“You never told me why you chose to help me,” Seryung stopped walking and lowered her head. She tried to feign a smile but the throbbing in her arm depleted her energy and gave her a headache.

“You didn’t have to help. You could have pretended you didn’t see me. I hadn’t seen you. If I had, I wouldn’t have blamed you for walking away. They just wanted cash. I could have just given them my bag and tired to run away. I’m a pretty fast runner. They would never catch me.”

“If I didn’t, your arm would still be okay and we wouldn’t be going to the hospital.”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it. You’re avoiding the answer! I want to know why you would try to help someone you hate!”

Tao cringed when her voice rose. She was asking earnestly almost as if she didn’t know. ‘I don’t hate you…’  Tao smiled at himself. He’d learnt Wushu in hopes of becoming strong. He’d wanted to mask all his weaknesses. He was never been strong to begin with. He’d always been the weak one. He’d always been the first to waver. The first to run away. The first to dash in without thinking – he was rash. He was also a coward, and Wushu could never mask his cowardice.

“You were in trouble. Even if I hate you, I’m not terrible enough to ignore a girl in trouble.”

Seryung nodded. She dropped his arm, all forms of energy left her face. “Can you not hate me? Being hated by everyone is hard…” Seryung trailed off and stared at the ground as she waited for a response. ‘If he agrees not to hate me. I’ll go to the hospital. If not, I’ll leave.’ She wagered the one thing she hated the most for his friendship.

Tao sighed and ruffled his hair. He hadn’t expected her to turn into a zombie. She’d always been endearingly energetic albeit annoying. Hana would have his neck for hurting her friend. He imagined how strongly Hana would nag him about the mishap. He had no doubt that news would reach her.

“I won’t hate you, as long as you get your arm treated. It looks horrible, and who knows if you leave it like that. You might need it amputated.”

Seryung smiled, visiting the hospital would be bittersweet. She didn’t know how she’d cope with ghosts around. She would loose her mind. Her treatment was the least of her worries. She nodded reluctantly to the deal, and prayed no one would die within at least a six-kilometer radius of her.

“I-I don’t like the hospital… I might… Act strangely.”

Tao laughed and patted her head. “It doesn’t matter as long as your arm is treated I don’t care how you act.”

“I might be afraid too…”

“Afraid? Who? You? How is that possible? You willingly tried to stand in the way of a Wushu staff.”

“I was planning to stop it!”

“How? With your head?”

“He was trying to hit your head!”

“So you wanted to become a sacrifice?”

“No! I wanted to save you, you dummy!”

“Why? Don’t you hate me too?”

Seryung blinked and surveyed him carefully as much as she didn’t like him. She didn’t hate him enough to watch his skull crack open and to see his ghost… Seryung shivered.

“I see you’ve got your answer.” Tao shrugged the rest of the possible conversation away. He’d been planning to make a visit to his new school some time during the middle of the day but now he didn’t have to. Not that he minded. He was still trying to save up for the uniform which cost a fortune.

It baffled him how his parents and Hana’s parents thought it was okay to send him to such a snooty school. They wanted him to receive a good education. He could understand that, but what he didn’t understand was why it had to be at such an expensive school. His parents couldn’t even afford to send him there. Hana’s parents were paying for his tuition. He was like a son to them, he was aware of that, but he couldn’t help feel extra poor around Hana’s family who lived in a house with a back garden in Seoul! Not every Seoulite could afford that kind of place. 

Hana’s family was rich. Tao’s were average and Sehun? Tao looked toward Seryung whom was richer than Hana was. And that’s why Hana's marriage was deemed to be a good prospect. Tao however thought differently. Sehun wasn’t meant for Hana. He was too stiff and Hana wanted love. Tao sighed, that love story was a recipe for disaster. He knew he’d have to step in, and save Hana at some point.

-

Riding the bus had been a new experience for Seryung, and Tao was well aware of it because she seemed uncomfortable. He didn’t understand how she could have survived so many years without public transport.

“We’ve got a driver so I don’t need to take these kind of things… But I’d like to travel on a bus. What my parents don’t know won’t hurt them!”

Tao was taken aback by this statement all together. He tried to imagine what her parents would be like. They dressed in hanboks, and were about 18^th century, in their way of thinking, but who was he to judge them?

“So you’ve never taken the bus? Ever?”

Seryung shook her head and turned to him. “Have you?” She asked curiously. Tao chuckled and nodded. He’d been traveling by bus or train or a cycle for as long as he could remember. Taking the car was a hassle in China. The roads were too busy and petrol wasn’t cheap. He recalled his parents taking the bus to work until they’d finally saved up for a car. He’d been about six years old then.

