Chapter Two – The Beginning

Although it was an overcast day, the sun’s light reflected off the dark, thick rain clouds, causing everything to be illuminated with a grey light. In the bustling Gunpo Train Station, AeSook shivered. She silently cursed herself for disregarding the umbrella by her doorstep. Small droplets of muggy rain fell lightly over the roof of the platform as passengers hurried on and off the train. “Line 1 to Seodongtan Station is now arriving. Line 1 to Seodongtan Station is now arriving; please stand clear of the platform,” AeSook looked toward the direction that the train would come whizzing into the station from. Surrounded by agitated business men and women, she was pushed into the train by the crowd. Disappointed in not getting a seat, AeSook held on for her dear life as the pack of sardines-like train began speeding away. 
            For what seemed like a lifetime, AeSook finally arrived at Suwon Station. Extracting herself from the mess of bodies, she sprinted to the other platform as the Bundang Train arrived. As the door slid shut behind her disheveled appearance, she let out a sigh of relief. Straightening herself out, she sat down in the only empty pair-seat and prepared for a rather long ride. As her eyes started to drift close, AeSook’s ear’s picked up a disturbance in the usual hum of the train. A rustling in harmony with hearty laughter, she made a face. Rubbing her eyes, she heard the noise suddenly stop, and the continuous hum of the train powered on. Peeking with one eye, she saw someone with their back turned to her, occupying the seat she sat beside. And in front of them, was a tall, towering figure. Both were wearing hoods, dark sunglasses and stylish scarves. The one standing took notice of AeSook’s sudden interest; he lifted his hat slightly, revealing a smidge of soft black hair. Lowering his sunglasses, his dark, intense eyes darted between AeSook and the person beside her, and his features contorted into a frown. “I’m sorry if we have disturbed you,” his voice was velvety soft. In a harsh whisper directed at the person in front of him, he rebuked his companion, “Look what you’ve done hyung! If you could remain just a bit calmer, people wouldn’t have noticed us!” “But Kiwi…” whined another voice, although annoying, the voice was a soothing, smooth sound. The boy beside AeSook moved his scarf slightly away from his face, turning his body so he faced the direction the chair intended him to face.
            As AeSook began to fall into the blissfulness of a well-deserved nap, her thoughts wandered over the reason in why these people would be wearing sunglasses inside an underground train and why someone would name their child Kiwi. Then she was out. The warm pillow, her missing blanket; the bed was a little less then comfortable, but somehow so peaceful. “All alone I’m crying again,” she felt a vibration against her thigh. Her pillow shifted, and something warm replaced the vibration, only to then leave much too soon. “I can’t believe you put that as your ring tone! What if someone recognized that?” “Ahh, do not worry about it Kiwi.” An irritated groan escaped her lips. “Ack. Look what you’ve done now!” scolded the first voice. “Well she needed to wake up anyways; I mean what would we say if she missed her stop?” AeSook’s eyes shot open. Her frantic gaze startled the boys. “What stop did we just pass?” she urgently whispered to the boy beside her. He brought his hand to his chin, as a slender finger rubbed at it thoughtfully. “Hmm… I can’t quite recall. But if you tell me which stop you were going to, I’ll tell you if we have passed it,” he said, smacking his fist into his palm in a rather triumphant way. A bright smile came across his features—which were framed by a startling smidge of blonde hair—as he turned to AeSook, who squirmed uncomfortably under his gaze. He let out a hearty laugh at her reaction. She nervously wringed her hands, turning her attention to the suitcase on her lap, “I’m heading to the Jumsil Station,” she muttered. A relieved sigh escaped the two boys. A slightly nervous laugh caused the two boys to stare at AeSook in curiosity. “What’s so funny?” She glanced at the boy next to her and smiled. “I just thought I missed my stop that’s all. ‘Cause if I missed it, I’d be in so much trouble…” “It can’t be that bad, you can just take the train going in the opposite direction to get back there,” he thought out loud.
            A sad smile that didn’t reach AeSook’s eyes made the boy bite his tongue. She sighed, “I have a very important meeting that I must attend.” She rubbed the handles on her suitcase. The male beside her pursed his lips, “Well if you want my opinion, I think you should calm down. I mean, it can’t be so bad that you have to get your nerves wrecked for it.” “You have some nerve,” she snapped back, “You don’t even know me, so don’t even try advising me on what I should and should not do!” she huffed. The train began slowing down. “Excuse me,” AeSook pushed pass them and walked toward the other end of the train. “Hey!” the dark haired one called out, but she was already off the vehicle. She stormed up the stairs leading to the direction in which Lotte World was.
            “AeSook-sshi, you left this on the train!” She whipped her head around—hair flying, with droplets of water twinkling in the bright sunlight—to face the two boys from earlier. They were buckled over, panting desperately for air. One had his hand clamped around her suitcase. She stormed up to the one who was sitting next to her and grabbed her bag. “How do you know my name?” she glared accusingly at them. The one with blonde hair took off his sunglasses, pulling the suitcase in AeSook’s hand up into their line of vision. He fondled a small black tag, turning it over it read in bright pink letters: Property of Kim Ae Sook. She frowned. Giving in, she muttered, “And to whom do I owe the pleasure of thanking?” He bit his lip in contemplation. “Great going hyung, how are you gonna get out of this one?” asked the taller of the two.
            “Well we can always lie about it,” he said thoughtfully, his chin with a slender finger. “But then again, that would be bad press. And just imagine what Hong Seung-sung would say if he found out! Now just watch and learn Kiwi,” he said poking the taller boy in the chest. He then turned to AeSook with a dazzling smile. Carefully folding his sunglasses, he threw back his head to move the blonde locks that dared to venture near his eyes. He bowed, slightly, still grasping her hand, and gently grazed his lips across her knuckles. Meeting her gaze once more, he smiled, “The names YoSeob.”