Our grace period for separation is
Have you ever heard the phrase "fiery love"? The kind that burns brightly in one moment and then just as easily extinguishes another? Until just a few months ago, I questioned whether that could even be called love. How could a person's heart be so ablaze and then so cold in the same instant? Honestly, it was a bit baffling.
Before a man appeared in my life, no, even after he did, I felt the same way. It was only after I fell in love with him that I realized: no matter how fiery it may be, once a feeling comes and goes, it can't be helped.
Our first encounter was simple. As a freelancer, I only ventured out when I had work, so I didn't even know the bus stop near my house. Even though I'd lived in Seoul since I was twenty, it still felt like a difficult city for me. That day, I was wandering around, trying to find the bus stop.
“Where the hell am I…?”
That day, it was strangely difficult to find my way. Even if I was completely lost, I would have found my way after wandering this much... I just kept going around in circles, as if something was out there.
Eventually, I gave up trying to find my own way. I crouched down, leaning against the wall of a nearby alley, waiting for someone to pass by. Just as I was growing increasingly exhausted, he appeared.
“Excuse me… What’s wrong?”
Likewise, it was our first meeting, and he seemed to live nearby, wearing a gray hoodie, sweatpants, and slippers. I raised my head toward him, and he reached out with a worried look in his eyes.
“Get up, you’re going to get dirty.”
"… thank you."
I grabbed the hand of a man I'd never met before and, using his strength, got up from my seat. His hand, which helped me up, felt incredibly warm. So, without even realizing it, I tightened my grip, and the man flinched.
“That… my hand…”
“Ah…! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it.”
He and I both let go of our hands, both surprised. It was a first. It was so heartbreaking to let go of someone's hand. The very fact that I felt such a pang of longing for that person was a surprise to me.
I blushed, and he bashfully tousled the back of his hair. The ticklish atmosphere was short-lived, interrupted by an alarm on my phone, signaling that our meeting was almost over. I frantically turned it off and asked him for directions.
“Is there a bus stop near here?”
“It’s there if you go straight ahead. Let’s go together!”
“I feel too bad asking you to come with me…”
“Hey, it’s right in front of you. What is it?”
Despite feeling a pang of guilt, I decided to go with him. We wandered around for a while trying to find a nearby bus stop, but there was no guarantee we'd find one right away. The man led the way with a charming smile, and I followed him.
“Do you live nearby?”
“Yes, I live in that housing complex over there. How about you?”
“I live in apartment 00!”
“It’s really close.”
We chatted on the way to the bus stop. Along the way, we discovered we lived nearby, and when we arrived at the bus stop together, I waved at him.
“Thank you for today, bye!”
“Wait… can you… give me your number…?”
I couldn't not give him my number, seeing his ears turn bright red. Well, maybe I actually liked him a little. I thought it was cute how he hesitated for a moment, as if nervous, before cautiously asking for my number. He held out his phone to me, and I took it without hesitation, then snickered.
“I gave you my number, so do I have to call you?”
“…I will, for sure.”
"Oh, right. What's your name? We even exchanged numbers, but I don't know your name."
"jimin park."
"I'm Kim Yeo-ju! Call me, Jimin!"
His name was Park Jimin. He was the one who made me, who didn't believe in fleeting love, believe in it. After giving him my number, I boarded the bus and looked through the window at Park Jimin, still standing at the bus stop.
Among the many seats, I deliberately sat down in a spot where I could see Park Jimin. I don't know why, but I felt a strange tingling sensation all over my body. Park Jimin waved at me, and I smiled brightly and waved back.
“Jimin… Park Jimin… ugh, it tickles.”
“I hope we meet again, Miss Yeoju.”
Maybe we knew that day. That we would love each other deeply. On the rattling bus, me on the way home, Park Jimin on the way home, our names were on our lips.