“Of course I have!”

Seryung pursed her lips. She could have sworn he was making it up to show off. She didn’t know anyone who’d taken a bus, ever! There were stories about drunk people, druggies and the like. No one really took the bus. They just pretended they did to look cool, or to look tough. However, Seryung wasn’t going to probe him further about the matter because he’d chosen to sit down onto the bench. She made a face. She’d passed bus shelters in her car and she’d seen different types of people sitting on the very spot Tao had sat on. She didn’t know if it was hygienic enough to take a seat there because there was no doubt that someone would have sat there during the mornings rush hour.

“Do you want to sit?” Tao asked indicating to the space beside him. He raised his shaved brow questioning when she shook her head and avoided looking at him. He decided she was a strange creature indeed. She was injured, yet refused to sit and relax. Although he didn’t know why, he had a feeling she was going to insist on standing inside the bus too, and if she was telling the truth about not taking the bus before she would most definitely be in for a surprise when the bus lurched.

Tao scratched his head, he suspected he’d have to baby-sit her in the bus and as cute as it seemed, he wasn’t too keen about the idea.

“Do you have change for the fare?” Tao asked suddenly. His hands traveled towards his bus card. He knew he was safe, but he was anxious about her lack of public traveling experience.

Seryung turned to look at him. She wasn’t aware that buses took fares, but she wasn’t going to tell him that because he was already giving her a patronizing look.

“I have a card…” Seryung exhaled slowly when Tao nodded, and relaxed. She wondered what the big deal about the bus was for him to question her about things like ‘change.’ She didn’t have change. She didn’t carry things like coins because they were heavy. She only carried her cards: her visa card, her gold master card, her gym membership card, and the various points cards for various shops she liked.

Tao relaxed in his seat. ‘At least she’s got a bus card. Not bad for a rich kid.’ He thought about how long he’d have to accompany her. Bringing her to the hospital was something he’d brought upon himself after hurting her. He wasn’t planning to pay for her hospital fees because she was well able to afford those herself, and he needed his money to buy a uniform.

Tao made a face, the uniform would be as costly as hospital bills and that just showed how snooty the school was. He didn’t want to go there at all! There were plenty of schools in Seoul but he had no choice. He’d initially agreed because Hana was being bullied, and he wanted to help her, but Hana had found help in Oh Seryung.

 Tao wasn’t sure about this rich kids intentions. When he'd first heard about her he'd admired her. She seemed pleasant, but now that he was acquainted she seemed to bring more trouble than anything. He couldn't ensure Hana would be happy in the Oh's house in Sehun's clutches. As if on cue, his phone buzzed in his pocket. ‘Speak of the devil!’  Tao grinned and sure enough there was a message from Hana.

Where are you? Didn’t you come to school? – Hana

Tao made a face. She would nag him for the rest of the day if he admitting to bunking. It wasn’t entirely his fault! He didn’t have a uniform, yet and he wasn’t ready to flaunt his less-than-privileged status with the rich kids. They’d mock him! He knew that because he mocked them for not knowing about things like a bus.

Not today, I was planning to but I ran into your friend, the owl grabber. She was in some trouble so I decided to be nice and helped out. We’re going to the hospital now. – Tao

Hospital?! What happened? Are you both okay? Is it serious? – Hana

Nothing life threatening but your friend might have to survive with a cast on her arm for the next few weeks. – Tao

A cast? Oh wow… I’m not going to ask for details but take care of her okay. There’s something, I might need to apologize to her for… - Hana

Oh? What’s that? – Tao

You’ll find out once you start school. – Hana

Makes me want to keep away already. I’m not becoming that one poor kid. – Tao

You don’t have to be. You’re going to be backed financially. Didn’t we agree that you could pretend to be an ‘equal?’ – Hana

An ‘equal…’ How deceptive! I like it but I don’t. Anyway, I’m off to drop your friend to the hospital and buy that uniform. I’ll see you when you get home. Feel free to drag me to school tomorrow. – Tao

It doesn’t matter, no ones going to care ‘how rich’ you are as long as you’re ‘rich.’ If they find out you’re poor then they’ll probably lose it. Delete these messages by the way. You don’t want someone to read them. – Hana

My life’s biggest problem, someone finding out I’m not rich! #sarcasm – Tao

It can get pretty scary. I have to do something. I’ll chat to you later, bye. #RememberToGetTheUniform! – Hana

#WillDo #WillDo #Bye – Tao

“Is that our bus?” Seryung asked as Tao flailed his arm. He ignored the ignorant question until the bus had stopped beside them. Seryung watched the door open automatically, and nodded to herself. The bus wasn’t as strange as she’d heard it would be. She wanted to inspect it more before entering, but Tao was ushering her inside with his hands on her shoulders.

