small talk while waiting for the bus
That afternoon, the melody drifting from a clothing store filled the silence between two people at a bus stop. One of them was busy with his phone, not paying much attention to his surroundings.
Meanwhile, Soobin didn’t quite like the awkward silence. The air was very cold that day, light snow had been falling since last week. The city streets were already covered with piles of snow. Soobin really liked the snow and its cold, not the strange cold from the silence between them.
Even though they didn’t know each other, it would be more comfortable to get acquainted—considering it was only the two of them at the stop right now. He waited for the right moment to speak up, this wasn’t something he usually did, but it was worth a try.
“Hey, um…where are you getting off?”
He didn’t expect that such a simple question would make the man beside him flinch in surprise. Soobin, who was easily startled, ended up getting startled too.
“Sorry- I didn’t mean to scare you…” Soobin said quickly, of course feeling bad for having surprised him.
“It’s fine. I’m getting off at Gangnam,” the man replied briefly.
“Wow…rich people,” Soobin muttered without realizing it, earning a small amused laugh from the man. Soobin quickly covered his mouth, his bad habit of muttering without thinking was annoying.
“What about you?” the man asked back. Soobin shook his head slowly, he didn’t know where he wanted to get off or where to go. He had forgotten the way home, and he didn’t have any plan at all.
“I don’t know…I’m just sitting here,” he answered softly.
The man only observed Soobin’s expression without saying anything, then gave a small nod in response to his answer.
“By the way, what’s your name? I’m Choi Soobin!” He extended his large hand toward the man, waiting wholeheartedly for a response. The man smiled, his smaller hand reaching out to return the handshake of the sweet man. Warm—Soobin’s hand was warm, so contrasting with his cold one.
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“I’m Yeonjun. Choi Yeonjun.”
“Oh, Yeonjun! Nice to meet you…what were you doing in this city?” Soobin shifted his body a little closer to Yeonjun, they were already friends now, right? Soobin wanted to hear about Yeonjun’s day before the bus came to separate them.
Yeonjun turned, looking at Soobin who was closing the distance between them.
“I was looking for my husband. He has Alzheimer’s. He left the house earlier and didn’t come back.”
“Oh…you have someone? Then, did you find him? Is he okay?” Hearing that, Soobin was of course worried too, no wonder Yeonjun had seemed so unwilling to be disturbed earlier, he had gone through such a tiring day.
“Yeah. I found him.”
Without them realizing, the music from the clothing store had now disappeared, returning the real silence between them.
“He’s beautiful.” Yeonjun said suddenly.
Soobin turned to look at the man beside him again, while the one being looked at was busy playing with his fingers.
“He’s patient. He accepts me as I am. He’s always gentle with everyone,” he continued.
“I went crazy when I lost him. But…I found him.” Soobin fell silent hearing the man’s statement.
A perfect husband, and Yeonjun was also a husband no less perfect in loving his partner. Truly an amazing couple—somehow it made Soobin’s chest feel warmer.
“So…where is he?” The red bus arrived right in front of the stop where they had been waiting. Yeonjun put his phone into the pocket of his coat as he stood up, ready to get on the bus.
“Right here.” Soobin tilted his head in confusion, from the beginning, there were only the two of them at the stop. Yeonjun let out a soft breath, his exhale turning into mist in the cold air.
“Let’s go home, Soobin…my beautiful husband.”
— End
