Another Bus Encounter

We didn't sit together but each of us sat next to a window and we were seated on the same row.

As Jin Ho stared outside, he remembered what just transpired between him and Mi Rae. Without realizing it, he started talking about it on the bus. He started by asking: "Is money the most important thing on earth? Just because I am a common night courier, she wants nothing to do with me?" He then scoffed and added: "All ladies are the same. They all like rich men."

No one paid attention to him, no one except for me.

"Hold on. What did you just say?" I asked, and unintentionally drew the attention of all who were present in the bus.

Standing up from my seat, I held my waists and firmly said: "Hey, do you think that all ladies are after money? What about you guys? You take advantage of women and rip them off. What pains me the most is that you don't just rip women off their money, you rip them off their jobs whilst cheating on them too."

I just spoke my mind but it seemed like Jin Ho also took my reply very personal.

"Hey lady! Don't speak as if all men are like that. What about you women? Just because someone is not from a wealthy background, will you dump him for a wealthier guy?" He asked with fury. Any wise woman would have seen the need to end this argument but I was not the wisest of women at the moment hence I gave him what he was searching for. The answer he didn't want to hear.

"Yes. Yes, I will do that rather than be ripped off my entire earnings. Support him and grow together? That is a thing of the past", I stated. Our argument was now the center of attention in the bus. And everyone was desperate to know how this battle would turn out. Some were even video taping us.

"How can that be a thing of the past?" Jin Ho asked.

"Why can't it be a thing of the past?" I asked back.

A man seated behind us who looked quite advanced in age and yet not too old stood up and said: "Excuse me, but can I ask a question."

Looking at me, he asked: "Miss, were you ripped off by a poor guy?"

Though my argument with Jin Ho made such an implication, I still went ahead to ask: "How did you know?"

He then turned towards Jin Ho and asked: "And mister, were you also dumped by your girlfriend?"

"Yes. How did you know?" He reacted the same way as I did.

The man then took my hands and Jin Ho's and said: "Two broken hearts coming together. Listen to me carefully. There is only one solution to your troubles."

We looked at each other and with the same level of curiosity, asked the man in unison: "What is it?"

He smiled and said: "The both of you should come together. In fact, you can be the best couple ever."

His statement nearly choked me. And it seems Jin Ho also received the same shock.

"What? Why?" We both asked successively and let go of his hands.

Still with a smile on his face, he explained: "Because each of you understands the meaning of betrayal and heartbreak. You both know how it feels and will not like to experience that again. I suggest that you two become friends, then from."

Whether he had completed his statement or not, we didn't mind. Instead, we both exclaimed uniformly: "Mister!"

And I asked: "How can I become friends with him?"

Jin Ho also asked: "And who says I want to become friends with you?"

The man looked elsewhere and muttered: "Or maybe not."

We all got back on our seats and looked outside the window. This time round, we decided not to make eye contact. Thanks to our egos, we couldn't see how much time had elapsed. We kept staring outside the window and before we realized, the driver said: "This is the last stop. Won't you two get off?"

We didn't even hear a word he said, hence he shouted at us saying: "Hey, you two. I said this is the last stop!"

We both looked into the bus and realized that no one was left except us both.

"You?" I asked.

"You?" He asked back.

"Why are you here?" I asked and this time, he ignored me.

We had no other option than to alight from the bus. Since I didn't know exactly where I was and was the worst at directions, I went ahead to ask the driver: "Mister, where is this place?"

Still enraged, the driver asked: "Are you now asking me that? After making so much noise on my bus, are you now asking me a question?"

Nudging his head forward, he said: "Go and ask your partner over there!" And just like that, I was left to my fate.

I had a lot of pride and was never going to ask Jin Ho for help. But as I walked along a road which led to a place I didn't know, I could feel another shadow behind me.

I turned around to see who it was and he also turned around and began whistling. Taking out his phone, he looked like he was searching for a signal.

I didn't want to pay attention to him and hence continued my journey. But once again, I realized that someone was following me. I turned around again and this time, he squatted on the floor and began lacing his shoes, the borrowed shoes I mean.

I continued once again and this time turned so suddenly that he got startled and fell to the ground. Walking over to him, I asked: "Hey, you pervert! Why are you still following me?"

Jin Ho stood up and asked: "Are you referring to me?"

"Apart from you, are there any stalkers on this street?" I asked frankly.

As usual, he placed his hand on his chest and asked: "Stalker? Me?" He then said: "Hey lady, I'm already in a bad mood, don't bring yourself."

