i'm not usual people.

“I’m Kim Myungsoo, Miss Amber,” Myungsoo introduced himself, “and when you get off this train, you’d be thankful you shared compartment with me.”

Amber just scoffed. “Your name sounds Asian,” she said, examining his looks, “and you look Asian.”

“Well, your name sounds American, and your look seems American as well,” Myungsoo blurted back. Amber leaned back and crossed her leg. She was pretty confused yet impressed by this young lad in front of her. He does know how to speak, she thought, and pretty cute too. Amber quickly shook off the last thought, remembering he was barging in into her private compartment and he banged her head on the wall, also.

“I’m half Chinese, though,” Amber added.

There was a long pause after that. Amber did her best to not look too interested in Myungsoo by keeping her sight on the window. On the other hand, Myungsoo was shamelessly and obviously staring at her, making her uncomfortable.

When she was about to ask him why he was staring at her like that, Myungsoo suddenly asked,

“So tell me, Miss Amber, what made you rushing to catch a train when having a haircut?” His question made her speechless for indeed she was having her hair cut when a courier sent her a message that her mother was ill then she rushed to train station right away. How could he know?

“How could I know?” Myungsoo voiced her thought loudly. “Well, I’m quite observant, you know. I’m a detective.”

“You? A detective? Did I hear you right? You’re too messy to look like one,” she said honestly. Myungsoo just shrugged it off. “My mother is badly ill now, she needs me,” she mumbled, moving her stare to the window again.

“I’m sorry to hear that. But that was definitely not the reason why you ran away from home, was it?” Amber turned her head to him in surprise.

“How could you...? Okay, maybe you’re a detective. You should’ve tidied up a bit so I wouldn’t have to doubt you,” she admitted. “Tell me how you know all that,” she commanded.

“Simple. You have quite a few of strands of hair with the same colour as yours on the back of your collar and shoulder, which saying that you just had it cut but you were rushing so the barber didn’t have time to clean those up from your shirt. However, your luggage was carefully packed and you were carefully dressed, then you must have not been rushing when you left your house. You dressed up like a boy. Why? I assumed that it’s your way to not get caught easily by...your father’s men, maybe? I’m not so sure of that one. Maybe you just like dressing as a boy. I figured that you’re from a pretty well-off family because if you’re not, you couldn’t afford the first class. And one last thing that made me sure you’re on runaway,” he leaned forward towards her.

“Your eyes are badly swollen, you must have cried hard last night,” he finished with a cocky smile. “Now tell me your story.”

She was still in amazement and his last words just got her off guard. “W-Well, it’s... it’s a long story,” she stuttered.

“We have all night, and I’ve slept enough just now,” Myungsoo insisted. “If you don’t want me to do other things to you, then you should tell me your story.”

Amber glared at him, but she was already sure that even this person in front of her is such a weirdo, he wouldn’t do anything bad to her. Moreover, telling secret to a stranger is much easier than to your close ones, isn’t it?

So they spent all night talking. Amber told him her story. She was on runaway indeed. After her parents divorced, she had been living with her father. However, her father had started another family and slowly estranged her from the family. He was never rude; never slapped her, or hit her, or anything. He just simply didn’t care anymore. Watching him snuggling with her step-mother and step-younger sister was already torturing, being alienated made her life felt like hell. Her mother would always be there for her though, Amber knew. Her mother was too scared to ever flirt with anyone now, thanks to Amber’s father. So she ran away from him, she chose to live a humble life with her mother, rather than in the castle-like house with her father. However, her mother had a really weak body and fell sick often. This one was the worst.

Amber knew, even though she wouldn’t ever admit, that the chance for her mother to get through this ill was very slim. This kept bothering her, like a tiny voice in the back of her head, refusing to be ignored. This worried her as hell, giving her nightmares when she sleeps and foul mood when she’s awake.

If her mother wouldn’t make it...

“How sick is she?” Myungsoo asked, his stare piercing through Amber’s heart. She got a feeling that this guy could read her mind, not to mention he was so interfering as well.

“She’s sick,” Amber didn’t give answer he wanted, so he asked once again,

“Like how sick?” he insisted.

“You know,” Amber took a deep breath as her eyes started get watery, “usually people regret asking me that question, and they apologize.”

“I’m not usual people,” Myungso stated sternly. “I just want to know what you are going to do if she won’t make it.”

Amber looked down as the tears started to fall. Yes, by leaving her father’s house, going back there wasn’t even a choice anymore for her. If her mother wouldn’t make it, then she would have nothing left. She had prepared a plan and also some back-up plans. She always loved the bridge near her mother village... She always loved the view.

