Chapter: Four
"*****"
(Aerin)
"A dream; a dream"—Aerin
As I glanced around the world, soaked by rain, reality tore the veil, piercing the black curtain like a spear through armor, with beams of light seeping through the cracks, blinding me.
I could only hear a subtle crackling sound.
Then the light began to fade, as it retreated from the peripherals of my sight, it was replaced by a void, an all-encompassing, stark void.
The light focused to a single point and began to wane. The humming was replaced by a subtle flow of water.
As I began to step toward the light, the clicking of my steps echoed, as if I were in a chamber, yet the space I was in held no bounds.
Step…Step…Step
As I approached, I could make out what the light was in the distance; it seemed to be a window.
Step…step…Step
I gasped. On the other side was a face I knew too well, my father.
His eyes were dark brown, and his beard was thick and rough. There were stains on his shirt, black stains probably from his job as a mechanic.
I could hear the shower running and see steam starting to fog the window.
It seemed as if I was looking at him through the bathroom mirror; he was just standing there with his hands on the sink.
"I have no idea what's going on."
"Where am I?"
"Why is it so dark?"
"And why is it so cold?"
Suddenly, a golden light engulfed the mirror. I couldn't see anything on the other side; it was like I was staring into the sun, until…
Snatch
A golden hand burst through the mirror and pulled me through.
********
In a vanta black void, nothing could be seen. There was no sensation of air, no sensation of head, and no sound. It was as if he were in a soundproof, nay, a sense-proof room. The ones that make you go crazy after enough time in them. Not even a heartbeat could be heard in this void.
To be in this void would feel as if you were floating. Your body bore no weight, and your feet felt no sense of ground making contact with them. It felt like space.
The world was blank for what seemed like an eternity of silence until the void flickered dark blue in a manner that seemed reminiscent of a camera flash and then went black to black. And for one singular beat, a heart could be heard. Aerin's heartbeat.
THUM ThUP
The world flickered a dark blue once more in the same manner as the last.
THUM ThUP
With a sudden twitch that spasmed my whole body, I found myself in a strange scene,
The air was damp, the breeze was wet and cold, and I could hear raindrops drum against a canvas above my head. As I looked around, I could see hundreds of people, all cheering, their voices sounding like great waves crashing along the shore. Soon I realised that I was in the front row of a Grandstand, a Grandstand I knew well. Directly in front of me, about 7 meters down, was a track, and we were seated along a turn in the track. Across the track on the other side was a sign illuminated by a spotlight on the inside of the track that read just a few words.
[turn 4]
Far above that sign was a giant screen that usually shows the lead racers,
Strangely, though, it wasn't following the ones on the podium so far; it was following an all black car, one that you could just barely make out in the dark of the night, and in the corner of the screen was a number and a name that seemed to be censored.
[6th place, *****]
As I glanced far ahead on the track, I could see another turn ahead.
At first, I couldn't make out what its label said, but as my eyes began to focus and the letters began to align, I could just barely read it.
[turn 3]
When I looked back at the screen, I could see the black car swerve and bend the third corner. I could see the car's back tires swipe and slash side to side, leaving rubber on the track.
As the car exited the corner, it began to steady, but still, I was uneasy; it felt like I was in the eye of a hurricane, in some calm before the storm.
The world grew silent; the only thing I could hear was the steady hum of one car's engine.
The black car's
Now, gazing at the track, I could finally see the black car with my own eyes. I could see it accelerate violently, like a missile heading toward a bunker, as if the driver had lost all restraint.
The revving sound of the black car's engine grew louder…and louder, until the noise became deafening, ringing my ears with each pop of the engine, then suddenly…
BANG
The black car violently burst into flames, dosing the track in an orange light.
The car spun out, almost flipping on its side, spewing water from its hind wheels.
I could see the driver as his neck was whipped and caned. He was at the mercy of fate; he was like blood in a centrifuge.
The car whipped once more, causing the driver to face me.
Time withered and waned to a halt as my eyes met with the driver's, and as we stared at each other for what seemed to be an eternity, dozens of thoughts began to race through my mind.
[No way, it can't be!]
I looked around for something that could convince me I was wrong.
[I recognized that car!]
[shit, I recognized the damn grandstands too! ]
[wait, could it be?]
As I counted the number of asterisks in the censored name, my stomach dropped.
Five
My heart skipped, and my breath drew short.
