Inside the taxi, Jackson can’t help but smile. He is just so excited! He can’t believe that he is back. After two years, he is back in South Korea. After two long years, he is finally going to be at his boyfriend’s side again. Looking out at the scenery as it passes by, he can’t help but let his memory wander back to their first encounter.

The student guide is gesturing to the statue in front of them. She was explaining about the significance and importance of the person while the wide eye group in front of her are nodding and taking pictures. The group she is currently lecturing (cause that is what it is, a lecture. A dry and boring lecture) are foreign exchange students from Hong Kong. The host university had set up this ‘One Day Tour of Seoul’ to help them acclimate to their new home for the next 6 months. Although it was supposed to be voluntary, the students were ‘strongly encouraged’ to join. Having nothing better to do, Jackson agreed to join the tour. He likes exploring new places anyway. Now, he is regretting his decision.

It is not that it isn’t interesting; he just has a very short attention span. Boring things just don’t catch his attention, at all. The fact that the student guide obviously dislikes her job made it all much worst. Why should he even bother if the person in charge isn’t? Right?

“Alright! Now everyone please follow me! We are going to move to our next destination. It is just a short walk.” said the guide, already turning around and walking, “Please don’t get lost. It would just be trouble for all of us.”

Staring at her back in disgust, Jackson contemplated not following. She obviously doesn’t care. Maybe losing one of her charge would teach her some tact. As the others go around him to chase after her, he considers his option. He has his phone, a map of the city and a pamphlet from the university with theirs and other important information on it. Since it has only been a week, he still has more money in his wallet than he knows what to do with (courtesy of his parents). As he watches the last member pass him, he decides to try his luck and explore on his own. It has to be better than whatever the ‘exciting and informative tour of Seoul’ has in store.

___________________________________________________________________________

Four hours in, he thinks he should have stayed with the group. He is tired, he is lost and most importantly he can’t speak a lot of Korean words. The few words he knows are limited to basic greetings and asking for food. Somehow, somewhere he managed to wander into a neighbourhood and he can’t seem to find a way out. He would call for help but his phone died halfway through an intense game of Flappy Bird (On second thought, he should have paid more attention to his battery level than trying to keep that dumb bird alive).

Stopping at a junction, he looks to his left and right. They both look the ing same, he thought. Sighing in frustration, he decides on going right. He has taking left turns and it has taken him nowhere. Maybe a different direction would help him.

Or maybe not, he thought as he looks at the dead end in front of him. I am going to die here, he despaired, I am going to wander in this hellhole and I’m going to die here. Tears fall as he slid down to the ground. His mind creates scenarios where he is walking around and his body deteriorates until he is just a skeleton, still walking around. Or he walks into the wrong place and gets mauled by packs of rabid dogs. Or a black van is going to come up beside him and take him away where they are going to drug him and steal his organs. Then he would be missing his kidneys, his heart. Or they are going to sell him to a brothel and he has to have with old men with bad breath. Oh my god! What am I going to do! He thought as he sobs into his hand.

If anyone asked, he would deny it with all his heart. But in reality, he jumped at least a foot in the air when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. He might have also screamed (shrieked) but he defended that anyone would have reacted the same way. The hand on his shoulder immediately pulls away as he quickly turns to face the owner. The man in front of him looks like he was still in high school. He has black hair that slightly covers his eyes and even in his distress and tears, Jackson can’t help but notice that he is cute. Extremely cute.

The man talks to him in Korean. Jackson could only stare as he shakes his head, hoping to convey the message that he doesn’t really speak Korean well. Closing his mouth, the man nods in understanding. When he opens his mouth next, Jackson feels like falling to his knees and praising whoever is above for this miracle.

“Are you okay?” asked the man in slightly accented English.

“You can speak English?” gasped Jackson, “You can speak English? You can speak English!”

The man only nods as he looks at Jackson in a weird way, probably regretting asking when Jackson practically screams at him in excitement. Of course he can speak English, thought Jackson as he cursed his stupidity, he just spoke to me.

“I mean, yeah, sorry. I’m sorry,” said Jackson quickly as he wipes his eyes, “Its just that I have been walking for so long and I can’t seem to get out. And no one seems to be around and I was so afraid that I was going to get lost here. Or get mugged. Oh my god, you’re not going to mug me are you? I swear I don’t have anything valuable. And you definitely don’t wanna kidnap me or anything because no one will come looking. I mean, no one will pay anything for me. I’m also not super attractive so I would make such a bad e. I’m ugly. No one is going to want to buy me. I would probably in bed. I mean, as in bad and not as in . Okay, I’ll stop babbling now. Please don’t sell me.” He is out of breath at the end of his outburst and the man in front of his has his mouth wide open.

