It has been three years since Sonya's demise. Bora, On Dam, Min Su and Ri Ta were a coterie back in high school.They ret all made it a ritual every year to visit Sonya's tomb, regardless of whatever they were doing, Bora wasn't able to visit the last year as a result of her absence and study abroad.
Ri Ta was on the bridge looking over the Han river, her hands tucked in her pocket, her hair blowing in the wind. She held up a little picture from her high school days, one that had the five of them in it, one which she had turn away the part of Bora out, leaving just she, On Dam, Min Su and Sonya, "hmmmm," she sighed, "guess today is the only day I can't hate Bora," she said looking at Sonya and Min Su, "I hope you guys continued your friendship in the other side, though I'm not hasty, I'd still come join you guys," Ri Ta worded to herself and tucked he picture back into her back pocket.
In her all black denim dress, and her thin heeled shoe, hand Ri Ta walked back to her vehicle where her driver was waiting , "it's the 14th of October, you know the usual." The driver nodded and pushed the power button, igniting the car.
Sonya who had died as a result from a severe car crash back in 2021, while she, Min Su, On Dam, Ri Ta and Bora were in their third year in highschool - a crash that took her life instantly and sent Bora into ICU for a whole month. Sonya who was the only daughter of Korean Father and American Mother died four days after her birthday and was buried exactly two months from the day of her demise - October 14th 2021.
Bora and On Dam were also getting ready to go visit Sonya's tombstone, an opportunity On Dam wanted to make the most of by reuniting Bora and Ri Ta's long lost friendship. Bora and On Dam were roommates so they decided to go together. On Dam's saw the gloom on Bora's face. She took a step forward as soft palm skidded across Bora's left shoulder, "we'd be fine," she reassured.
"Min Su is no more either, how would we be fine?" Bora said with a tear-filled eyes.
"It's not your fault, Min Su's death was a known suicide of an upcoming K-pop star, the pressure was too much for you all. That I'm privy to, so don't blame yourself." On Dam replied, slowly dragging Bora in for a hug.
Ching! A notification popped up on Bora and On Dam's phone, it was Ri Ta - "eodi (where are you two)?" Bora picked up a photo from her drawer, similar to that Ri Ta was holding. It was the last picture Sonya took at the beach they went to for their summer vacation in Daegu,"she was always so gaiety, who knew it'd be her last," Bora said, her eyes in full gloom.
Bora drove her metallic Black Audi R8 to Suwan cemetery, where Sonya's grave was. On Dam who was seated by the passenger seat constantly kept Bora busy by talking while they were on the way there. On Dam's chat was so distracting, that Bora didn't know they have arrived at their destination until the GPS started beeping out.
Ri Ta had gotten there before the both of them. Ri Ta just stood there looking at Sonya's tombstone, sighing at irregular intervals, her mind lost in thought, replaying the events that led to Sonya's death in her head. Ri Ta's thought was disrupted by On Dam's rising sob. "Cha On Dam..." Ri Ta said and ran into the embrace of On Dam. Apparently, Ri Ta didn't use her antagonism against Bora to fall out of friendship with On Dam, even though Bora and On Dam were best of friends. To Ri Ta, they were still friends, even though the two weren't as close as they used to be, they still kept cordiality.
The scent of surrounding flowers and the soothing breeze that fell and rested on their faces made the day feel like they were burying Sonya all over again. They all stood in front of the tombstone, each of them holding Sonya's favourite flower in their hands - lisianthus. Sonya always said she wanted to symbolize why the flower meant, an admiration for a sociable friend of gratefulness and charisma.
"Ri Ta, Annyeong (hi)," Bora said in a low voice. Ri Ta who was sobbing slightly in the arms of On Dam quickly wiped the tears off her face and adjusted herself, "I hate it when she sees me cry," Ri Ta said to herself.
Ri Ta replied Bora's greetings with an unfriendly smile and nodded her head. The three girls approached Sonya's tombstone, "Annyeong (hey) Hong Son-ya," On Dam said, "it's been a while since I came visiting, I'm not trying to make any excuses but seriously, school has been quite hectic. I'm sorry, yongseohaejuseyo (please forgive me)," On Dam said and began to sob slightly, her feet trembling.
On Dam felt a sudden contraction in her knee and before she knew it, she was on her knees, her eyes were a fountain of tears. Bora squatted and tried to console On Dam but it was to no avail. Ri Ta one the other hand didn't want to show her soft side to Bora, so she looked down at both of them holding back the rushing tears in her eyes.
