The Running Game

Chapter 17

Present day

She dreamt waking up at the beach, the sun ray peeped through the clouds of the gloomy winter dawn. It was the day of her mother's death. She was fourteen years old, standing in her black hanbok. The scenery reminded her of a joyful time she had there. She remembered each of her mother's expressions dearly. The way her mother's laugh, the way her mother would constantly scold her and her brother when they went far to the ocean, and the way her mother grimaced every time her cancer relapsed in her body. There was no one there except her. She kept calling her mom, forgetting that her mom just died that day.

Where is she?

Didn't we promise to be in each other's life forever?

She kept calling her mom until her voice was getting hoarse. No one greeted her except loneliness. She slumped to the sand, hugged her knees and let her tears streamed down her face.

She miss her

She miss her so much

She was about to give up, and started to walk into the ocean. She walked ahead without looking back, letting the wave engulf her down to the abyss in the bluest hue of the ocean.

Just when the water osculated down her feet, she felt a grasp on her shoulder.

It was her mom.

Sad smile etched on her face. Pain reflected clearly in her eyes.

"Not yet, sweetheart." She shook her head to her. "Not yet."

And just like that, her mom vanished into the thin air.

She didn't know how she ended up here. She woke up to the beautiful scenery right over her eyes. The afternoon sunlight dazzled all over her eyes through the window. She woke up on a bed. Someone else's bed to be exact. The room felt so strange but it was cozy with a minimalistic design. She definitely had never been here before. She felt dazed, then she tried to move her body to block the sunlight, damn it hurts. She felt ache all over her body, more precisely on her stomach. Then suddenly, a pair of warm brown eyes appeared on top of her, blocking her view from the sunlight.

"Thank Goodness." Then he put his hand on the soft skin of her cheek, caressing softly. That touch... it felt familiar.

"Are you okay? Are you thirsty?" He asked worriedly.

Her throat felt so dry. But with a hoarse voice she managed to say, "Yes."

He looked relieved somehow as if he was happy to see her finally awake. Then, he stroked her hand and put a small lingering kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes. If this was a dream, she never wanted to get up from it.

"I promise, it will be over soon. I promise, you'll be back to your normal life soon." He looked tormented but she could see a ray of hope glistening in his eyes. "I'll go get your water."

He hopped out of the bed, and suddenly his phone rang. He said something to the phone on his way out of the room. It sounds foreign that she couldn't make it out. German, perhaps? But, she didn't care.

All she knows is that she is safe as long as she stays with this man. And the dark haze brought her to unconsciousness once more.

***

"Oops, take it easy. Don't go up just yet."

A woman's voice was the first thing she heard when she woke up from her sleep. A stranger. A beautiful stranger. Long haired with bangs and glasses that added a smart look to her face. She looked immaculate dressed in the earthy tone of satin shirt and slacks. She kept her from waking up from the bed. Yeah she was right, even a little movement sent a jolt of pain in her stomach. She wanted to ask for water, but she couldn't find her voice to speak. The woman seemed to understand what she wanted. She walked to the drawer next to her to take a glass of water on top of it and put the straw to her mouth.