The smooth breeze welcomed me as I clung to the only support I had. I tightened the rope with ease; I'd done this a million times before. My red sneakers stayed on the pale brown surface as I leaned back into the wind.

As it swept my hair out of it's loose knot - freeing it from its restraint, I smiled and enjoyed the view. The sunrise in the distance tinged the sky around it pink; a calming sight. The sound of the sea, although soft, still made melodies in my ears. My breath caught tightly in my chest as the view of the whole town greeted me. At dawn, as everyone slowly trickled out of their humble abodes to start their daily routine, the town itself awoke: shop doors opened, traffic lights switched on, people started strolling about... It seemed as if everything was peaceful. Yet I knew that if I were there, I would be caught up in the hurry and chaos which looked so calm from afar. I could tell that within the seemingly orderly awakening of the town, a sense of excitement, dread, and definite rush hung about in the atmosphere.

Apart from that, the view was perfect, not to mention panoramic!

"Hey, don't daydream anymore! Didn't you hear me say it was time to keep going?" a deep, husky voice shouted from somewhere over my head.

 I glanced up - straight into the burning eyes of Seunghyun. His dark hair was also being swept around by the wind, and the effect of his hair being blown in every which direction made me smile. Even while he was angry, he seemed cute to me.

 In the corner of my eyes, I noticed another lean figure watching us. His strong hands supported his weight as he sat on a ledge, his long legs dangling off. He kept himself balanced with minimal effort; I could tell that he was also used to this kind of dangerous sport even though it was his first time coming out with us. That made me wonder why Seunghyun had never asked his mysterious friend to accompany us before.

"Get moving, lazy girl!"

 I rolled my eyes at Seunghyun's order and glanced at the view one last time. Sighing, I turned back and got ready to move on.

 The mountainside was steep, but it was merely another challenge to climb as I was overly used to the sport. I'd actually had to beg a grumpy Seunghyun to let us do this - he was too afraid that I couldn't take it. And yet, after all this time, it was him who called for a rest first. So much for his noble opinion. He'd persuaded his friend to come along and show us the way on this new route. Seunghyun, being the safe climber he was, had only stuck to the more familiar territory near the town itself. He was completely unfamiliar with the new territory and didn't trust my inbuilt sense of direction.

I glanced over at the mysterious guy as I climbed steadily upwards. The hand and footholds were easy to reach and I grabbed for them with my sixth sense as I watched him climb. His blonde hair swayed in the wind, getting in his eyes. Every few steps he would impatiently brush the locks aside so that he could see where he was going.

Just then, he turned and caught sight of me staring at him. He looked surprised for an instant, but then he immediately turned cold, his expression unreadable. Undaunted, I grinned at him, trying to tell him that I wasn't afraid of his cold gaze. His hair still fell into his eyes, and he angrily brushed it off.

 When a lock of my hair fell into my eyes as the wind howled, I just closed my eyes and kept going. I admit I was showing off, but I wanted that guy to know that I wasn't afraid of him. It was a small challenge, I know. But I was a competitive person and just couldn't let something like this pass by. I peeked a little in his direction and was satisfied to see that he was gazing, dumbstruck, at me. Realizing that I'd caught him, he furiously knocked his fist on the rock next to him, turned away and doubled his pace, trying to save the last remnants of his pride.

So, he was either in a very bad mood today or he was every bit as competitive as me. I couldn't help but be slightly attracted to him.

I opened my eyes fully and brushed the hair out of my face, working fast to get closer to him. Moving quickly, I even grabbed handholds that were too small to support my weight, using my momentum to propel myself upwards before they gave way. They crumbled in my wake, forming a small avalanche. This technique was one I'd perfected when I once found myself stuck on a crevice, unable to find any sturdy handholds to move on. I'd taken a risk, and - luckily for me - it had paid off. Since, I'd used it to my advantage; not only was it a quick way to move, the sense of danger pumped adrenaline through my veins and lent a thrill of excitement to the short times I spent climbing like that.

"Yah!"

 I paused, swiftly grabbing sturdy handholds. Glancing, down, I found the source of the abrupt comment. Seunghyun was dusting off his jacket with one hand, still clinging onto the rock surface with the other. I hadn't realised that I'd gotten so far ahead of him. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Do you mind not causing rockfalls? One stupid thing just hit me on the shoulder!"

"Seunghyun oppa, it's called a rock. And I'll tell the naughty rock to say sorry, arasseo?"

I caught the last remnants of Seunghyun's muttered curses and grinned. Sometimes, I just had to admire how easily the guy could get mad. He couldn't even calm down enough to joke back with me!