Letting out a wispy breath, I said one thing…
"There are five fucking letters in my name."
My eyes darted toward my wrinkled shirt, pulling on it sent chills through my body as I realised it was a jersey, a jersey with a signature, one that read…
"Aerin"
My heart and head flicked forward toward the track, but instead of seeing the black car… I saw something else, a piece of scorched, flaming debris flying toward me.
[black]
***
As I woke up, at first, all I could hear was the quiet buzzing of a lamp and a rhythmic beeping sound. As I sat up, my vision was hazy. All I could see were blurry silhouettes soaked in orange light. As I took a deep breath, my vision began to focus. The first thing I noticed was that I was in a bed—but not mine. I was in a hospital bed. The white sheets barely offered any warmth; they were thin and cold, and my body was sleekly wrapped in thin bandages all around my torso.
As I looked around, I noticed that close to my right was a desk. On it was a lamp adorned with etchings of stars on its canvas, but what really caught my eye was a bouquet of red roses. Taped to it was a red note card that read:
[In case you were wondering, the flowers are fresh. I hope they remind you of my everlasting love, just in case I'm not there when you wake up. –Grandma]
Further away from me, across the white and blue checkered floor, was a window that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. Through the window, I could feel the warm golden rays of the sun beam on my skin.
In front of me was a mirror, one placed so high I could only see the top of my head.
On the other side of the room, to my left, was a desk cluttered with letters. A few letters seemed to be crumpled and tossed in the trash, which was in the crevice between the bed and the desk.
I couldn't help but gleam a little smile when looking at that mountain of letters.
It was oddly nice—I never thought something so simple would bring me joy.
The first letter I read was in a red envelope, and it was sealed with a maroon velvet ribbon.
For a while, I just glided my hand across the letter. The envelope was smooth, and I could feel the grain of the paper flow from left to right.
When I rubbed the ribbon between my fingertips, it was silky and soft.
I wanted to open the letter, but I just wanted to sit there and cherish it in my hands, too. I never wanted to let it go, and I wished I could have read it without opening it and messing up its precious beauty.
Eventually, after I sat there for what felt like eternity, I opened the letter.
I peeled the lip of the envelope and slowly slid the letter out. As I listened to the paper rub against itself, my mind slowed to a calming quiet rest as I moved to sit on the side of the bed.
[Dear Aerin,
Hi, Aerin, I know you probably don't remember me, but we met not too long ago when you were on your way to the pre-race interviews. That day, you said you noticed I looked upset and took me out for coffee. I was so surprised and happy that you took your time to care for a stranger you didn't even know the name of. But you were right—I was sad that day.
And what you didn't know was that just a year ago, on that same day, my dad had died. We used to watch every race we could together ever since I was just a little girl. And on that day, I was going to my first race ever without him. It just threw me into a pit that day. If you hadn't come, I probably would have just broken down on the spot.
But then you came over to me while I was looking at the floor, about to fall apart, and you gently kneeled down to look up at me and said:
"I can tell you've been through a lot, but you're sticking in there. My name's Aerin Shin, but you can just call me Aerin. And I was wondering if I could try to cheer you up and go for a coffee—all on me."
I have been a massive fan of yours for a while, and you made me so happy that day.
I thought that I wouldn't ever be able to feel happy again after my dad passed, but when you came along and were just there for me, you gave me peace—even if it was just for a little while. You were strong for me, so strong, when I couldn't be. And I'll never forget that.
It worried me so deeply when I saw you get into that accident just a few weeks ago. I couldn't help but write to you. I hope you feel better soon, Aerin, and I hope we run into each other again.
(P.S.) Sorry if my writing is hard to read. My hands were shaking the whole time. But thank you, Aerin—seriously, your kindness meant the world to me. I hope I can be as strong and kind as you one day.
That letter, those words, were as sweet as honey. But something else started to draw my attention.
In the trash was a black letter. Its texture was rough and wrinkled, and it was sealed with black wax.
Something was telling me to open it, but something was also telling me to burn it.
As I lurched to grab it, my hand flinched, but…
The serpent of curiosity tempted me to eat the fruit.
Sliding the letter out of the envelope sounded like playing a scratched record. The handwriting was jagged, the letters were sharp, and the words were corrosive.
How could you dare to look at yourself in the mirror, you twisted maniac? You're a disgrace. You are hideous. And I can't help but be driven to vomit every time I hear your name.