“Jump off the bridge? If your mother won’t make it, you will jump off bridge? Or will you run onto a train?” Myungsoo blurted.

She stood up and grabbed his collar. “Stop jinxing it, would you?!” Amber raised her voice at last. She was panting heavily and crying a river. After being taken aback for couple of seconds. Myungsoo’s eyes softened as he put his hands on Amber’s shoulders.

“I don’t mean to jinx it, but I saw that look before, that depressed and desperate look of yours,” he muttered softly. He frowned a bit, like he was reminded by some thought he’d rather to forget. Amber let go of him and slowly sat back. She watched his changed expression closely.

“It was really stupid of her to...to do such thing,” Myungsoo shifted his gaze to the window, looking surprisingly vulnerable for the first time. He stayed spacing out for minutes until he finally cleared his throat awkwardly,

He started again with different tone, “Just don’t do whatever you were thinking just now. Just don’t. You’re a freaking imbecile if you do that.” There were so many complicated things in his voice; worries, sorrow, loneliness, and even hate. That made Amber wondering who the girl he was talking about was.

“Have you ever been told that you’re annoying and very interfering?” Amber asked with a sincere slight smile on her lips.

Feeling relieved the topic had been changed, Myungsoo put on a bigger grin, “And have you ever been told that you really look like a boy?”

Amber chuckled, “Yeah, I got that a lot, my mother is the only person who keeps saying that I’m beautiful. Well, she’s my mother, after all.”

“Your mother has a pair of good-and-unbiased eyes, I see,” Myungsoo said slowly. Amber burst into laughter while wiping the tears from her face.

“Please, don’t start talking sweet to me. It’s making me giddy.” She shrugged frantically as she felt ticklish all of sudden because of what Myungsoo just said. She continued with sighing, “O boy, we both have mood swings!”

The train whistled loudly, signing that they had arrived at their destination. The sudden noise of people taking their luggage and preparing to get out of the train could be heard clearly from the outside of compartment. On the window, people were waiting for their relatives or friends to get out from the train, holding out boards with names.

Myungsoo glanced outside, feeling somewhat displeased. He turned to look at Amber and found her staring back at him. Both of them were hesitant to end their brief meeting.

“Well, we’re here,” Amber finally muttered. Then she stood up and started to take out her luggage from the top drawer. Myungsoo, being gentlemen, helped her to carry those huge suitcases of hers out. They hopped off the train soon afterwards and were greeted by the noisy sound of busy people.

“It’s time for us to part ways, apparently,” Myungsoo said while looking around the platform. He turned to Amber and smiled.

“One last question, Myungsoo,” Amber paused for a while, contemplating whether she should ask it or not. Myungsoo raised his eyebrows. “Who was she?” Amber finally let out the question she had in her mind.

Myungsoo surprisingly chuckled. “She’s a lot like you, you know, and you just reminded me of how much I missed her,” Myungsoo looked down to stare into Amber’s eyes. “She’s my sister.”

Amber nodded, feeling somehow relieved. “I’m sorry for your lost,” she stated after a while. Myungsoo just smiled at her, a soft smile that Amber had never seen before.

“All I ask, Miss Amber,” Myungsoo began, “is for you to not do anything stupid no matter what happens. You will break my heart if you do. I’m not kidding nor flirting,” he said in serious tone. “And I pray for your mother to get well soon.”

“Don’t worry; I’ve changed my mind about that, thanks to you,” Amber’s lips pursed into a smile.

“That’s a relief,” said Myungsoo. “Goodbye, then,” Myungsoo held out his hand towards Amber. Amber stared at it for a second and quietly took it and shook it.

“Will we meet again, Myungsoo?” she questioned, more likely to herself. Myungsoo slowly bent down and kissed Amber’s hand.

“I’ll see you when I see you, Miss Amber,” he muttered sweetly and smiled. People were looking at them because Amber was still wearing boy’s clothes and it was a weird sight to see a guy kissed another (look-like) guy's hand. Even though Amber was sure that Myungsoo realized their stares, he acted like he didn’t. She was touched by that.

Then Myungsoo straightened his back, swung his leather bag over his shoulder and walked away. Amber watched him disappearing in the crowd. When she looked at something that stuck on her hand, she smiled.

It was Myungsoo’s address with a ‘send me a letter’ neat handwriting.

She would never admit that she was indeed thankful she shared compartment with him.

uhh... i don't even dare to reread the part two.

but i hope it's entertaining enough for you Dx!

if it's not...well, i was just trying to write something different.

thanks for reading :)