.  I tried to respond but all that came out of my mouth was just an indistinguishable groan. Putting my brain to work was even not functional enough since I felt like I was now a machine with a few missing parts.

  Someone from behind supported my back. I might have looked precarious and pathetic since I stood with a pale face. Then another person, a tall slender guy that probably was a college student, from the crowd spoke on my behalf in a kind voice.

  “Sir, calm down. I saw a boy pushing this girl to the street. I can testify to that. Come on, why would this girl jump in front of the truck to threaten herself and others?”


  “Yeah, I saw it, too.”


  Luckily, some people saw what happened. I closed my eyes tight and dropped my head. Perhaps I was having a headache right now because my relief had started to flood my body. Then I stared across the crosswalk where I could still see some people crowding together.

  However, the people in the crowd had a serious look on their faces. There seemed to be something in the middle that drew attention to the people gathering around.

  What about Eun Hyung? As soon as his name came across my mind, I trembled as if lightning had struck my body. What followed next was the story of the car accident that happened to Eun Hyung’s mother and the outstandingly stiffened Eun Hyung after hearing the fortuneteller’s prophecy.

  The truck driver who spat curses clicked his tongue when his co-worker stopped him from continuing his squabble over me. Then he started the car again. My ears were still painful and ringing after hearing all those shrill noises.

  Someone seemed to ask me to go to the hospital while touching my shoulder but everything around me felt like the things inside a dreamland. I dragged my creaking legs to walk toward the crowds surrounding the crosswalk. As I got closer after taking heavy and painful steps, I got to hear the crowds talking.

  “What should we do, that boy doesn’t seem to breathe?”


  “Is he the one who fought alone? I don’t think he’s like that because of the hit.”


  “Oh, my god. Come on, someone call 119!”


  ‘Doesn’t seem to breathe?’ What they said regained my attention to the commotion.

  It was hard to squeeze into the pack of people. I barely managed to press my arms among them; I then tried to stick my head in to move forward, but it only caused people to complain from both sides.

  I had to say something to break into them. My voice which I could hardly release when the driver pressed hard upon me was now functioning well. I screamed out desperately.

  “I’m with him! I’m his friend! Please let me through!”


  My voice wasn’t that loud but the people who heard it in the middle of the chaos turned back to see me. Then they let me through as soon as they saw my terrible condition.

  I, at last, got into the middle of the crowd while listening to someone said that they need to call 119 to aid both the boy and me.

  When the wall-like people surrounding me disappeared, I lost my grip on my body, and I collapsed on the ground after a few trembles.

  As expected, the boy who held his chest while gasping for breath in the middle of the crowds was Eun Hyung. His face was so pale and he panted too fast that even I could hardly breathe while looking at him. It was a waste of time for me to get up to approach him.

  I went closer to him by crawling towards him. Some adults were tapping his back while asking one another what they should do.

  At that moment, a few people wearing white gowns walked toward us. Based on their outfits, the group of people approaching us seemed to be doctors and nurses who were getting their lunch around. Soon, a young man bent his knee and checked Eun Hyung’s condition then turned back to say something to the woman.

  “It’s a hyperventilation syndrome. Plastic bag, do you have a plastic bag? Go get one ASAP!”


  I could hardly breathe, but my gaze was at Eun Hyung, whose forehead was sweating hard. It was early Spring, and it wasn’t hot out in the streets yet, but Eun Hyung’s red hair, that was always neat, now looked scattered over the concrete floor messily.

  Soon, the people with white uniforms laid him properly to face the sky. Eun Hyung then opened his eyes narrowly and looked far beyond. I hesitantly stretched out my hand to grab his hand.

  Eun Hyung’s dark green eyes were soon on me in surprise, which made me feel relieved.

  The young doctor then covered Eun Hyung’s mouth with a plastic bag. It was loosely covered, so he could give him a more easy airflow. They soon left Eun Hyung to breathe using the plastic bag alone properly.

  He seemed to blink slowly; I would see his lashes tremble before he closed his eyes back. At the same time, his chest also constantly rose and fell slowly, which relieved me while I was looking at the young doctor.

  I asked, “Is Eun Hyung having a serious disease?”


  He could have asked me who I was, but he replied shortly after a glance. His tone was clear and flat similar to how other people who worked as a specialist mostly did.

  “No, but did this patient have similar symptoms like this before?”


  I shook my head with a sad look on my face. It scared me to death to hear someone call Eun Hyung a patient.

  The doctor glanced over Eun Hyung before looking at me again.

  He continued, “There could be physical and mental reasons to provoke hyperventilation, but you said he showed no signs before, so his respiratory system should be functioning well. Then he might have suffered a great amount of stress; can you tell me what just happened before we arrived?”


  “I…”


  I slurred the end of my words. I remembered death approaching me in full speed; the image of the furiously spinning huge wheels came into my mind once again; the smell of rubber burning filled my nostrils. I felt like I was about to throw up when all these pieces of memories came into my mind.

  When I suddenly covered my mouth, the young doctor asked me in perplexity if I was okay. I took my hand off and replied while shaking my head.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I almost got hit by a car right now.”


  “I see. That could be the problem. If it’s psychological, then there’s no need to go to the hospital right away. Just give him some time to rest and he’ll be fine.”


  “Thank you.”


  I bowed at him while grabbing Eun Hyung’s hand. When I dropped my gaze at Eun Hyung, I saw him breathing with the plastic bag on his mouth. I could see his breath scattering inside the bag.

  His unusually pale face weighed on my mind. Soon, he opened his eyelids and had his dark green eyes directed at me. When his breathing became normal, the young doctor tried to say something to him but then just looked at me. It seemed that he wanted to let Eun Hyung know about his symptoms, so I nodded as a response.

  Eun Hyung frowned for a moment as if he felt dizzy but soon lifted his body from the ground. After a while, he started checking my face if I was still intact.

  He started asking me first before I could try to inquire if he was feeling well. His voice sounded unusually husky since his breathing was still recovering.

  “What happened? Are you okay? Are you hurt?”


  His inspecting eyes then stopped at my knees.

  Since I wore long pants, my knees would not have been bleeding, but he seemed to notice that my outfit seemed to be in a mess. In fact, I fell to the ground a few times which also caused a few scars to appear on my palm.

  Eun Hyung’s face showed a striking frown. His green eyes showed the gravity of his concern. I carefully opened my mouth as I looked at his eyes.

  “I mean, I… didn’t fall in front of the truck.”


  “What?”


  “I fell a little strangely; you might have not seen it properly because of all the people… It wasn’t like it could kill me.”


  I smacked my lips. Eun Hyung was directing a sour expression at me.

  Why would I add another burden to his traumatic memories regarding car accidents by telling him the truth? He didn’t deserve to have that kind of stress in his life. I could, at least, tell what happened to Ban Yeo Ryung, Eun Jiho, Jooin, and Yoo Chun Young, but I would not tell Eun Hyung what exactly happened.

  He even showed symptoms of hyperventilation syndrome after what had happened. I didn’t want to shock him any more than this. When I stared at him with those thoughts in mind, Eun Hyung suddenly heaved a long sigh.

  Then he collapsed on my shoulders. I was not joking; this was for real. His waving red hair tickled my cheek.