Outside the platform, the chatter was loud enough to drown out the announcement speakers.
Park Dong looked around and finally noticed someone was not here. "Kim Jisung, you dumbass!! He's definitely sleeping not even picking up his phone!!"
he groaned. "I told him to sleep early yesterday..!!"
Daegyu shrugged. "Even if he woke up right now and sprinted over, he wouldn't make this train."
He snickered. "The guy's so invisible we didn't even notice he was missing."
Seojin noticing someone wasn't here too he turned to Inseop and ask. "Hey where's Junhyun?"
"Something came up," Inseop replied. "He said he couldn't come because of it."
Then we notice a girl standing beside him.
Inseop saw us looking at her.
"…Oh, right. This is my girlfriend Hyewon. She's the same age as us."
Hyewon gave an energetic wave. "Hi!"
Irina smiled back immediately. "Nice to meet you!!"
Hyewon's eyes landed on Seol Hyorim and she pointed with surprise.
"You're Hyorim, right? I know you!"
"…You know me?" Seol Hyorim asked, blinking. She was sure this was the first time they'd ever met.
"Yeah! You're famous even at our school for being pretty."
"Aww, come on…" Seol Hyorim muttered.
Park Dong noticed the necklace on Irina's neck and lifted it between his fingers.
"Yo, what's this? A necklace?"
"Yup. Pretty, right? I bought it online."
He narrowed his eyes dramatically. "Hmmmm.... What a trashy thing to wear. What is this, the Stone Age? You wearing a stone axe or something?"
Irina stared at him with disbelief as if she cant believe what she just heard. "W-what did you say!?"
She stepped back. "You even know the word Stone Age?"
"Why is that what surprises you, wtf?"
Irina jabbed a finger at him. "If it's that ugly, then buy me a new one, punk!!"
Park Dong blushed hard and scratched his head pulling his hat down so his face wont show. "Tch… that's ridiculous. Why would I buy you a necklace?"
His face, however, was totally giving him away.
Seojin bump Seolhyo side a little. "Seolhyo let's buy some snacks. I didn't bring anything."
"Hm? Oh, okay." She straightened immediately. "I'll pay."
She lifted her chin and held her head high, oddly proud about treating me, then pulled me toward the nearest snack store.
Suwon look at the time that was displayed in the station. "The train's coming soon. Where'd those two running off to?"
Park Dong clicked his tongue. "Leave the lovebirds in their own world. They'll float back eventually."
Hyewon leaned close to Inseop, lowering her voice.
"That's Yoon Seojin, right? The super handsome one."
Inseop folded his arms. "…He's not that handsome."
He then look at Hyewon suspiciously. "How do you know him?"
She giggled. "You might not know but he's kind of famous in Cyworld."
"Anyway, are those two dating?"
"…Yeah."
Hyewon looked at the direction we disappeared to and sighed dreamily. "Woah… they look really good together."
Park Dong threw an arm around Ono."Hey thanks for the effort for this trip. You're gonna be our captain, alright?"
Daegyu patted Ono's shoulder too."Yeah, yeah. Don't feel pressured. It's awkward now but we'll get close soon."
Ono wearing his shades answer him flatly.
"…Who are you again? You were part of the group? Didn't even realize."
Daegyu froze in place.
It seems Kim Jisung role was pass on him since he wasn't here.
A few minutes later the crowd started moving downstairs.
"Ten minutes till the train let's head down now!"
"Let's move!!"
Irina exclaimed.
"Wait, wait! Let us hit the bathroom first!!"
Park Dong spun around."What the hell were you doing till now?!"
"We'll be quick!!"
He let out a long sigh, then his eyes landed on Irina again.
His heart, however, was doing the exact opposite of annoyed.
"…Seriously," he muttered.
His cheeks and ears were bright red.
He clench both his hands as if trying to hold something.
I'm seriously gonna die from this excitement…
The train soon arrived, and we all moved inside.
No sooner had we taken our seats.
Irina seating beside Jinkyung raise both her hands in the air.
"LET'S GOOOOO!!!" she yelled with glee. "Whoa… it really feels like we're going on a trip. This is SO good!!"
Jinkyung laughed, already used to her antics. "Seriously."
Across from them, Park Dong clicked his tongue.
"Rina, we're not the only ones here,"
He said, with Daegyu seated left beside him. "Can you chill out a bit?"
Irina stuck out her tongue at him and throw him a middle finger.
"Okay, got it!"
Seol Hyorim sat by the window, eyes fixed outside, the scenery beginning to slide past.
My first night away from home…It's scary but also exciting.
"…This is kind of a big day,"
she murmured to herself. "Should take a pic or something…"
She rustled the bag resting on her lap.
Finally finding what she was looking for, she pulled out her flip phone and nudged Seojin sitting beside her.
"Seojin, let's take a photo together."
He smiled and leaned close, Their head touching.
She flipped the phone open, carefully steadying it with one hand.
She covered her mouth, eyes curving into bright crescents.
After the flash went off, Seojin suddenly raised his hand and squeezed both of Seol Hyorim's cheeks with one palm, shaping her lips like a flopping fish.
"Hehehe, you look like a fish." he said, grinning.
Seolhyo lightly chuckle, then lifted her own hand and squeezed his cheeks right back.
"Your face makes a better fish though!"
She steady the phone and snapped another photo, then a few more, the two of them fully in their own world
For a second, she stood up on her seat.
"Everyone get in too!!"
Seojin reached out quickly to steady her, worried she might fall with the train swaying. "Be Careful, don't suddenly stand up."
"I'm fine~."
Only after a mountain of pictures did Seolhyo finally settle, looking through them with a satisfied hum.
"Let me see," Seojin whispered, leaning his head in.
She showed him the screen and immediately cracked up again.
"HAHA we really look like fish!" she laughed at the shot where they were both pressing their cheeks together. "Look at this!"
Seojin chuckled. "Yeah… that one's kinda cute though."
Then he rummaged his pocket and pulled out his MP3 player, untangling the earbuds.
He placed one bud in his ear and the other gently into Seolhyo's. Resting his cheek on her shoulder again, he closed his eyes.
"Hm~."
Seolhyo leaned her head against his, eyes returning to the window as the music leaked softly between them.
Her hand slipped into Seojin's, holding it without even looking.
Outside, the field and rooftops streamed past.
She smiled at the reflection in the glass.
The others were in their own worlds as well.
Inseop and Hyewon sat side by side, laughing over something as they gaze at window.
Ono, a row behind them, silently worked a hand gripper, eyes hidden beneath his shades, metal clicking with each squeeze.
Suwon was sketching something on the book he bought.
Park Dong lounged lazily in his seat.
"Heh… look at these two love birds," he said, looking toward Seojin and Seol Hyorim.
Then, under his breath. "Damn. I'm jealous."
He glanced to his left.
Irina was slumped just as lazily, staring at nothing in particular, looking half-awake, half lost in thought.
Park Dong let out an internal chuckle.She looks ridiculous…
"Hey, Rina look at those two. It's like they're having a train date, LOL."
Irina peeked over and laughed. "HAHA, they're really making the most of it."
"Right? Lucky for Hyorim that Minsu hyung's away too and for a few days at that."
"What a perfect timing," she said with a grin.
"HAHAHA, you get it."
But the bright mood faded almost without warning.
Their laughter died down at the same time, and the two of them slumped deeper into their seats in eerie unison. Irina's head lolled back, arms dangling loose at her sides.
Park Dong mirrored her exactly leaning back with his mouth slightly open, his arms hanging just the same, like strings cut from puppets at once.
The other passengers, who had been seconds away from strangling those two loudmouths, were finally able to rest.