manga your girl classmates blabbered around during a free class. You prefer to find and fall in love with a guy you meet by yourself. No forcing or arranging for you to fall in love. Right?

Or is it just your stubbornness saying?

You sighed.

Your eyes ended up staring at the book in your lap. The page remains on the same page for the past ten minutes. From your place, you can hear the girls gossiping about fashion, cars and boyfriends, squealing about kissing, hugging and some dating trips. Hearing their girly chatting makes it more sadder knowing you’ve never fallen in love or been in a relationship yet. It’s like your heart is close, waiting for just ‘the one’.

Their topic escalated to marriage which most of them are excited about and also disagreeing with. You, yourself can’t fathom the idea of marriage right now. Not when you’re almost officially finished your high school, waiting for the official scroll in a week. Your birthday is in a few weeks, you’re gonna be another year older and waiting adulthood to knock the out of you like thunderstorms.

“Hey, what are you thinking? Care to share your thoughts?” You glance up and see one of your close friends, Park Yoojin, walking to you with her usual bright smile. She takes the seat beside you, covering her bare legs with a baby blue blanket that she brought with. She’s wearing shorts while you’re in your long pants. One look at your face and she hums, “You’re still thinking about it? What’s wrong Seoyeon-ah, it’s been like what? Eight months. Are you delaying it again?”

You just sigh at her. And yes, she knows.

She merely chuckles, enjoying your sighs. “What’s the matter though? Didn’t you say the guy is hot or cute or something? You said he’s nice. And he’s rich too, isn’t he? You said his car is an Audi, girl isn’t that your dream car?”

You give a stink eye at her, not giving in to her jokes. She laughs, nudging me by the arm teasingly and securing the blanket around her legs. The air does seem a bit colder. You zipped up your thick jacket and rub your arms with your hands for warmth.

“I’m just saying. You know it’s hard to find a successful guy that has money, who’s good looking, who’s nice. He sounds like the perfect man” she continues her usual talks, trying to persuade you to try, and also just to tease you. “He likes you and sounds serious about marrying you. And he’s not that old—wait, how old is he again? Have you told me about it? I don’t remember...” she squints her eyes at nothing, trying to recall through her memories.

You shake your head. “I didn’t. Maybe 24…I don’t know. Didn’t bother to ask grandpa. Grandpa seems to really like this guy. Like he really wants me to get married or something. Maybe he wants to get rid of me from his house”

Yoojin snorts, “Gosh, you know what, you’re being dramatic. Of course your grandpa won’t want you to leave. You’re his precious granddaughter”

“I’m his only granddaughter”

“Yup. Maybe he wants what’s best for you”

You purse your lips together, slumping in your seat and pouting unconsciously against your will. The girl chuckles and shakes her head, torn between sympathizing with you or laughing at your life. “Okay then, if you don’t want him then I want him. Do you have his picture? I want to see how he looks”

You snort at her, “You’re unbelievable. And no, I don’t”

“Shame” she shakes her head dramatically. You couldn’t help but to laugh at the absurdity of the conversation. She smiles seeing you laugh and smacks her hand on your thigh. “Yeayy, you’re smiling” she cutely links her arm with yours. You playfully nudge her, “Alright enough about this, what’s been going on with them?” you nod to the group of girls you’ve been hearing them gossiping and squealing.

Yoojin glances at them before waves her hand dismissively, “Some random legend topics they heard sprouting about the forest. They met a local saying stuff about strange things happening in sector one and sector three during this time of the month”

“They said some bizarre things about the full moon, howling, and growling and dirt scratching or something like that. You know old beliefs a