Lovely Runner

A Call in the Dark

July 22nd, 2009 marked a day of celestial significance, as people across the city eagerly anticipated the rare spectacle of an eclipse.

Excitement buzzed in the air, mingling with the hushed whispers of anticipation as the world prepared to witness nature's grand spectacle.

Yet, amidst the palpable anticipation, there was one soul who remained untouched by the fervor of the moment.

The air was heavy with the oppressive heat of summer, but for Park sung-min, the sweltering temperature was the least of her worries.

She lay in a stark, white hospital room, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her legs, once strong and full of life, were now paralyzed, confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her days.

The accident had shattered not only her body but also her spirit, leaving her in the depths of despair.

Her world shrouded in shadows that mirrored the darkness of her own inner turmoil.

As the world outside buzzed with excitement over the impending eclipse, she remained ensconced in her own silent realm, lost in a labyrinth of thoughts and emotions that threatened to consume her.

Beside her, her mother, Park bok-jin, attempted to infuse the somber atmosphere with a glimmer of hope, her gentle voice a soothing balm against the backdrop of despair. With tender care, she tended to sung-min, cutting her nails with delicate precision as they listened to the radio, the soft strains of music mingling with the faint hum of medical equipment.

Yet, despite her mother's efforts to uplift her spirits, sung-min remained ensnared in the grip of her own despair, her mind a tempest of anguish and longing.

Lost in her own thoughts, she failed to notice the gentle graze of her mother's hand against her toe, the fleeting touch lost amidst the cacophony of emotions that churned within her.

As Bok-jin excused herself to attend to a minor mishap, inadvertently knocking over a glass vase in her haste, sung-min seized upon the opportunity presented by the shattered fragments that lay scattered upon the floor. In the glint of broken glass, she saw a reflection of her own pain, a tangible manifestation of the darkness that threatened to consume her.

Quietly, almost instinctively, she reached out, her fingers curling around a jagged shard of glass with a determination born of desperation.

In that moment, it seemed as though the broken pieces held the promise of release, a fleeting escape from the suffocating weight of her own despair.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, a group of young men from The Eclipse band made their way to a radio show, their hearts brimming with excitement and anticipation. Fresh-faced and eager, they reveled in the thrill of their newfound fame, their minds consumed with thoughts of adoring fans and chart-topping hits.

Among them, In-hyuk stood out, his infectious enthusiasm contagious as he excitedly recounted his encounter with one of his idol crushes, proudly brandishing an autograph as proof of his celebrity encounter. The band, having debuted just two months prior, basked in the glow of their burgeoning success, eager to share their music with the world.

As they settled into the studio, anticipation hung thick in the air, their eager voices mingling with the soft strains of music that filled the room. Yet, as they embarked on their mission to connect with their fans, they were met with unexpected resistance from an unlikely source.

The radio played softly in the background, an attempt by the nurses to bring some semblance of normalcy to the room. It was tuned to a popular station, and the cheerful voices of the hosts were currently interviewing a new idol group called Eclipse.