I still remember that day.
The day I first watched a ballet performance on television. I admired it. I wanted to do it too.
But inside, I was also asking. "Can I do it?"
I looked at my mother, who was washing the dirty dishes. I repeatedly told her that I could help her with the dishes and other household chores.
But she said, "No, I'll do it."
She worked hard to support me. My father had left and remarried and didn't care about us. She must have felt tired and hurt. Even during their marriage, she had worked and earned her own money. He never gave her anything.
I couldn't add to her burden. I continued watching television. But without realizing it, my mother had noticed that I had watched ballet performances several times. Sometimes I would even imitate the movements.
My mother stroked my head and said. "Do you want to do it?"
At that moment, I really wanted to nod and say yes. But I couldn't. I just stood there, confused.
My mother said, "If you like it, then do it. Don't worry, I support you."
My tears immediately fell. I hugged my mother very tightly without being able to say anything.
I also registered for the training center and trained with full enthusiasm and sincerity.
Then unfortunately it happened. I don't know if it was fate or coincidence. But if you say it, I was really unlucky that time.
It was an ordinary day. I was walking home after school. The road I usually pass and the atmosphere as usual. But I don't know why it happened.
A clay flower pot fell from a multi-story building. Unfortunately, the pot fell right on my head.
Why did it have to hit me? If only I had known and could have avoided it.
Useless regret.
When I opened my eyes everything was dark. I couldn't see anything. I was afraid. Very, very afraid.
Why did it have to happen to me?
Why my eyes?
Why me?
In that darkness my thoughts were like waves in the ocean during a storm. I was angry, I was sad, I was afraid. Screams began to escape my mouth.
Just when I really felt like I was about to fall down the cliff, a warm embrace enveloped me. Warm body temperature, a soft voice, a familiar caress.
My mother hugged me tightly.
"It's okay. Mom is here."
Even though my vision was dark, I felt like I saw a light. A light as warm as sunlight. I calmed down and cried bitterly.
After a few days, I began to accept my situation, though not completely.
One thought crossed my mind, I couldn't dance ballet anymore. I guess I should try to let it go. Maybe there were other things I could do now.
Even with optimistic thoughts, my heart still couldn't accept it.
Was ballet that important? Of course.
It wasn't just the dancing that mattered. Behind it was my mother's love and sacrifice. She even found a second job to pay for my training.
To me, it was like a star plucked from the sky by my mother for me.
But I ended up like this. I must have disappointed her. I was truly pathetic.
At that time, the doctor said there was still hope for me to see again. But it would require a matching eye donor, and that would take a long time.
Without losing hope, I patiently waited. As I walked, I thought about something. Only my eyes hurt, but my body didn't. My legs and arms still functioned. If I practiced, I would definitely be able to determine the right steps in dancing without even looking.
So I practiced alone. I no longer went to the practice place, because I didn't want to hear their rejection because of my condition. My mother agreed.
I also practiced remembering the way and feeling the environment around me. So that my mother would not worry too much about me anymore.
Because my mother often came home late at night, I was starting to get bored. I went to the park near our house because I used to go there often. The night air there was very pleasant.
I thought maybe I could dance there to keep myself from getting bored.
Then I met that man. A good man who had the same fate as me.
Although we had only met three times, talking to him was very pleasant. I hoped that he would be able to run again like before.
Then that day my mother came home early. She happily told me that an eye donor had been found for me. Immediately, my mother and I prepared to go to the hospital outside the city.
Ah, I hadn't had a chance to say goodbye to that man. I hoped he was okay.
But that glimmer of hope was instantly extinguished. Another car, speeding at breakneck speed, slammed into ours. A loud crash was heard. Both cars rolled and flipped over. Shattered windows. Crushed bodies. Smoke billowed from the mangled engines.
Even though I couldn't see, I could feel what had happened.
"Mom... Mom..." I called out repeatedly, but there was no answer.
Blood poured from my head and nose. This upside-down position was excruciating. But my body couldn't move.
Tears began to flow along with the blood.
"I... I'm sorry." My breathing began to become heavy.
At that moment, I wished someone would help us.
But it was too late.
"Death comes unexpectedly, huh?"
"Yes."
"So easy and so quick."
"Yes."
"If only I hadn't insisted on ballet practice, would this not have happened?"
"I don't know."
"Do you regret it?"
"No."
"Life is unpredictable. One second I could still see, and the next I couldn't."
"One second I thought I couldn't dance anymore, but the next I could dance even though I couldn't see."
"Just like that man who loved running but whose legs couldn't run anymore."
"Is that man okay?"
"I don't know either."
"Did you hate not being able to see?"
"Of course. No one wants to lose something."
"But now I don't hate it anymore."
"Why?"
"The stars in the sky can only be seen when the sky is dark, right? I'll be that star."
In a room lit only by moonlight, the girl smiled.
"My mother is waiting for me. I'm going."
The girl walked without her cane.
Under the moonlight, her eyes shone. The door opened.
The girl stepped out and disappeared like starlight.
-End-