I remember......

Whenever I saw her running shoes, I would always be reminded by her presence.

Kwon Yuri, my dear was as beautiful as her name-yet she was fragile also. She was a strong runner, an athlete that won every gold medal of track and field. Yuri could match a young Deer and I, I would always fall behind her back. Everyone around her, they were not able to catch up with her speed; thus she would just laughed at how ridiculous we look.

Yuri was the lover of the wind, the wind also loved her back. Whenever she runs, the wind would always blew her hair and left a chaste cold kiss on her nape. Her smile was dazzling, her eyes showed determination of winning. Not only for the medal, Yuri would reach the finish line for me. She would gave me her hug, her kisses, her love, her happiness.

But it didn't last for long.

She was diagnosed on the day she collapsed.

Yuri stumbled on the track, her feet and arm went numb and cold.

I looked at how she suffers that time, Yuri never squirms or cry-I believe the pain was hurting her deep into her bones. When I knew personally what kind of symptoms Yuri had, I couldn't help but cry. "She is having Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis." I tried to slap myself so hard, hoped that I will be woken up from the nightmare I was having. 

I couldn't... It's the reality.

Sooner or later, she'll be gone from me-from everyone.

I never told Yuri about her disease, she found out by herself. She changed to be a hardheaded person, she trained harder and harder everyday. The guilt was eating me from the inside, I was not able to stop her yet I wanted to let her enjoy her last days of being able to run.

She stumbled and she fell, she wounded her knee and jaw. Yuri looked like a little kid, crying hard on the middle of the track while trying to ease her pain. I ran to her, hugged her while she damped my clothes.

"Don't cry Yuri, don't cry..."

But I dropped my tears while she was not looking.

There was the time when Yuri already lost the function of her feet. I was always the one who pushed her wheelchair while serenading her. She didn't talk much, she didn't even order me to do anything. I led Yuri to the park, letting her do some sightseeing other than the boring looking hospital room; it was also heartbreaking to saw her being lifeless and bedridden.

I left her and promised to come back quickly, I thought having a warm coffee while chatting would be nice.

I was surprised when I came back.

Yuri was gone from her wheelchair, she leaned by the nearest bench and tried her best to stand up properly. Her gaze was fixated at the boys that was running around the park, racing with his friends. Yuri wanted to run again, her eyes were teary and her face was filled with pain. But Yuri was determined, she didn't stop halfway. I was surprised when I saw Yuri stand properly for a second, then she fell right away.

She cried, the boys stopped running and stared at Yuri.

They pitied Yuri, I shooed them away. I pushed the wheelchair next to her and helped her to sit on it. "Wh-.....Why Sica? Why I can't run anymore?' she wails while burying herself on my bosom, crushing me with her weakening arms-trying to release her agony.

"Maybe....."

"Life was just jealous of your perfection..."

Yuri was slept soundly inside my arms, her face shown no pain or sorrow. I let myself awake, to protect her from her nightmares or possibly death call.

My hand ran from her scalp to her beautiful face, then it stopped on her slow heaving chest. Yuri's heartbeat was slow, it was almost hard to notice it.

I looked at her wrist, then my heart breaks into small pieces. On her suffering days, Yuri would hurt herself-it left so many scars on her healthy tanned skin. I couldn't hold myself back and let myself cried silently. 

I left a kiss on her scalp, another one on her cold lips.

I wished that my actions would remained unnoticed....

But Yuri woke up and held my hand weakly.

She was having a trouble speaking, yet she tried hard to pinpoint everything. Patiently also, I would always wait for her to finish her words.

"Sica, I wanted to fly." was the thing she tried to say to me.

She looked so sad when her gaze fell on her feet, or to the birds flying outside the hospital. She was jealous of them, and I could understand her feelings.

"Should we try Skyjump?" even on my or her saddest time, I would try my best to smile for her. Yuri grinned and nodded her head like a little kid, she looked so adorable. I promised Yuri I would take her to do Skyjump, and I worked myself hard to earn the money.

I wished I could fulfill my promise.

Yuri?

Did you enjoy your freedom?

It must be nice to touch the clouds, or to be bound inside the wind that you loved so much.

We're free-falling together, challenging the harsh gravity.

But Yuri, now you should join the angels.

Have your wings dear.

"Did you emptied the box of ashes properly?"

You should wait for me.

"Yes. Let's go to the landing space now. I have enough of this Skyjump."

I'm not going to have my wings now, I'm still bounded by the ground of reality.

But later...

We'll fly together.

Goodbye for now, Yuri.

Soar!