The Bracelet

Chapter Twenty Eight.

The bus stop was sure far from the street we were and the buses were taking their time to get to where we were.

What time would we get home today? I couldn't stop thinking about the street with my face all over it.

I turned to look at Ha Joon by my side sitting close and smiling like a child to a lollipop. I had been so occupied with finding 'Seon Jo' that I never even reasoned the life I could live now with the man who has always cared and would always care for me.

“What is the message you're trying to pass to others with your painting? ” I stared attentively at him.

“Well, if you find your happiness, Keep it! But to you?  I like you. ” he smiled at me who couldn't help but smile back at him before looking back to my shoes.

Happiness, keep it. Sure I was happy with Seon Jo but I hadn't thought about how happy I was with Yeong Su, all I thought was the time I experienced with Seon Jo and not the time that passed by with Yeong Su or Dong Yi and Min Soo.

Yeong Su kept me company and made me happy while trying to make another experience for both of us but I, so typically was looking and hoping for someone who might never show up.

That's right! He might have been the one who sent me the portrait of the bracelet!!! How could I have missed the fact that he was the only one who remembered his past life?

Right now, I just want to feel love and happiness and all I needed right now was the courage to find it and keep it.

As the bus stopped in front of us, Ha Joon stood and held out his hand for me, which I took before he led me to the bus until I found the courage to stop in my tracks. Noticing my attitude, he worriedly asked 

“Hey, What's wrong? ” with care and worry audible in his voice, I looked up shaking my head gently, “ Ha Joon, I'm sorry, can you leave without me?

There's something I have to do. ” I requested and he agreed with a little disappointment and a smile and a nod muttering a “nng”.

After finding a sit inside the bus, he waved me goodbye and gestured to me to call him which I responded with a wave and a nod. Having to wait an extra fifteen minutes for another bus, I quickly hailed a taxi.

I thought about everything he had done for me, sending meals at the office through a courier and stealing me during breaks for a getaway or the time he took me around Seoul to his favorite spots or the words and gestures when he dropped me home every night... I was blind to think he saw me as a friend, too blind to look for someone else.

Tears threatened to fall just thinking that I had been neglecting an obvious picture that he didn't, never did, and never will see me as a friend from a forgotten world. The driver stepped on it like he knew that I wanted to see someone so bad that my heart ached for his face.

“We are at your bus stop ma'am. ” the driver announced from his seat and almost immediately paid before I stood up and left hurriedly towards my mentally pictured destination.

Just a little more, a little more, and his face will be looking at me, run a little more distance, call him out, and... Woah!!!!

I looked at the stone I just tripped over, my broken phone, the scattered items, and the pain that flooded with tears that poured down like a waterfall. Although I didn't want to, the pain was more than I could bear.

How come things don't work for me like I want to? Something bad always happens. Why me? Why can't I keep the happiness like others do? Who did I offend in my previous life??? Why can't I stop crying? Am I that hurt?  Why can't the pain just go away?