You hurt my daughter. You hurt my little girl. And as her father, I'll never forgive you.
I hope you die and wither in a pit.
You hurt my niece in that crash. You were reckless and selfish.
You are nothing but a disgrace. A worthless leech.
End it. brat]**
Panicking, I began to tap my foot.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.
"I didn't hurt that girl, I didn't."
"It can't be true, no, no, no."
"It's not true. It can't be true."
"It's not my fault."
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
"Like you're one to talk, you're a worthless leech of a wife!"
No, not again.
"THE PILLS WHERE ARE THEY!? YOU HID THEM BRAT DIDN'T YOU!"
Stop it.
*SMACK*
Go away, not again!
"FUCKING BRAT!"
Curling into a ball, I could do nothing but shake and sob.
"Mom, Dad, stop, please, please stop it. Why can't you just love each other? Mom, stop it, please."
SMACK
"DAD! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? WHY WOULD YOU HIT HER?!"
Worthless leech. End it.
What? Why would you say that? Stop!
Click.
The world snapped into place as the door opened.
As I snatched my hand back, I looked up to see a woman. It was a nurse.
"Heyyy… oh, sorry."
A gasp replaced her warmth as she glanced at my neck.
As she covered her mouth, she retreated behind the creaking sound of the wooden door, back into the hall.
Confused, my body jolted up straight. And in doing so, I saw something.
Something that made my stomach lurch.
It froze me as if I were staring into Medusa's eyes.
It drove lightning through my heart.
My neck—
My neck was laced in scars… from… my own nails… my own scratches.
I had no sensation where the scars had burrowed.
Their texture was rough, they were jagged, and they ran long from under my jaw to the base of my neck. The skin was dark and discolored.
Looking at my left arm, in the notch of my elbow, was a large bandage covering an IV that was in my arm.
Peeling it off, I could feel it tug on my sore, tender skin where the needle had been placed. Nonetheless, I took it and covered the scars.
I sat there for what seemed like hours, but in reality, it was just a few minutes. Still, I couldn't stop those cold tears from spilling out, and so I sobbed until my tears dried and stained my face.
I guess maybe it was too late after all.
As I lay back on the cold bed, I closed my eyes to try to escape, even for just a little. My hands were trembling, and I could feel the bed shake ever so lightly with my body. With my head laid back, I just sat there and listened to the clattering of steps out in the hall for what seemed like an eternity.
Eventually, I heard the door open, and at the door was another nurse—at first, I barely registered her; it was just some quiet footsteps to me that I could barely hear over my rocking with my arms around my knees and my heavy, frantic breathing. She knelt beside me.
Her eyes glowed a turquoise blue, and her hair was pure white
I flinched as she gently reached out and wiped the tear off my face, letting her soft hand linger as she spoke.
"It's going to be okay. It's all going to be alright."
(Gently, she used her hands to guide my face toward her soft, gentle eyes.)
"You've been through so much…"
"But it's going to be okay now. You're here now."
"You're here, at the hospital."
Softly, she ran her hands and eyes down my arm, pausing halfway.
"Your bandage came off."
"…"
"Don't worry, I'll just get another one."
Reaching into the desk, she grabbed a bandage and gently readied it.
Carefully pulling my arm close, she caringly laid the bandage over my IV on my tender skin.
Her hands were warm and soft as her slender fingers gently glided over my arm, laying down the bandage.
Still holding my arm, her eyes lingered for just a second before she softly smiled and lifted her gaze to me. Her eyes squinted ever so slightly with her smile.
"See? All better now."
"The doctor is going to be here in just a bit. Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah… I think so."
With that, she began to walk away. Upon reaching the door, she gently opened it and, with a foot half out the door, she stopped as…
"Uhh! Excuse me. Could I get your name?"
…as I asked her her name. And after a smile and a pause, she gave me her name.
"You can call me moki-bi (모키 비) . Sleep well now. "
And with that, the nurse walked out fully into the hallway, closing the door behind her.
With fatigue making my eyelids feel like steel, I could no longer grip consciousness. I fell victim to the seductress of sleep.