"Hong Son-ya, I still remember your beautiful smile and I see your face In my sleep, bogosipda (I miss you), bogosip-eoyo (I miss you) Sonya," Ri Ta confessed. Unable to hold her tears any longer, her tears began to flow freely and wild. Bora was too confused and emotionally downcast to even mutter a word to Sonya, she just kept on looking at the tombstone, reading what was engraved in it,
"In loving memory of Hong Son-ya
August 10 2004 - October 14 2021
THOSE WE LOVE DON'T GO AWAY
THEY WALK BY US EVERYDAY"
"So you won't say anything, huh?" Ri Ta said, to Bora, her voice beeming with anger. Bora had been downcast the whole day and Ri Ta was about to make it worse. "Do you think I'm not also pained by her death? Huh?!" Bora questioned, "She was my friend too, you know that right?!" Bora sparked, "don't act like you're the only one affected by her demise."
A solemn gathering to mourn a friend had turned into a citadel of heated arguments between Bora and Ri Ta. On Dam who wanted to use this gathering to mend Ri Ta and Bora's broken friendship was at the peak of her vulnerability, and had to gather herself and try to stop the two from brawling. Their words were heated, Ri Ta continually blamed Bora for saying it was her fault.
"N-na (me)?" Bora stuttered, tears clouding her vision, "eottae nae jalmos-iya (how's it my fault)? Eottheoge (how) Han Ri Ta?" Bora took a deep breath and examined On Dam and Ri Ta's tear-filled faces, "jinsimeulo (truly), its my fault...." Bora started crying, her voice breaking from the unease in her chest.
Bora who had suffered from panic attacks and sleep paralysis after the demise of Sonya, started having the same feeling of panicking again, She began to gasp for breath, her lungs felt like they had been crushed and twirled against her intestines, her windpipe wasn't releasing much air, in all the pain, she tried her best to hold it in and no show it to On Dam or Ri Ta.
".....if I hadn't forced us all to go to my family's vacation home in Daegu that summer, if I hadn't convinced her to ride at night through a narrow path, she'd still be alive." Bora said. She wiped off her tears with her sleeves, "I know I can't make up for what I did, and I live everyday with that guilt, knowing that even if it wasn't directly, I played a major role in their deaths." On Dam suddenly became confused as to what Bora meant by "their deaths?" Who could she be talking about?, who is the other person?
Bora looked at On Dam, sniffling, "please ride back with Ri Ta," she said and retreated to her car. Upon entering, it took her some time to regain herself, the pains in her chest was still inherent, but Bora continually fought it, she ignited the cars engine and drove off at a speed she had never driven before.
On Dam looked at Ri Ta, her eyes pressing into Ri Ta's cheeks. Her eyes furrowed, "what did Bora mean by "their"? Who's the other person?"
Ri Ta just kept mute and receded towards her car, "let's go!" She commanded.
The car engine was revving ferociously, going at over 160 kilometers per hour, Bora was trying to control her breath with her tear crusted eyes as she maneuvered through traffic. "Wae (why), wae (why), geuleonde wae (but why)!!!" She screamed, hitting against the steering wheel repeatedly.
Bora's fingers drummed against the steering wheel as she changed the gear, the warm sunbeams dancing across her face. She was just starting to feeling alive again and now it's about to be taken away by Ri Ta's suffocating grip. The open road stretched out before her, a symbol of the independence she'd craved for so long. The sweet scent of blooming cherry blossoms wafted through the air, mingling with the sound of birds chirping in the nearby park.
As the light turned green, Bora accelerated, the engine purring smoothly. She cruised down the highway, the wind whipping through her hair, the rhythmic thump of the music pulsating through her veins. The sky above was a brilliant blue, with just a few wispy clouds scattered across it. She felt burdened, the stress and tension rising with each passing mile. She had been fighting the pains in her chest since and also, she had been having flashes of her memories.
Her eyes went blank as a memory made way to her brain, clouding her vision, the only thing she could see was a white background with the date - 14-09-2021 displayed on it. As she rounded a curve, the tire screeched in protest. Bora's heart skipped a beat as she struggled to regain control until the car thrusted into the air. Everything stopped for a moment and Bora felt the world stop and start again just at the car crashed into the ground after taking several flips in the air.
The impact threw Bora forward, her head spinning. The airbag deployed, a burst of powder filling the air. She groggily opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by the eerie silence of the crashed car. The once-pristine dashboard now crumpled, the windshield shattered, and the smell of smoke and burnt rubber hung heavy.
Panic set in as she tried to move, but a sharp pain in her lower abdomen made her cry out, she had been pierced by a piece of the thorn down vehicle. Bora's vision blurred, and darkness crept in. Finally, Bora's world went dark.