Have you ever been the invisible kid before? Maybe you know my story - quite plain, boring and definitely not a web novel page turner, but who're you to judge? It was, after all, my life.
I breathed in the fresh - or maybe not so fresh - Korean air, as I alighted the train, staring at the hustle and bustle going on around me, shops selling Curry buns, and Jjolmyeon, nestled in the station's backdrop. Korea had changed since I last saw it. I can't count... fifteen? Twelve years? Since I saw this country last. I took another deep breath, and looked around, searching for any signs of the bus that was supposed to take me back to S.N.U. On seeing none, I went to a viable store, and bought warm Jjolmyeon in a takeout box.
I plopped down on a nearby bench, and started to wolf down the rather spicy noodles, causing my face to turn a burning bright red.
A twenty-something looking guy sat next to me, wearing an evidently angry look, an making no attempt to hide it. The brochure he was furiously reading told me he was headed in the same destination as I was.
" Hi, you going to S.N.U?" I asked in Korean. He took one surprised look at me, and grunted a reply.
"Any idea when the bus arrives?" I asked again. He looked at me, wearing a bemused expression. He looked more frightening than angry.
"Obviously, you haven't heard. There is no bus. Driver called in sick, so we're going to have to find our way to campus." He said, and hesitated a little, the looked back at me, in a less angry manner. "I'm Jae-kyung, nice to meet you." He said in English which made me smile. I suspected that the heat in my cheeks were not just from the spicy noodles. Before I could find out, a sleek black Kia Jeep pulled up in front of us.
"Here's my ride. Want to hop in?" He asked. With almost all the anger gone from his face, he looked rather handsome -- and in a way Austin never was.
Note to you; I'm still figuring out where I am. Still not clear if I'm Gay or whatever, given that a boy was my first.... crush. Maybe I'll find someone --a girl-- beautiful, and clear that up. Or maybe not...
"Thanks" I said and got up. The car was opened by a chaffeur, who was strikingly blonde (you don't see blonde Korean guys that easily. Hmmm...), and got in the well air conditioned posh, plushness of the car.
"I didn't get your name, you know." Jae-kyung said, and I blinked.
"Sorry. It's Kim-Jun." I said feeling slightly embarrassed.
"So, Kim-Jun, where are you from?" He asked prompting.
"Originally Seoul, moved to Kentwood in the US, and now I'm back here." I said, feeling rather comfortable speaking to him. I was never a bad talker, just that people never saw me, so I didn't get any chance to speak much.... Except with Tessy of course.
"Kentwood huh? You know Augustine Arnold?" He asked, surprising me.
"Yeah. He's my best friend's boyfriend." And my one-time crush and first kiss, why???
"Oh. I guess he landed one of them finally. He's quite a close friend of mine." He seemed to hesitate, then he cautiously asked me;"Wait, you're the Kim-Jun he fell for thinking it was the Liu-chen girl?"
I nodded in assent, and his eyes widened in epiphany! My cheeks reddend instantly in embarrassment , and I was forced to look down. On my first day in Seoul, Kentwood's already creeping up on me. Who knows what's next. Maybe some rando girl's going to Walk up to me and be like 'Oh, you're Tessy Liu-chen's best friend from Kentwood right? You're so average.' Probably far fetched, but I do my best to avoid worst case scenarios, thank you very much.
"Well, sorry to embarrass you, it's just, I have this connection with the guy, he's never held anything back from me." Like the time we kissed at the pool party? How much does this stranger know about me?
I looked up at him, and I swear his silver eyes seemed to shimmer in the low light, and turn a faint red.
"How'd you two meet?" I asked, tearing my eyes away from his, and suddenly sounding curious. Tessy was so going to hear about this gossip.
"Florida, Disney world. Summer vacation." He said simply.
"And he offered you Chinese takeout?" I prompted, remembering a vague conversation Austin and I had about offering takeout to Koreans. I chuckled at the idea.
"Wow, how'd you know?" He asked looking curious this time.
"He mentioned it during one of our online conversations." I said, and he gave me a funnily knowing look, and we shared a chuckle.
My phone vibrated in my pocket.
"Think of the devil," I said looking at the message from Austin.
Austin -[I miss you ❤️❤️]
Okay Wow, I wasn't expecting him to be the first one to message me, and now this?
A thought clicked in my head. Tessy! She did this with my dad's phone when I was twelve.
Kim-[Tessy, drop the phone!!!]
Austin -[God, you know me so well!!]
"Some friend huh?" He asked with a grin.
"It's just Tessy trying to trip me up with his phone. Buzz Kil." I said and shook my head.
"Well, tell him I said hi." He said, and rested his head on the headrest.
Kim-[Can't talk now. Text you when I get to my dorm Kay?]
Austin-[Bluh Blye]
I chuckled and switched off the phone. Pocketing it, I turned my attention to Jae-kyung.
"So Jae-kyung, do you like Netflix?" I asked breaking the silence.
"Hmmm?" He grunted looking at me in a mixture of bemusement and surprise.
"Do you like Netflix?" I asked again, and he smiled.
"Totally. A quarter of my allowance is now spent on that app, and I can't seem to get my head out. If it's not kdrama, then it's American romance." He said with a chuckle.
It was when he placed his hand on the armrest, that I saw the ring. A clear red stone was embedded on it, and the face of a demon stared back at me from within the ring. I suddenly felt chills run haywire up and down my spine, as I remembered the dream I had last night about the same demon.
It couldn't be! No way.....