***???***
|Several days later. March 22nd 2025|
[We follow behind a man in a dark blue suit; the only thing visible is the man's back as he faces a desk in the center of a stage that lies in front of him; however, he has yet to walk on from backstage]
???: "hey Bi-seol (비설 )! "
[With a turn of his head, the man in the suit with his chestnut hair turned his head to the right with his mouth agape in subtle confusion]
Bi-seol: "Oh, hey Ekin,"
The man in the suit, known as Bi-seol, with his head turned to the right, looked down with a deep sigh before looking back up at the person out of sight, speaking to Ekin.
Bi-seol:"ahh, yea. Lucky me, right? At least I get to start with a bang. The public might go ham, though. "
***Aerin****
| March 22nd 2025|
[As the world turns black and as color swiftly reemerges into the world, we find ourselves with Aerin]
Fire burns away all. If allowed, it will sear flesh off bones and burn bones asunder. It takes several days of therapy after a burn incident to be safely released. The reason for this tedious time in the hospital is to monitor the patient. After a burn incident, ash and fire could have damaged the lungs and burned the skin irreparably. To minimize the damage, there is a therapy known as Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. In this therapy, one is sealed into a capsule and locked in while air composed of one hundred percent oxygen is pumped into the chamber, allowing for optimal healing. And so here we stand with Aerin in front of the chamber.
Around six feet in length and 5 feet in height, with a cylindrical shape, it looked cramped, like a mouse's hole. However, Aerin did not care; he simply wished to get back on the track as soon as possible. If one were to ask him for his vice, he would not know, but it is quite clear that his vice is that he is A fiend of speed.
However, despite Aerin's accelerated nature, Aerin hesitated for a little bit out of the slightest iota of hesitation; he did not know why. This was a mere box. He had done something very similar in the past days. He would do oxygen therapy with a mask and a tank. That mask made him feel like he was choking, but it wasn't too bad. But for some reason, this felt different.
Nurse: "Aerin up, you gotta get in and lie in there."
Aerin: "Yeah, right."
Aerin, facing perpendicularly relative to the capsule, took a few steps forward. Aerin walked under one of the Air conditioning vents on the ceiling, causing his hair to blow wildly for the brief moment he was under it. It was cold but not unbearably so.
With one last final step, Aerin put his hand on the capsule's edge. The edge was cold too; it leeched heat from your body, causing the thin, uncomfortable cross-section between the edge's lip and your palm to cool rapidly. Putting his right leg in the air and nearly bending completely backwards in a ludicrous position, he felt the mettle of the lip dig into his palm, and that especially was unpleasant. Imagine if someone fractured your hands and made you put all your weight on them. Surely that sounds like a merciless method of torture. But Aerin did not have to imagine. This is certainly a real sensation for him. This sensation caused him to wince and almost fall, but the nurse ran up and caught his back before he could.
Shortly thereafter, Serin kicked up his other leg and fully shoved himself into the capsule. Aerin was tall, so to fit into the capsule, he had to curl up slightly like an infant in a womb of metal. In that cramped space, the nurse attempted to slide the top of the capsule shut, but it jammed on his legs. The nurse pulled the top back slightly and tried again, gently twice more, bumping the lid against his legs twice more as well. On the third try, it was almost like watching a pitcher crank his bat for a swing as she slammed it past his legs and closed the latch with an echoing bold:
|CLICK!*|
The sound was like a police officer slamming a cell shut as the bars rattled.
The valves began to open, flooding the chamber with the oxygen mixture. The valve would audibly clack shut and then slowly reopen. The sound was like that of a ventilator. With each second, the pressure in my ears became greater until the world sounded muffled,
I opened my jaw, and my ears popped, just to get smothered with pressure in the next moment. My head became light; it felt as if my neck were moving a feather instead of my head.
Like a forest fire, his actions stemmed from merely one ember. Each action he made sparked one more cinder, which became flame, burning across his mind until it seared every corner of it.
Burning, many may have said it. That the casting of every action brings one of two things. Water or flame. Your body is nothing but a wick and candle, forever alight. Every action will douse you in gas or water. Think about every action you have committed to. Of every thought you have nurtured. Love or hate? Prudence or imprudence. Have you
caused pain or bliss? Answer these questions consciously or unconsciously, and your mind will tell you. Your mind will scream or giggle. Your lips will shiver or smile.
You may not realize it, but your subconscious is always doing this calculus and is always shouting the answer. Your heart may tremble, or it may flutter and skip. Your skin may spike or it may bake in tender warmth. If you desire the answer… the answer is already there. There may be more to this metaphor, but that serves. Now, what is our answer?
