November 28th, 2012

It was late, and I had just ended my extra-curricular activities for the day. Being the president of the Student Council was tiring but it had its perks. Because I was in charge of locking up the entire school at the end of the day, I could also take my time to head over my homeroom and pick up whatever materials I'd forgotten under my desk, just like I was today.
Unfortunately, being Student Council president did not entitle me the rights to change the allocation of the classrooms, and here I was grumbling as I dragged my fatigue-ridden legs up the stairs to the fourth floor where my classroom was located.

The deserted hallway was eerily silent safe for the echoing of my footsteps as I marched into my classroom. Shadows lurked in light-forbidden corners of the large rectangular box. The darkness of the night had already started to settle in, and a sudden gust of ckld air blew worksheets and leaflets off the teacher's table and onto the ground. I quickly grabbed my lesson notes from under my desk and hurried out of the forbidding place.

Years ago, in thisnvery building, there had been cases of students committing suicide in the school, and that their spirits can stjll be seen wandering aeound this level where they had jumped silence as theirnsilhouttes disappear off intk the darkness. But I, for one, definitely did not want to verify whether the rumours were true or not.

Anothwr gust wind blew the papers from my hand, and carries it along with the wind. I knew i couldn't lose them. I had a graded class test on excatly these chapters the day after next. Seeing my notes get blown futher away from me, I screeched and clambered over the safety railings to grab them in vain. A slight tip, and I was over the edge.

It's funny how humans are. We never realise how important people are in your life when you're about to, or already have, lost them. In the few seconds I spent falling, I knew that I was going to die. I knew that I would never see my family or friends ever again, and I knew that I still have so many things unspoken. All the overdue apologies and acts of gratitude I owed to my loved ones rushed to me all at once.

The feeling was terrifying.

I didn't want to die. I still haven't made up with Sakura for fighting with her over basketball practice this morning. I don't want to go without telling her that I loved her for the final time. Memories, both pleasant and bad, of the times we'd spent together flashed across my mind and tears welles up in my tightly shut eyes. It was too late now, but still I was going to leave this world with regrets embedded in my heart.

I landed head-first on the concrete ground with a sickening thud four floors down. By the time the school cleaners found me the next day, my body had become icily cold and lifess. The police was called, the ambulance came, but everyone knew the effort was futile. I suffered multiple fractures in my limbs and skull and I died on the spot. My death was quickly ruled an accident and the case was dismissed.

The turnout at my funeral was more than I'd expected. Scanning over the occupied pews, I saw that friends and family and even students from school had come. Some were people I'd met in Student Council, and the others were Sakura's teammates from basketball. There were even others whom I didn't even recognise. I saw my circle of close criends gathered around my hysterical parents, consoling them even though they didn't appear any better off.

My eyes landed on the familiar looking solitary figure standing in front of my coffin. Hyewon! I drifted over just in time to see him run her long fingers over the glass above my place face. Her neck was bent, but her shoulders were shaking. When her head lifted, I saw thr terrible condition she was in and it broke my heart. 

Hyewon's eyes were red-rimmed but dark cicrled. Faint tear tracks could be seen running down her cheems. Her cheeks were sunken and hollow, and her skin was gangly. I could tell that she hadn't been sleeping well, if at all for the past two days since my death, and I couldn't help but feel extemely guilty. Here I was, happily gallivanting in my afterlife, yet for those around me...

Her shoulders heaved with effort as she calmed herself enough to speak. "kura yah... I... I'm sorry... I shouldn't have quarreled with yiu that morning. It had been our second anniversary, yet I wanted to cancel our plans because of basketball practice. Of course it was understandable that you would get angry. I shouldn't hVe gotten upset and left in a huff without seeing things from your point of view. "

" It seems that basketball practice has always been the sole reason for our fights. Yet after every time we had an argument, you would be the one to approach me and apologise first even though I am at fault. But this time, I don't even jave the chance to make it to you anymore. " Hyewon lifted her hand from the glass to harshly wipe away a fresh batch of tears that managed to escape down her cheeks." I... I know you must have hate me a lot now, and I detest myself even more. I swear I'll never touch a basketball ever again for the rest of my life." 

I reached my hand up to touch her face, but my hand went straight through her body, and I realised that I couldn't be seen. I couldn't be heard and I couldn't be touched. In the same way, no one could feel me or my presence. I was... Alone. 

I trailed behind Hyewon to school the next day. She looked visibly weakened, because of me, and I felt my heart squeeze again. Hyewon was restless and distracted throughout the whole day, and stared out of the classroom window overlooming the basketball court all the time. She must be thinking of her promise she made at my funeral, about mot playing basketball ever again for the redt of her life. 

I knew deep inside that no matter what, Hyewon must never give up basketball for whatever reason, not even me. Basketball was her life, the reason for her existence. Her passion and talent for the ball game was extraordinary and to give it all up was just too much for anyone to ask for.

As her girlfriend, or rather, ex-girlfriend, the more I should prevent her from making that hige mistake, but how am I to do so? She can'r hear nor touch me, how am I supposed to let her know that graveness of this foolish vow?

July 5th, 2013

Hyewon's 18th birthday cake in a blink of an eye. She loved celebrating birthdays, except that this year, I won't be there to spend the special occasion with her. It was the first time in five years we've met that we would be apart on this day.

Being the celebrity of the school, her friends had thrown a party for her as usual. It was really rowdy, with lots of loud music and crazy games. Laughter and cheer could be heard from every corner. 

I stayed next to Hyewon as she stood at the door to welcome her party guests. Even after everyone has arrived she kept frowning and flipping through her incitations list, as though someone was still missing. Oh, right, Me. 

"Hey, guys. Did you miss out someone from the list? Cause I keep having this feeling that you did..." She signalled for her girls to come over. 

"Are you sure about that? But everyone we know is already on that list, and present at the party. Who else can it be?" Chaewon, Hyewon's basketball teammate and one of our closest friends, walked over to where Hyewon was. 

"...Oh my gosh, I think you missed out Sakura... "

"Sakura?" Chaewon echoed before casting a wary glance to rest of the basketball team. They shrugged and looked away avoiding Hyewon's prying gaze. Chaewon turned back to face Hyewon and cleared uncomfortably. "Uhm... Hyewon, Sakura's like, you know, she's gone, remember? The, uh, accident in school last year...?" 

"Oh.... Oh. Right. Sorry... My bad..." 

It put a damper to the celebratory mood, and for the rest of the party, it was visibly clear that Hyewon was completely out of it. She might be physically present, but her mind was miles away in places unknown.

September 26, 2013 

Days went by, yet Hyewon still goes around with a dark clous looming over her head. She had all but stopped talking all together and no one, not even Chaewon, could get to her. That evening after school, Hyewon had skipped basketball practice as usual, but instead of heading home, she had gone in the direction of the cafe at downtown where Kim Minjoo worked. 

Minjoo was from my school, and worked part-time at the cafe during evenings and weekends for wxtra cash. She was average average grades, average looks, average popularity, and nothing about her stood out. I'd only noticed her because f the 4th period Math class Hyewon and I used to share with her. That, and the fact that Minjoo has a world-renown crush on my girlfriend.

Hyewon pushed open the heavy glass door and entered the air-conditioned cafe. She slunk into one of the high chairs lined in front of the counter, dumped her school bag against the stool's legs and just sat there, staring down at the bar top silently, totally immersed in her own world. 

Hyewon sidled over and rested her elbows on the wooden counter in front of Hyewon, making a special effort to lean over the counter top. "Hey Hyewon... Are you okay? You seem