 Shaking my head slightly, I continued climbing quickly, trying to catch up with Seunghyun's friend. I saw his eyes glow slightly with mischief as he watched Seunghyun grumpily resume climbing. Catching my eye as I openly stared at him, he winked. I was so surprised, I broke off eye contact with him and concentrated on climbing steadily. Every few steps, I would glance sidelong at him, admiring the fluidity of his body as he moved. He climbed with the ease that came with years of practice, yet underneath that you could see that he also had the natural ability for climbing. His arm muscles rippled as he stretched for every handhold - and I must say I was jealous of his long arms. If I could reach that far, I would probably be able to climb at twice my current speed.

But he was taking it easy. He had barely cracked up a sweat, while I was already perspiring heavily. I tossed my head, getting the strands of hair stuck in my eyes out of the way. A few more handholds and-

"Hey," I said softly, slowing my pace to match his.

He looked at me for a split second before going back to climbing. However, he remained silent.

Clearing my throat, I added, "You seem like a pretty good climber."

Completely disregarding what I said, he stoically continued climbing.

What is he, deaf?

"Hello? Can you hear me?" I asked, leaning over to wave my hand in front of his face.

He paused, finally glancing at me and saying, "Watch out, Wildcat. If you're not careful, you'll fall."

Wildcat? Did I look like I had stripes, sharp fangs and claws? Or was he blind as well?

"Disabled people shouldn't be allowed to climb mountains. They'll probably lose their lives, and inconvenience many other people in the process." I remarked sarcastically.

He gave me a look. "I completely agree. Seunghyun should have had you reported by now."

What did he just say?!

"I was referring to you, mister! You're deaf and blind."

He only smirked, ignoring me once again.

"See? You're unable to hear what I say, and you're blind enough to think I'm a Wildcat."

He shook his head, his smirk widening into a grin. A hot flame seared it's way in my chest. I found my grip tightening on my handholds as I saw his expression.

How dare he ignore me?!

Puffing with anger, I pulled my weight and stretched for a handhold. I reached it and pushed off in a blink of an eye, continuing with my speedy ascent. The more I left that arrogant tick behind me, the calmer I felt.

But his manic chuckling wouldn't get out of my ears.

Of all days, why, oh why, did I choose today, not to bring my earphones?

I knew being angry wasn't good. Anger is the kind of heady feeling that leeches on your concentration, often confusing and distracting you. And for a climber who is inches away from death at all times; for whom the slightest mistake could mean a fall, being distracted was not good.

"Watch out, Wildcat. If you're not careful, you'll fall."
  
Get out of my head, you stupid voice!
  
I glanced up, into the slowly brightening sky. The rock wall disappeared after about fifty meters or so. We weren't far from the top. Soon enough, we would be able to stop and rest. Then we could just walk down the other side and maybe eat brunch along the way. I sighed, knowing that I could soon relax.

Hey, since when did climbing become a chore for me?

"Watch out, Wildcat. If you're not careful, you'll fall."

Oh yeah, since him.

A flare sparked and I found myself furiously reaching for another handhold. I stretched far, trying to show that irritating pig that I could reach just as far as his oh-so-long arms could. Craning my neck in order reach further, I kept stretching.

Then... I caught it. Smiling with my small victory, I recklessly pulled myself up.

 Just then, a resounding crack split the silence that had formed around me and I felt a feeling of weightlessness as my leg slipped out of the tiny crook I had lodged it in.

The handhold I had stretched so far to grasp crumbled under my tightening fingers. I started sliding, until I hung, suspended by one sole grip by my left hand on a small handhold - which collapsed too once it found it had to support my full weight.

I had nothing to hold onto.

I was falling.

I screamed.

                                                                                                            *****

"Wildcat!"

A strong grip encircled my wrist, a sudden as a bolt from the blue. My body protested loudly and my wrist got wrenched as momentum caught with me, jerking my whole body. I felt like a flattened pancake which had been spun around countless times, tossed and whacked ruthlessly onto a pan.

Grimacing, I glanced up at my savior. For the first time since I met him, his eyes were filled with a real emotion - worry, and relief. My hand twisted around to clasp his arm and I clung on for dear life, too dizzy to find new handholds for myself.

"Yah! Pabo!" Seunghyun's annoyed voice shouted behind me.

At least, I think it was behind me. Curse this disoriented world!

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked, slightly softer this time.

 He seemed extremely annoyed, yet I could detect the underlying tone of worry from the way he struggled to keep his voice steady. I didn't say anything, just searched for a couple of handholds and clung on, tight. I felt the stranger's hand slowly release my wrist.

Speaking of which - what was his name?

"Yah! You pabo, say something so we know your brain didn't fall out of your head just now."

"What's your name?" I burst out.

Seunghyun looked miffed. "Yeah, I'm invisible and I don't have a heart, so please continue ignoring me."

"I'm Ji."

 I grinned at him, completely disregarding the pouting guy next to me.

"Right. So, Ji, race you to the top?" I challenged.

 "Hell, no, I'm not ever going to let you do that!" Seunghyun butted in.

I gave him a withering look, saying, "This is why I ignore you. You always ruin my fun."