Prying my eyes open, I was in the chamber. Restraints tied me down, and flame started creeping from my feet. I tried to shake free, but I was bound too tightly. The flames shot up to my torso, and now I could feel the heat crack my skin.
It was agony like billions of wasps stabbing every part of my skin. The pain from burning your hand on the stove could never compare..
I began to cry. But the tears evaporated instantly.
BURINGING!
HELP!
****
AHHH!
THUNK
Lurching up, I hit my head on the roof of the chamber, which echoed. The nurse quickly ran over to me and began speaking.
Nurse: "Hey! Hey! What's going on? Are you okay? Forget it, let's call it a day."
Aerin: "YEa, MHPM, I mean yeah, that's good with me."
With a deep exhale and a long blink, the nurse continued.
Nurse: Alright, now that was your last therapy, so you're ready for discharge. And since most people forget, I'll remind you once more. Apply moisturizer to your hands every day, and be mindful of where you stick them. The fractures may have healed after the surgery, but the burns left scar tissue, making it that much easier to burn yourself because you can't feel all that much. As for the scars on your neck, there's nothing anybody can do. I do apologize.
Aerin: "Alright, that works, I guess. Now where's that aperwork right now?"
***Bi-seol***
[We return to Bi-seol, the man in the black suit, who still stands on the side of the stage with us, facing his back while he looks ahead once more]
Ekin: "Yeah, the public might go crazy with this news, but that's the point, is it not? We make money by spilling the beans, Bi-seol, so spill'em."
Bi-seol: "Yeah, I just feel bad for that driver. This might be career-ending unless he puts up some numbers."
Ekin: "Yeah, yeah, just get on that stage. It doesn't matter. It's his fault anyway. If he weren't such a brute, it would all be fine. But no, he had to be stupid. Anyway, get up there, you wall sitter."
Bi-seol: "Wow, man, you are quite harsh."
With that exchange, the man Bi-seol finally took his steps on stage. He walked stiffly due to anxiety. His knees barely bent, but that's business as usual. He made his way to the center of the stage, where the long crescent desk sat, and laid his hands on it, standing.
The man began to speak, opening his mouth widely, ready to utter the word from his script, but only an audible "ah" came out. It was hesitation. He simply looked down, breathed in, looked back up, and opened his mouth, ready to speak once more.
****Aerin****
At the front desk of the hospital, I was staggered not out of fear nor hesitation but rather the reality that:
Receptionist: "The bill will be one hundred thousand due to surgery, staff supervision, and miscellaneous care."
That hospital bill was simply staggering in itself
Aerin: "Wow. pffff, wow, yeah, okay"
With a surprised blow through the lips and wide eyes, Aerin took a staggered step back as his finger curled away from the pen on the desk right next to the blank check.
Aerin: thank god I'm rich. And what the hell does "miscellaneous care" even mean? I'm too tired for this.
Aerin: "Alright, fine!"
Quickly picking up the pen, he signed the check in sloppy handwriting, hastily, while looking at the check from the corner of his vision. He slid the check across the counter with the tips of his fingers, with a visible wince on his face. His face looked like he had just eaten something rotten, and he kind of did; the hospital food he just ate tasted like trash, to say the least.
Aerin: "Ahh, just take it, please!"
Receptionist: "Sir, please let go of the check…"
The Receptionist had a very plain expression. Plain, not in the sense of neutrality, but rather exhausted annoyance
Receptionist: "Sir….please let go."
Receptionist:" You're holding up the line."
Aerin: "Oh yeah, my bad, sorry haha"
With a shake of her head and the slow withdrawal of her right arm, check in hand with an expression screaming, "Is this guy a real person?" she spoke once more:
Receptionist: "Thank you very much, sir. You are now officially discharged. You may leave."
Aerin: Why is she looking at me like that? What? Never seen a person with a soul before?
Aerin: "Uhh, thank you, ma'am."
Upon turning around, you could see down the center aisle of the lobby, which had brown leather chairs on the right and left, divided by an aisle leading to the exit. Surprisingly, the chairs looked comfortable, and yet at the same time, cold literally. That leather would cool your skin for sure. There were pay phones along the edges of the center aisle, about six, three on each side. Each and every pay phone was being used, which was not surprising given the place.