“Let’s go, quick, quick,” he urged Seryung above the step,s and pointed at the place she should have swiped her card against. Seryung blinked and stared to where he was pointing cluelessly.

“What?” Seryung asked bewildered as the driver narrowed his eyes at them.

“Your bus card,” Tao pointed again. He inclined his head at the driver who was now tapping his fingers against the window.

“I don’t have a bus card,” Seryung frowned. She didn’t recall ever having bought something like that. ‘Why does he think I have a bus card?’

“Are you kids going to pay or not?” The driver snapped. He scrutinized Seryung’s school uniform and deduced she was skipping school, which led him to believe that these kids were up to no good.

“We’re paying!” Tao shot Seryung a stern look and bowed in apology to the driver. Tao rummaged his pockets for change and bought Seryung’s ticket. He grimaced at his hindsight as he scanned his bus card and apologized once more to the driver. Seryung clenched her jaw and meekly apologized too while not knowing why she needed to apologize. She peered at Tao from the corner of her eyes and wondered what the big deal was.

Tao ruffled his hair feeling agitated that they’d caused an unnecessary commotion. He bowed at the passengers who were giving them dirty looks too. At this time of the day, the bus should have been empty because rush hour was hours away, but no one ever said that elderly passengers, who were going about their business, wouldn’t occupy the buses. The seats were full as the occupants chattered away about their routine, and their grandchildren.

Tao slipped his hand into the hanging strap, and indicated for Seryung to hold the nearest one. Seryung scrunched her nose and stared at the loop wondering how many germs were on it. The thought made her stomach turn. She scooted over to where Tao stood. “How can you just hold onto that? Is it even hygienic?”

Tao arched an eyebrow, “So you’re saying it’s not sanitized?” He was both amused, and bewildered that she’d reached such a conclusion, but he decided he no longer wanted to be surprised by what rich kids said or did because he’d have to pretend to be one of them too.

“Why do you think that? If it was diseased, they’d have done something about it. Do you think it reflects well on the country if people end up contracting illnesses from holding onto the hanging straps?”

Seryung pursed her lips, ‘I know I won’t get sick… It’s just the idea of how many people were touching those things before me.’

She decided not to share her thoughts will Tao. The bus made her feel unwelcome just like the driver had when he snapped at her. ‘Getting the bus to the hospital… You’re really not going to get out of this are you?’ Seryung groaned quietly to herself as the bus flew forward almost knocking her down.

Tao rolled his eyes. He’d suspected as much and had prepared to catch her. “And this is why,” Tao pulled her upright and coiled her fingers around the hanging strap, “These things were invented.” Seryung made a face and unwound her fingers from it only to have Tao place his hand over hers to ensure she didn’t let go.

“If you go flying again, I’m not going to catch you. Safety first,” he scolded. Seryung flushed and looked away, ‘He’s holding your hand…’  Seryung lowered her gaze. She could feel the heat that had set in her cheeks and her ears were starting to burn too. She played with her feet to distract herself, but when the bus came to a halt she felt herself slip at the suddenness.

Tao chuckled quietly to himself. He’d caught her for a second time and just then, an old lady offered Seryung her seat much to the rich kid's embarrassment.

“Are you sure you don’t want to sit down? You seem rather uncomfortable standing. I have a granddaughter your age so seeing you stumble makes me sad. Here sit down.”

Seryung shook her head and flushed, “N-no, it’s okay, I’m fine, really,” she tried to excuse herself and pretended she couldn’t hear Tao chuckle at her expense. The elder didn’t seem to like this.

Seryung slid her hand away to stifle a giggle as the elder smacked Tao with her bag. “This is why I say boy's can’t do. Don’t you see your girlfriend wants to stand with you? You don’t even know how to hold her properly.”

Tao clenched his teeth as the rest of the passengers looked their way in great interest. Seryung shook her head and her good hand, “I’m not his girlfriend. Really, it’s okay.”

“No, its not,” snapped another elder voice that came from behind the two students. “That’s not how you hold a girl!”

