Etude of Memories

Chapter 02 : An Answered Prayer

"Here are today weather forecast for Gangwon-do Province.

The weather today is cloudy and windy.

It's cold and the temperature is 10 degrees.

There are high possibilities that the first snow will fall today.

So don't forget to bring your umbrella when you are going out!"

Mrs. Park turned off the television that her husband watching. "Don't just watch the television. Do you forget what day is today? Go to your son's room and give him support".

"Of course I know what day is today. It is a very important day for my son", Mr. Park got up from his chair and grabbed a glass of water in the dining room. He tried to hide his nervousness. He gulped the water down, tried to remain calm.

***

Park Bogum finally finished preparing. He stood up in front of his mirror and looked deep into his own reflection. He lost counting about how much he prayed yesterday. The day he waited for all his life finally came.

He grabbed his bag and checked his taekwondo uniform for the last time. After mumbling his pray for one last time, he came out from his room.

All his life was spent in training center; training and training. While others boy around his age went crazy over a video game, Bogum didn't even have time to think about it. His afternoon was spent sweating in the training center while his evening was spent studying. No wonder his coach loves him for his passion, and his teacher loves him for being constantly the first in his class.

Being a taekwondo athlete was always his father's dream. But unfortunately, his family's economic was not that good at that time, so Bogum's father decided to let go of his dream. Mr. Park started to work in a factory since he was young. Not only his dream, he also gave his youth up.

Now, as the only child in the family, Bogum got to hear about his father's dream all his life. His father's abandoned plan for forty years slowly became Bogum's responsibility to be done. Bogum had already targeted to be an athlete as soon as he was born. The dream that his father was dreaming, suddenly became his.

The smell of the toast greeted Bogum as he stepped out from his room. The breakfast was served early on that special day. Mr.Park and Mrs. Park both smiled proudly toward their son. Bogum was always being the perfect son as he always agrees to whatever his parents said. He was the best son his parents could ever ask for.

"Good morning", Bogum said as he sat down on the chair. Mrs. Park gave him the fresh toast and Mr. Park gave him a glass of milk. "Eat a lot. You need a good stamina for today", Mr. Park warmly said to his dearest son.

Bogum nodded and started to eat his toast.

"I'm so proud of you, son.", Mr. Park's eyes became teary up a bit. He couldn't believe the day his son would take a test to become a national athlete finally came. It meant not only his son's dream that would come true, his long-lost dream that he buried deep within his heart would also.

Bogum looked at his father and smiled. His heart warmed. Once again in his heart, he prayed that he would make his parents proud today.

Not long after that, Mrs. Park's phone vibrated. There was a notification that the taxi she had ordered already arrived in front of her house. Bogum hurriedly finished his breakfast and drank his milk. He was too nervous to feel hungry. He hugged his father and his mother before went out.

"I'm leaving", Bogum waved as he went into the taxi.

"I hope you will achieve your dream" silently, both Mr. and Mrs. Park prayed inside their heart as they waved back toward his son.

***

"To Jicheon National Training Center, right?", the taxi driver asked. Bogum nodded in agreement, "yes, sir". The taxi driver smiled and his eyes focusing back to the road. It would be a quiet long journey, since Bogum's house was in Gangwon-do.

Usually, he sleeps in his boarding house near his training center. His school was also near there. But specially for that day, Mr. and Mrs. Park insisted for him to sleep at home. They said that it would help Bogum to get a positive energy from them. The other reason was because it will be hard for them to meet Bogum once he passed the test and being a national athlete.

The taxi driver glanced toward Bogum before turned up the volume of the radio. Etude of memories by Kim Sung Chul was playing. It was one of Bogum's favourite song. He begain to hum softly.

It was a perfect morning to start the day. A warm breakfast with a shower of love from both of his parents, to his favourite song played on the radio. The weather was cloudy but it was still perfect.

Bogum opened up his backpack as he searched for something. It was a brown bear key chain that he always bring to wherever he went lately. As he took the key chain on his hand, a loud crash sound made his ears ring. In that split of a second, the world turned upside down. There was blood everywhere. His body ached. He wanted to scream but there was no voice.

It was happening so fast that Bogum still couldn't register about what had happened. It seemed like a dream but the pain felt so real.

The last thing he heard was the sound of Kim Sung Chul sang the chorus before everything went black.

Little did he knew, that day, God heard his parents prayer.

"to let him achieve his dream"

Yes. His dream. Not his parents.

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Another chapter is done!

What do you think about this chapter? I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy myself while writing..

Waiting for romance? It's on the way... be patient ~