Looking at the people at the phones, one stood out; she was in a brown puffer jacket with a green scarf and a beanie. The beanie failed to cover her hair fully, exposing long, silky brown hair. Her attire made sense given the season. What stood out, though, was the fact that she seemed to be covering her face with her scarf as if she didn't want to be discovered. And then her eyes,… her eyes glared at me with the stabbing visage of a hawk, before covering up her face again.
Despite her aggressions, I awkwardly bent my neck and stuffed my face into the collar of my burnt leather racing jacket. The jacket smelled like the ashes of a campfire. On the jacket, there were patches of scuffed leather where the color was darkened. Despite the unpleasantness, I kept my head down. As I walked past the lady, I could hear her voice. Her voice was sharp and sounded like she was speaking out of the corner of her mouth.
Lady: "Yeah, Ha-Eun(霞慇) isn't taking it too well. He's been cooped up in his room all day. I think he blames himself; he keeps saying that if he were there, he could have stopped it. I think he's too young to realize that some things you can't change."
Aerin: "..."
Lady: "That collision would've taken anybody with it, and I don't know how that other bastard survived."
His voice spoke quietly like a subtle breeze:
Aerin: "Speaking from experience, the driver probably doesn't have a damn clue either."
With his head still in his coat, Aerin passed the lady swiftly, causing a gust of wind to blow the scarf out of the lady's hand and off her face, exposing her eyes once more. Her eyes were sharper than obsidian, and they were staring directly at Aerin as if he were an offense to humanity itself.
Aerin, with his head tucked in his collar, still like an emu in the dirt, continued to walk. He was far too busy fumbling around with his phone in his pocket. After a second or two, the phone flew out of his pocket, causing Aerin to juggle air in an attempt to catch it as he let out embossing and audible "oohs' and "ahhh, ahhs". His valiant attempt was in vain as he lost the battle to the force of sheer indefigability known as "gravity". The phone flopped onto the floor with a hollow clack and a few bounces.
In reaction to the sound, the scarved woman craned her neck and recoiled at the sight of Aerin's failure.
Lady: "god, how stupid."
Her words phased through him like burning steam. And in embarrassment, he cringed, eyes shut.
Aerin:"Damn…. ahhhh….just kill me"
Bending down slowly as if not to be seen, he picked up the phone. He took a few glances, and the screen was shattered.
Breathing through his teeth, he could only mutter with contempt:
Aerin:" I should apply for a lotto ticket, huh?"
Standing back up straight, Aerin's sight limped around the lobby, locking eyes with the women. His skin flushed white.
Aerin: Argh, kill me
With that thought, his posture crumpled into a hunch.
While walking out, his vision never left the tile floor. Upon stepping outside, he looked up after an eternity and was blinded by a barrage of flashes.
***Bi-seol***
[returning to Bi-soel, standing in the center of a stage bathed in spot light, we finally hear his utterance after a deep breath.]
Bi-seol: "It has been leaked on the internet in small forums—that on March 15th, 2025, three hours after Aerin Shin's crash on the Red Ring track, A spectator injured in the stands… died."
Looking down, Bi-Seol took a deep breath. And continued.
Bi-seol: "We were able to get a statement from the mother of the spectator, and I will proceed to read it."
Looking at bi-seoul head-on, you could see him loosen his tie, but more surprisingly, you could see the massive screen behind him flash on with a live video of Aerin in the background, basked in the center of a street light at night. Aerin's hair was frizzy, and it drooped down right above his cheekbones. It was a wolf cut; his green eyes were wide and his mouth agape in what seemed like shock, and his diamond stud glistened in contrast to the empty piercing on the other ear.
Bi-soel spoke softly and slowly.
Bi-seol: "My daughter Joha(早霞)—was the most precious thing I could ever wish for."
In the background, you could see Aerin's hand start covering his open mouth as he staggered back on the screen.
Bi-seol: "I would gladly die right here if it meant she could live her life."
A microphone was shoved in Aerin's face as he began shaking his head.
Bi-seol: "If she could live her life that was so arrogantly ripped from my arms by that twisted driver's recklessness, I would die."
As his visage was doused in the flashing of cameras, Aerin pushed the microphone away as if it were deadly.
Bi-seol: "And I'd be glad to do it myself."
As a barrage of more microphones flooded the area, he pushed every single one away with his free hand.
Bi-seol: "I hope you hear my message and carry it with you the next time you see that driver."
