day 1
1.32 am
lee haru

first mission; first kiss

i didn't realise that i had been sleeping
until a voice comes over the intercom

"attention to all passengers
we will be arriving at suwon train station
in 5 minutes, we wish you all a good day ahead"

i jolt up, finally aware of my head
leaning against the window of the train
i wince at the cold surface
i get the urge to yawn but i peel my eyes open
before i can get any drowsier

my heart begins to pound
as i recall back to exactly where i am
and what i'm doing

glancing at the time on my phone
i realise that it had been only
a half hour since i left home

it did feel like ages

i stretch my limbs and pull my coat tighter around my body like a blanket
my eyes dart around the train
seeing a boy sitting a few seats to my right

it takes me awhile to realise that
he hasn't been sitting here before i slept

there is a grey hood over his head
its tilted forward
as if he is in a deep slumber
maybe the voice over the intercom
wasn't loud enough to wake him up

i lean to the side to take a closer look
then i hesitantly reach a finger out
to poke his arm
sure enough, he's asleep

though i can't really make out
the features of his face
under the dim lights of the train
i know his type from first glance:

his grey oversized hoodie
his ripped jeans
the black mask he lowered to his chin
his timberlands
he looks around my age

his broad shoulders
perfectly slumped posture
and sharp chin suggests arrogance
in conclusion
the kind of boy who gets any girl he wants
only to leave them when he's done
but there is something about this boy
that makes him seem a bit
too naive for his looks

well, looks deceive

maybe it's the way he's breathing
soft and peaceful like the wind
and maybe its the way
he keeps his hands tucked and hidden
inside the long sleeves of his hoodie

that just makes him look more like
an innocent child
than a boy who can break hearts

aka
the perfect stranger to kiss

he stirs in his sleep
and i quickly avert my eyes forward
he open his eyes and blinks
before releasing a long breath

my heart thumps in my chest
as i think of the possible ways
i can use to approach him

the train comes to a slow stop
and i know it's my time to act
i get up as if to leave
take a few nervous breaths
before leaning down and planting my lips
against his soft ones

my eyelashes flutter at the pleasure
of being kissed for the first time
it's nothing like the fireworks they always describe
in all those love-based novels
there's only the strong smell of the boy's cologne
the sounds of two different breaths mingling
the feel of lips being pressed against minw

right here i swear
i can literally hear my heart
beating hard against my ribcage
and i can hear his too

when i pull back, i can see his eyes widen

shocked by the sudden action
his lips are agape
attempting to get something out
but i'm already out and leaving
before he has the time catch up to me

my breathing quickens as i break out into a run
deep down inside i feel my self esteem quivering
but i feel good

i'm embarassed
that is the stupidest thing i've ever dared myself to do

but i feel good
like i'm a whole other person

like i'm not just boring old lee haru
not anymore

in my head, i do a countdown
1 down, 14 to go