"You just fell - almost to your death," the scathing reply came, not from Seunghyun, but from Ji. "Get over your confidence already."

"I'm not afraid of you," I shot back.

He laughed, irony lacing his voice. Shaking his head, he just turned and continued climbing on, leaving Seunghyun and I behind in his dust.

"What is his problem?!"

Seunghyun gave me a questioning glance. After searching my face for a few minutes, he shook his head and sighed.

"Sometimes, you can be really immature. Do you know that?"

I looked at my hands. Silence ensued for a few minutes.

 "Ji was just worried. You could have died if he hadn't caught you. It's kind of off-putting when someone who was inches away from death completely ignores the danger they were in - rather, mocking the person who saves them seconds after. You have to admit: it is very creepy."

I glared at him. "I'm not afraid of some stupid fall," I muttered softly.

Seunghyun just shook his head and continued climbing, motioning with a toss of his head for me to keep up with him. Grudgingly, I obliged. Slowly but surely, we made our way up to the top - where Ji was sitting and enjoying the view.

Seunghyun collapsed as soon as he got over the ledge.

"Hyung, you look terrible - even worse than usual!" Ji remarked.

 Seunghyun just hit him, letting out a weak chuckle. He did look in a right state: his hair wet with sweat, his forehead beaded with perspiration, his hands grimy and his clothes flecked with dust from the rock. He had his long body spread-eagled on the hard rock, his tongue lolling as he rested.

I clambered up after him. As I sat with my legs dangling off the edge of the precipice, I inched my upper body forward. Slowly, the whole view of what we had just climbed was revealed. My breath caught tight in my chest as I finally realized what would have become of me if I had fallen... If Ji hadn't caught me.

A girl's body crashes into the rocks after a long fall. Her frail body breaks as soon as she touches the ground, but her momentum carries her upwards again. She bounces a total of three times; each time her broken body shatters even more. By the time she becomes completely still, blood coats her clothes and a thick layer of the scarlet liquid covers the ground underneath where she had fallen. Her body lies askew, her limbs in awkward angles.

 Yet, the rise and fall of her chest is visible. She is alive, and probably will have to live as a cripple for the rest of her life... Maybe even as a vegetable. Stuck in a coma forever, unable to do a thing besides breathe to keep herself alive and feel the pain within her. Alone.

As all these scenarios flashed in my mind, I became conscious of a faraway voice calling out to me. A weight landed on my shoulder - probably Seunghyun whacking me - but I could barely feel it. All I could see was what happened to my body after it fell.

Suddenly a force knocked me backwards, forcing me to look at the sky. Jerking out of my reverie, I took a deep breath, unconscious that I'd been holding it all this while. Seunghyun's worried face appeared in my vision, blocking out most of my view.

"Are you alright? I tried calling you, but you didn't respond."

"I..."

What just happened?

"Here, sit up and have a drink," Seunghyun said, sensing my confusion.

I followed his order with difficulty, unable to stop my shaking. He passed me my water bottle, and I feel better immediately after gulping some of the cool liquid down. It soothed me as it ran down my throat. Noticing that my hands are still shaking, I clench my fists.

"What happened to you just now?" Seunghyun asked again in a softer voice.

"I... I was-"

"Hyung, I think she finally went into shock," Ji said.

"Shock?"

Ji nodded at him, sending me a sympathetic glance.

"Hey, Sis, don't blank out on us now!" Seunghyun said.

 I felt something pricking my eyes. A burning sensation filled them, and I found myself taking deep breaths in an effort to calm myself. All the while, the scene of the girl - me - falling to her doom filled my mind. Every few seconds, my body would shudder to try and shake the images out of my mind, but it didn't work.

So this is shock, is it? Why can't I come out of it?

Seunghyun snapped his fingers in front of my face. "Snap out of it - you're doing it again!"

"Hyung, go get some water. You're turning red."

I was conscious that Seunghyun walked away from me, leaving me cold. I shivered, and a new warmth covered me. Glancing to my left, I saw Ji wrapping an arm around me. Tears slipped free of the barriers as I realized that I had him to thank for my safety right now.

With that thought, I felt a sense of calm slip over me. Like magic, the horrifying images disappeared from my mind.

"Ji?" I murmured, only low enough for him to hear.

As he turned his head in surprise, I said, "Thank you, for saving my life. And I'm sorry for-"

"Ssh," Ji whispered, placing a finger on my lips. "Just forget it, and let's start over again, arasseo?"

I nodded slightly. Seunghyun plopped down on my other side just then.

Seeing the slightly more alert look in my eyes, he said, "I take it you're feeling better?"

 "Neh," I replied. "Sorry for just now."

 He ruffled my hair affectionately. "At least you're making sense now. That fall was miraculous! It actually made your brain start working!"

"Yah! How dare you say that?!" I flared up.

Ji chuckled again. "Everything is back to normal now."

He gave my hand a tiny squeeze and I couldn't help but grin at him.