Race to Elysian

Yunhee // One

The air was crisp and clean in the early morning, the smell of dew faintly drifting through the light breeze. I skipped along a path in the woods, small patches of milky sunlight struggling to pierce through the canopy of trees.

I had woken up early to gather, an activity that always filled me with joy, as the earth was always filled with surprises. A basket filled with my findings rocked along in my grip; unique quartz, sweet smelling herbs, and pretty wildflowers. A sample of the blossoms rested in my swinging braid as well.

The silence in the forest was occasionally broken by small chirps and whistles as the birds started to awake in their treetop nests and critters passed across my path hunting for breakfast. I joined in the growing chorus, an old worn yet comforting melody instantly flowing out of my lips.

"The skies are blue,
The breeze is smooth,
Under the glorious sun.
The birds all chirp,
The flowers churn,
In the warm soil of earth..."

The breeze picked up a bit and the leaves entered the symphony, brushing against each other and fluttering about. I picked up my pace as the rays grew brighter, my voice continuing to ring out loud as the forest truly grew alive with the sunrise.

"In the times I look to you,
The flurry whispers to me.
I cannot follow through,
For she holds me back ah oh~"

My voice echoed in between the trees, but as the forest started to thin out so did my singing. The creek nearby gurgled, and I stopped for a moment to stand by it's bank, gazing down at my reflection. Cheeks tinted pink and eyes glistening, a smile stayed stretched on my face.

It was hard to explain, and I had tried often before, but the sheer happiness and joy I got from being out in nature was unparalleled to any other experience. I let my breath return to normal, and reached out my fingers to touch the bark of a nearby birch, it's warmth pulsating under my palm. The tree was as happy as I was.

"Yunhee! Wait up!" 

I turned around, my braid and skirts swinging in unison. A figure was running toward me, revealing himself to be a similar aged boy who wore tattered commoners clothes, my best friend since childhood, Jun Seok. 

He was tall and gangly, unlike others within the village, with bones ever so slightly visible under his gently tanned skin. Some of the older villagers believed he'd break many hearts when he grew fully into adulthood, while the younger girls thought otherwise. I was far more interested in the growth cycles of plants, and the way they would look when fully bloomed, but apparently I was nearing the age of change and transformation too, as this sort of talk had become the norm with our peers.

As Seok reached my side I refocused my thoughts on the present, and adopted an amused smile as he quickly held out a firm hand, giving one simple motion. Stop. He was panting rather hard, his face bright pink and his forehead beaded with cold sweat.

"You, Kim Yunhee," he huffed out, clutching at his sides. "Are an incredibly fast runner when you want to be."

I laughed in response, handing him the small flask of water I had brought with me. Breath evening out after the drink, he ran his nimble fingers through his hair, eyes twinkling brightly. Repossessing my container, I gave him a small smirk, both of us knowing my trademark response to moments like this.

"When the earth's under my feet, I feel as if I can do anything."