"I think he's looking at you." I heard Sana's voice close to my ear, whispering with the intention of being heard by no one but me. I, too, turned my gaze towards him.

His curly red hair framed his face, accentuating his round, teary eyes and long lashes. He was beautiful, like a flower blooming in spring. I could easily imagine him as a freshly blossomed peony, vibrant and alive. Our eyes held onto each other, neither of us willing to let go. My heart raced, skipping beats, and my palms grew clammy with cold sweat. We might have been lost in that gaze forever if it hadn’t been for the older man passing through the aisle, momentarily obscuring the boy from my view as he reached for his luggage from the overhead compartment.

I cleared my throat, turning my attention back to Sana, who had been silently observing us from the start.

"Huh? What did you say? I didn’t hear you," I replied quietly, and she smirked as she repeated herself.

"I said he’s looking at you. Do you know him?" She smiled, but I couldn’t muster the courage to shift my gaze back to the handsome stranger.

"No, I don’t." I shook my head, and she glanced at the young man, who had crossed his legs and placed a book on his thigh, the cover too far away for me to read.

"Do I have something on my face?" he laughed, drawing my attention back to him. His voice wasn’t high-pitched; instead, it was deep and captivating, like a warm embrace.

"No, I’m sorry! I just thought we might know each other!" Sana waved her hands in front of her chest, laughing awkwardly at the situation while I remained speechless, frozen in place.

"In that case, I don’t think we know each other. I’d remember such beautiful faces," the red-haired boy chuckled, leaving Sana momentarily speechless, her eyes wide.

An awkward silence enveloped the entire carriage; it was clear Sana didn’t know how to respond to such a compliment, or perhaps she just hadn’t expected it.

"Yes, she’s beautiful. I keep telling her she should become a model." I coughed to break the tension, seizing the opportunity to reclaim control over the conversation.

"I agree, but I wasn’t just referring to her." The young man closed his book and tucked it into his bag, pulling out a pair of wireless earbuds, completely shutting himself off from the outside world.

If I were to be honest, there was something peculiar about him. He tapped his foot, presumably in time with the music playing in his mind. I exchanged glances with Sana, shrugged my shoulders, and chuckled as she remained in a state of mild shock.

"Have you really never received compliments before?" I teased, and she playfully nudged my shoulder, pretending to be annoyed.

"Of course, I have!" Her laughter was the kind that echoed for miles without needing a megaphone, a quality that only added to her charm.

She rested her head on my shoulder while I stared out the window, propping my elbow on the small table, my chin nestled in my palm. I could hear a melody playing in my mind, but to be honest, I couldn’t recall where I had heard it before. Yet, it felt familiar, as if it belonged to a place filled with beautiful memories.

My gaze accidentally returned to the boy in front of me, who had also turned his gaze directly toward me. The moment our eyes met, he quickly averted his gaze, returning to his phone. I was inclined to believe there was something about him that made me feel different, but perhaps the entire situation with Baeck was affecting my mind in unexpected ways.