When Baek Hana opened her eyes, the sight of tall buildings and people crowding the streets greeted her. She looked at her watch. 6:45 A.M. After slowly adjusting to the brightness of the morning, she leaned her head on the bus window and heaved a sigh. She had fallen asleep some two hours ago when it was still dark out. She wondered how her surroundings can change so drastically it was as if she was entering another world.

She hasn’t been on a lot of bus trips to Seoul, and she liked it that way. Little did she know that her second – or was it third? – time would lead her to her new home. Her friends back in Busan had warned her not to sell out now that she was going to live in Seoul. Frankly, if she had any choice in the matter, she would have stayed in Busan. But that wasn’t an option, not anymore. Instinctively, she reached for her locket around her neck. She always did that when she was feeling anxious. Her transfer to Seoul was something she had been dreading for weeks, and it finally came.

She looked around the bus and wondered if any other passenger felt the same. It was as if she was leaving an old life for a new one.

The seat next to her was empty. As a matter of fact, the bus was only half-full, and she wondered if this was a sign that most people in Busan would much rather stay there. When she looked to her left, there was also only one passenger there at the other side of their row. Hana tilted her head, instantly drawn to the vibe he radiated. It was a guy dressed in all black, bobbing his head rhythmically. He was wearing headphones so she figured he was listening to music. She gave him another once over. Musician, she thought. He also looked kind of familiar. But then again, all musicians kind of have the same look.

The guy turned his head to face her, and they locked eyes. Hana bit her lip, trying to place where she had seen him before. His eyes were neither large nor small, but they were intense; his lips fuller than most men. Despite his edgy clothes, he looked much like the boy-next door.

It was only a few seconds after, when the guy’s gaze suddenly turned into a cold stare, that Hana realized what she had been doing. She immediately looked away in embarrassment. Ya, don’t you know it’s rude to stare? Is it your first time seeing a boy, huh, Baek Hana? She muttered under her breath, mentally kicking herself.

She decided to just keep her gaze outside the window for the rest of the trip. But she was tempted to look to her side a few times, just to see if he had stopped glaring at her. Thankfully, she was able to resist the urge. The bus arrived at the station not long after, to Hana’s disappointment. She wouldn’t mind sitting in the bus for a few more hours, if only to delay reality. But that was just wishful thinking. With a heavy heart, she grabbed her suitcase from under her chair and stood up.

She was suddenly face to face with the musician-looking guy at the bus aisle, who seemed to have stood up the same time she did. Hana recoiled, startled by ho