Seryung clicked her tongue as the bus unanimously decided to agree on the same thing. She looked to Tao for help but he avoided her eyes and she could see the annoyance etched onto his features. He was bothered by it but he still obeyed the elders advice and when the elder lady pushed Seryung towards him and made him loop his arm around her waist, he did so without aggression.

Seryung held her breath. ‘What is going on?’  She wondered as the bus clapped for them. She flushed as she felt another elder tug at her arm. “No!” Tao suddenly interjected. He shook his head at the elders who were having fun at pairing Seryung with him. “She hurt her arm,” he pointed hoping they would stop. He sighed with relief when they muttered at him and left her alone.

“Thank you,” Seryung whispered. Her face was still burning at the proximity, and the nature of their stance.

“For what?” Tao muttered, he pursed his lips and told himself there were only two stops left. He could handle the ahjumma’s and the rich kid for two stops.

“For saving me, and for helping me till now.”

The driver suddenly slammed his foot onto the breaks. Tao clenched his jaw and tightly held her before she slid to the front of the bus. He stiffened when he felt her arm wrap around him, and her head sink into him.

“Danger. Young miss, you’re in danger.”

Seryung scrunched her nose and tried to negate the strong scent of blood. “Someone just died,” she whispered quietly. She shut her eyes but sensed the ghost’s presence.

“Young miss, I’m warning you. You’re in danger.”

Seryung shook her head. She heard the leaking of blood. It leaked from the body and onto the road. She heard the flow of the viscous liquid as it seeped. Its scent was overpowering and it made her dizzy. ‘Twelve meters away, a black car and a jaywalker… An accident and a sudden death… Why does this happen to me? Why me?’

“Make it stop,” Seryung whispered as she clung onto the back of Tao’s shirt, “Please!”

Tao furrowed his brows. He didn’t understand what was wrong with her but there was a sense of desperation in her voice that confused him because he didn’t know why. He patted her back as the passengers around them all complained about the sudden breaking. They were talking to the driver about it. Tao couldn’t hear the details because Seryung had begun to sob.

“What’s wrong? I can’t do anything if you don’t tell me what’s wrong,” Tao murmured. “Are you going to tell me?”

Seryung grimaced and coughed. She could taste the metal now. It ran thick, warm, and overbearing. Seryung covered and gagged. It was getting stronger now.

“I won’t leave until you look at me. It will only worse if I don’t leave.”

Seryung stumbled backwards and caught the seat behind her. She stared at he ghost, “What do you want?”

The ghost grinned and pointed to his injuries. “I tried to run across. Almost made it, but that driver didn’t slow down and now look at me. I’m bleeding everywhere, but that’s not the point young miss. The point is that there’s someone after you. Someone wants to hurt you, you need to be careful young miss. Don’t trust anyone! It’s dangerous.”

Seryung nodded and massaged her temples. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

The ghost grinned an almost toothless grin. His nose was broken. His left eye was bruised. His cheek was swollen. His clothes were matte with blood, and there was a small gash in his head.

“I’m sorry for troubling you. We ghosts don’t mean it. It just sort of happens. I can’t fix what’s broken but I can help.” Seryung tensed as the ghost came towards her as he did her brain panicked and her senses arched to the moon. She quivered, “Go, go away!”

The ghost’s eyes were resting on her broken arm. He placed his hand on her arm and looked at her pitifully, “I’ll go now, you’ll feel better once I’m gone but remember my warning. There’s someone who wants to hurt you. An evil aura comes from a sinister fellow. You must be careful.”

Seryung nodded impatiently. Her vision was fading as her senses grew stronger. Her body trembled and she proceeded to sit herself onto the seat behind her. She held her head and restricted her breathing. Someone was calling her name but she could only hear a horn, screeching tires, a collision, blood and a warning. She didn’t remember screaming but hurt afterwards; she couldn’t recall fainting either but she’d done just that.

Tao took a deep breath as he gathered her limp body. Her forehead was still etched with worry and the color had drained from her face, he shook lightly her in his arms, “Yah!” He prayed she would wake up but she was still unconscious. His eyes traveled to her injury, ‘You shouldn’t have gotten involved Tao, what is this anyway? She must be schizophrenic…’

“I think you should call an ambulance,” one of the elders advised him.

“Why do we need to call for one? There was an accident up ahead. Maybe they can use the same ambulance.”

Tao’s expression darkened. “I’ll bring her. It’s okay,” he knew he was lying when he got of the bus with an unconscious girl in his grasp. He paused to stare at the scene of the accident. There was a police car and an ambulance and although Tao couldn’t see anything properly he knew, from the grave looks on everyone’s faces, that something terrible had happened.