“O…kay.” Said the man slowly, like he is afraid that loud words would trigger another flood of words, “Let’s tackle that one by one. I’m sorry you’re lost. I really am. If you want me to, I’ll show you the way out. I’m not going to rob you or kidnap you or sell you. Alright? I promise. So please calm down.”

“Okay…Okay…I’m sorry. I’m just really, really scared,” Jackson admits as his breathing slows down, “It’s my first time being alone at a foreign country.”

“Ahh…I understand. It can be scary being on your own,” said the man with a gentle smile.

“Yeah,” said Jackson, returning the smile.

“I’m Kim Yugyeom. What’s your name?” said the man.

“Jackson. Jackson Wang,” replied Jackson.

“Nice to meet you Jackson,” said Yugyeom, giving a slight bow.

“Um…You too,” replied Jackson, matching his gesture.

For a moment, they just stare at each other. Neither of them know what to say or do. Soon Jackson is playing with his snapback and looking at the ground, feeling slightly uncomfortable. He is startled when Yugyeom gives a small laugh. Soon he is joining in, feeling silly at the awkward situation.

“So, do you want to come in for a while?” asked Yugyeom, gesturing behind to the house behind Jackson, “Since we’re in front of my house anyway.”

“Your house?” asked Jackson, glancing behind him. Now that fear is no longer clouding his mind, he can see that what he mistook for a wall was actually a gate that was made to look like a part of the wall. “That’s a gate?” he whispers, earning him another laugh from Yugyeom.

“Yeah, I get that a lot,” Yugyeom said shyly. Gesturing to the gate, he said, “It came with the house. Apparently the previous owner liked to play pranks.”

Jackson could only nod as he tries to find see how the gate opens.

“Come on. I’ll show you how it opens,” said Yugyeom, obviously sensing the unasked question.

“I promise I’ll let you go afterwards. No selling you off or anything,” he teased as he walks to the gate. Jackson blushed at the reminder of his earlier outburst.

“And you’re wrong,” said Yugyeom as Jackson gets closer, “You’re definitely attractive. I would definitely buy you.” Jackson swears that an apple has nothing on his cheeks.

Yugyeom kept his promise and didn’t sell him off. He helped Jackson out from that neighbourhood and even flagged down a taxi for him. They exchanged contact information and began having drinks together. Drinks soon turned to lunch. That turned to dinner between friends that became dinner dates. At the end of his stay in Korea, they had promised to give long distance relationship a try. There were some rough times, it comes with the territory. But now, finally, he is done with his studies and had been able to persuade his parents to let him take a few years off before looking for a job. He can finally visit his boyfriend!

Looking out at the shops, he recognises one that they would always walk to for lunch. It serves the best fried chicken with the bonus of being near Yugyeom’s house. He quickly asked the driver to let him off there to buy some. It would be a double surprise, Jackson and fried chicken. What could be better!

Happy that he was so smart, he hauled his duffle bag along with him to the store.

___________________________________________________________________________

Walking down the street (one hand holding a box of fried chicken, the other dragging his bag), he tries to remember the way to his boyfriend’s house. It’s been a while and now everything looks the same to him, much like the day he got lost. Sighing and berating himself, (Seriously! Seriously! Lost again?), he stops to get his bearing. Looking around, he tries to see the bright side of things. He is definitely in the right place. And if he needs to, he can definitely communicate with the locals now (all those times spent practising with Yugyeome paid off). Then h spots a familiar tree. Alright, there should be a shortcut after the tree. He had used it many times before to get to Yugyeom’s house.

Maybe he should have looked before he entered the alley. Maybe he should have been paying more attention to his surroundings. But you can’t blame him for not expecting this.

 In front of him, three men in uniforms (police?) are crowding around a fourth man that is holding a bag tight to his body. The man seemed to be scared out of his mind. It might have to do with the fact that the policemen were sporting some rather sharp lethal accessories. They were so focused on each other that they didn’t notice Jackson’s intrusion. Slowly, Jackson backs up, hoping to avoid any attention.

“Well, what have we here?” said a voice behind him.

Jackson stopped in his tracks, cold sweats breaking out.

“You must have some really ty luck,” said the voice, closer now. Before long, Jackson could feel something sharp pressed into his back. Oh , I’m going to die here.