The microphones besieging Aerin eventually caused him to tumble onto his rear. Aerin frantically crab walked backward in an attempt to run away.
Bi-seol: "He took everything away from my family."
Staying on the ground, he curled momentarily, putting his fists to his temples as if in physical pain…
Bi-seol: "He took away a life from my joha, a sister from my son, and a daughter from my husband."
He jolted to his feet… with his eyes were trembling
Bi-seol: "all for the sake of some stupid trophy."
… and ran with his back to the camera
[The screen turned off]
Bi-seol: "Remember that the next time you see him."
With a long pause and a final deep breath, Bi-seol continued.
Bi-seol: "That's her statement. It is unclear whether or not Mr. Shin will be able to continue his racing career or if he will be fired; the best we can do is hope for justice. This is The Newsday Feed, and that is all. Farewell."
[and then the broadcast cut with static]
***Aerin***
Houh ha Houh ha Houh ha
His heavy breathing could be heard for miles over his frantic steps. Running down the sidewalk, he continually entered the illumination of the streetlights and temporarily exited them as he ran.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh
Each lamp post he ran past left an audible breeze.
His heart was pounding as if it were about to explode. One would have to worry about a heart attack soon if he did not seize.
BE-THUM BE-THUM BE-THUM
After running in a straight line for at least a mile, he reached another crosswalk and, with the crosswalk light red, he crossed.
SCREEECH BEEEEEP.
The second his foot stepped on that street, he was almost hit, nay!, not almost! He was hit, and it caused his hind leg to be thrown out from under him, spinning him in a circle. Nonetheless, he miraculously kept his balance after a stagger. While running in a full sprint, he looked to his right.
BEEEP SCREEECH
THUNK
The second he saw those headlights in the night, his green eyes were hypnotized like a deer. The car was a sedan, so when it hit him, his legs were swept, causing his body to slam onto the hood like a bug against a windshield. As the car halted, his body was launched in front of the car, streaking through the air with his long hair thrashing. Aerin landed on all fours with a loose neck bandage, exposing his scarring.
Aerin: "argh fuck man hugk"
His legs tried to move before the pain even hit, but that pain came back in an instant. If you were to move in this circumstance, you'd be crippled from a sensation akin to four swords filleting your skin, all while the heat of blood streamed down your legs. But that physical pain was nothing compared to that true pain.
Aerin: "Let… me… go..argh"
As his legs attempted to bolt, his voice winced, and blood trickled onto the floor from both his legs.
Taking a pause, his eyes locked onto his arms that lay on the pavement. His arms were trembling like the rattle of a snake. His hands were laced with bandages, and those bandages were drenched in droplets of sweat
from his face. His breathing was rapid, and his heartbeat was slammingly loud.
His eyes were trembling like a subwarder, and his throat was sandpaper dry,
Aerin: "houghh Argh, dammit…why?"
Thunk! A car door was slammed shut nearby; it was the driver's side door of the car that hit him.
Driver:" HEY! What? Do you like getting hit?! Hurry up and get out of my way!"
With that line, the driver got back into his car and relentlessly honked his horn at Aerin, who still lay in the street on all fours, basking in the headlights.
BEEEEEP BEEEEEEEEEP
During that cacophony, Aerin's arms gave one brutishly vigorous thrust as he lurched onto his feet totteringly. From exhaustion, his neck craned upward, with his eyes staring into the night. The grey clouds in the Vanta black sky began to sob. Rain droplets the size of pebbles began to pour all over the city.
Each time Aein moved either leg in the slightest, his whole body would cringe in pain; it was as if a pipe was plunged through each femur. Coated by the rainbow due to the rain refracting the car's headlights, his legs agonisingly limped to the other side of the road as he breathed through his teeth.
Aerin: ARGHH!
With each limp step, you could hear his clothes rustle against each other, and Aerin hissed in pain. His arm
Rustle Rustle Rustle
Aerin: ARGH!
Aerin flinched in pain as he grabbed his right shoulder. It may have been dislocated, but he kept limping.
Aerin limped and limped and he limped past one crosswalk and then another, until he reached a street that had a way down the center to the right. As Aerin approached this alleyway, he was prepared to enter it.
About to turn into the alleyway, something stopped him. A figure drenched in rain darted out of the alleyway and then…
The figure pulled him in with an iron grip.