I replied back saying: "And do you think I'm in a good mood? Stop following me around before I break those legs of yours." I threatened.

He mumbled the words "Crazy lady" from his mouth with confidence but when I turned around in a haste and gave him that deadly stare which even scared tigers, he stumbled and nearly fell. He quickly turned around and used a different route. He looked at his phone and turned on the location. "Where is this place?" He wondered and checked to see if the GPS system had identified where we were, but it hadn't.

"Why isn't the GPS working?" He asked himself.

On the other hand, I kept walking on the street but it started to grow darker and scarier. Now, I was hoping that Mr Pervert was right behind me, but after turning around, I realized that no one was there. I reached out for my phone and remembered that I had left it at the department store. All of a sudden, I heard a shrill voice and a man's footsteps behind me. I turned to see who it was but saw no one there.

"It must have been my own footsteps", I concluded and went forward. But then, I heard the sound whilst I had not made a move and hastened my steps. The sound was drawing closer, yet I wasn't seeing a thing from afar. Hence, I did what any cautious individual will do: I took to my heels. But immediately I tried to run, a hand grabbed my arm and I said to whoever it was: "Please don't kill me, please let me go. Please!"

The person chuckled and said: "Are you that scared without me?"

The voice was familiar and after turning around and confirming who it was, I hugged him without hesitation.

"I was so scared. Why did you leave?" I asked, to which he replied: "But you told me to…"

Just then, a shrill voice asked: "What are you two doing?"

Immediately, I tightened my grip on Jin Ho and he turned me away from the man in a protective manner. The man then got closer and his face was revealed under the moonlight.

"Mister?" Jin Ho asked and the voice which all of a sudden sounded familiar said: "Oh my, what did I say? Didn't I tell you that you two will make the perfect couple?"

"Perfect couple? That sounds like… the mister from the bus?" I wondered and asked myself: "But why is he saying that we will make a perfect couple?" I wondered and then realized that I was in Jin Ho's arms.

"I must be crazy", I said and quickly let go of him.

I then walked over to the old and yet not old mister and asked: "Mister, please where is this place?"

He replied saying: "This is 'Last Stop Town'."

"What? Last Stop Town?" We asked in unison.

As the both of us knew nothing about this town, we found ourselves following the mister before us. I could tell that Jin Ho was taking glances at me but I didn't want to pay attention to him. But then, he got extremely close to me.

"What is he trying to do?" I wondered. We kept walking and I was really feeling cold. As to it being because we were drawing closer to winter or it being the weather condition of the town we were in, I couldn't tell. Nevertheless, one thing was for sure: I was shivering.

But before I realized it, Jin Ho held my hand. He then faced me and placed his palm over my forehead.

"What at all is this guy trying to do?" I wondered and wanted to react but delayed my move.

And then he said: "You are feeling cold."

He then removed his coat and wrapped it around me.

The mister before us turned around and realized that we were far behind him. Seeing us stare at each other, he smiled and said: "This is how my wife and I began."

Well, he had a point since at that moment, my heart began to beat so quickly that I could hear its sound.

"Won't you two hurry up?" the mister asked and successfully broke the developing romantic atmosphere.

Yet still, what's meant to happen will always happen. And this came true when after taking a step forward, I tripped and Jin Ho caught me in his arms before the unfortunate could have happened.

"Wow, these two are really made for each other", the old yet not old looking mister acknowledged.

All of a sudden, my heart began to beat quickly one more time and not being able to take it, I pushed Jin Ho and he fell to the ground.

Though I didn't mean to, I started laughing at him and he got angry.

"Hey, why did you push me?" He asked. Seeing me laugh, he added: "Are you laughing? It seems I have been so easy on you. Come here!" He said and got up to chase after me. I started running and he chased after me.

The old yet not old looking mister chuckled and said: "Before long, these two would be confessing their love for each other. That's why you should never fight intensely with someone. You will start to miss the person and love his company."

Jin Ho kept chasing me and nearly caught me. But instead of catching me, he slipped and fell backwards. This time, I tried to catch him and ended up grabbing hold of his necktie. This may have given him a measure of hope as he smiled at me, his savior. However, my hand slipped and without intention, I let go of his necktie, leaving him to fall to the ground. The scene was so funny that I began to laugh, but all of a sudden, my laughter ended as I tripped right before him. Falling down like a tree, there was only one landing point. I landed on Jin Ho and my lips fell right on his.