AUGUST 7TH 2012 - 2 days before school starts

It was coming through fast but all she could do was cry, unintentionally adding to it. Her vision was so blurry that she could only see shadows and unclear figures. Distantly she could hear bangs and a voice talking to her. She tried to make out the words but couldn't, the surrounding noise and her panicked breaths making it impossible. Feeling a hand on her cheek, she reached up and clamped both her hands over ... WAKE UP!

Startled awake by her own subconscious, she blinked until her vision cleared and she could see her surroundings.

She was lying on her back... a wood roof... a round flower patterned light shade...

My bedroom, I’m in my bedroom she realized, exhaling in relief.

She rarely had bad dreams but when she did it was always the same one. It always started and ended in the same place, never dreaming of what happened before or after which she was thankful for.

Throwing back her blanket, she swung herself around and stood walking around the bed to her window. Reaching up she pulled the curtains open, squinting at the bright light that beamed in.

Feeling the heat of the sun warm her face she, reached up to put her fingers around the locket she wore and closed her eyes... but what’s that smell?

Eyes fluttering open, she wiggled her nose curiously. It’s...It’s...

“The day before I go to school!” she remembered excitedly. Jogging to her door she pulled it open, rushing through the hall and down the stairs, only stopping once she reached the living room table. Examining the tabletop she grinned at the sight and smell of what was on it... Waffles, berries, cream and hot chocolate.

Even though she’d seen this sight many times before, it still excited her. Partly because waffles were her favourite but mostly because of the happy memories it brought back. In the past it was a ritual her parents first began the day before she started kindergarten. Very early while Yu Jin slept and her grandparents went off to the market, her Dad picked berries from the garden while her Mom prepared waffles in the kitchen. She remembered how excited she was the first time she went downstairs and saw everything laid out on the table “Surprise” they said before coming over to hug and kiss her good morning.

Every year since then her parents did this for her and since they’d been gone it was something her grandparents continued, preparing everything before they left the house ready for when she woke up.

Grabbing the plate already on the table she slid into a chair. Picking up a fork she speared a waffle through its middle and plonked it on her plate stopping when she noticed movement in her side vision.

Turning her head to look out the window she saw someone walking through the gate in the direction of the barn, holding a large sack of fertiliser on his shoulder. She couldn’t make out his face but immediately recognised his physique. Shuffling her chair closer to the window, she admired him openly until she lost sight of him down the path.

She sighed longlingly and turned her attention back to her breakfast. Glancing down at her plate, a thought suddenly popped into her head.

Biting her lip in thought, she nodded with determination.

“Yu Jin Hwaiting!” she told herself.

Punching the hand holding the fork up in the air, she brought it down again, spearing her fork through another waffle.