Hissing sounds...

Metal hitting metal...

Blood, rushing over my head. I'm drowning.

Panting, I sat straight up in bed. It's five a.m and I'm drenched with sweat. Another bad dream, I rarely go sleep without one.

I stay still for a moment, catching my breath. Once I'm calmed down, I stand up and went to find my shoes.

Once I've put on my shoes, I grabbed my iPod and silently walked out of the room. I tiptoed down the stairs, avoiding to wake up Dad or Han Byul.

After I passed the gates, I placed my iPod's earphones in my ear, put my iPod in my pocket,  and started running. I inhale deeply, welcoming the security it brings.

Once my body recovered from the accident, I tried running. It turned out to be the perfect coping mechanism for me. With each step, I'm able to channel my anger, frustration and hurt. I like how strong and powerful my legs feel while I run...like I can do anything. It also helps me forget everything and just focus on where I place my foot at or what turn should I make or how far I can go or how long I could last. It helps me not to think about the past. It was my distraction.

After a few minutes, I saw the entrance to Cheongdam Park. I took the running path and continued running. The path started out like a normal track, with neatly cut grass on either side of it, snaking between the baseball diamond and tennis courts, then curving past the picnic tables. Then disappeared into a surprisingly forest. I noticed that the fallen leaves were thick, still the trees on either side of me was lush and beautiful. I was breathing really hard now, but I felt so good. I could only hear the music in my ears - I felt I was the only person in the whole world, until I saw him.

Or maybe I thought I did.

Still, I was pretty sure I saw something through the trees that wasn't the same color as found in nature.

I slowed down a bit to be sure, and when I peered through my right, I saw that there was someone sitting at a boulder near a pond below. Doing what, I'm not sure as I went by not slow enough to tell. Then I was out of the woods, sprinting past the parking lot.

Once in the parking lot, I felt my body could barely stay upright so I decided to stop. I pull out my iPod from my pocket to check on the time. Six fifteen. I've been running for an hour.

As I was walking at the parking lot, I thought to myself:
Had I really seen what I thought I'd seen?

Or had I just imagined it? Maybe I was hallucinating. Good thing, there was a small stall which I assume sells bottled water.

I jogged my way to the store, too focus on getting myself water that I didn't notice there's also someone jogging across my left and it was too late to try and avoid the collision. The impact on me was so hard that I almost fell on my . Almost. I didn't fall because the next thing I knew, both of his hands came to my waist. As for me, being the weird that I am, immediately pushed him back. And scampered my away, as fast as I can, without looking back that I fail to immediately recognize that he was the guy on the pond, and he's with his friends. as well as the look on his face.

Too shocked with the encounter, I abandoned the stall and started running back to my Dad's house.

Sweat still ran down on me as I went inside the house. Too thirsty, I went straight to the kitchen.

When I went past the dining room, my Dad spoke from the table, "Since when you've taken up running?" He was holding up a newspaper, he wasn't looking up.

I took out my headphones and stood there. "It keeps me in shape."

"Good morning, sweety!" I heard Han Byul says after emerging from the kitchen holding a tray of, I think, bacons. "You run again? That's great! I made you a power juice, I read this is really good for the body," taking the seat on Dad's right side.

With that, dad puts down the newspaper and looked from Han Byul to me. Looking confused.

I didn't respond, I just stood there. Sweat was dripping off of me and I wondered if dad or Han Byul will comment on how I dirtied the floor.

No one did. Dad only sighed, told me to hurry and get changed and join them for breakfast. Han Byul doesn't seemed to mind me sweating all over her floors. She seemed okay with it. Or possible that she didn't want to comment on it as it might offend my dad. Whatever.

Before I went upstairs, I grab a bottled water first. As I walked out of the dining room, I heard Han Byul say, "Wear something nice. After breakfast, we'll go shopping! Tomorrow's your first day of school!"

I took a deep breath. 'Yay! Shopping.' I thought. Is this going to be my life? I'm really starting to hate it.

-----

I didn't allow my Dad to drop me off to school because:

One - I don't really feel safe in riding three tons of metal. I've learned that firsthand.
Two - I believe I'm too old for my Dad to be bringing me to school.

Besides, finding the school wasn't difficult. It was just three streets away from my Dad's house.

The front of the school has a very tall, metal gate. Above that is a very large, "YG ACADEMY." After passing the gates, I'v stepped onto a long narrow gravel road with walls of tall green trees on either side. I inch