The next day. It was a sunny day as usual.
"Hey hey, look at this." The boy's friend showed him a flyer.
"You should join." It was a flyer for a running competition.
"It's free too. But if you win there's a cash prize."
The boy's friend showed him the flyer and smiled. The boy examined the flyer.
"Can I win?" The boy hesitated a little.
"Of course. But even if you don't win, at least you get some experience right?" His friend encouraged him enthusiastically.
"Okay, I'll try." The boy strengthened his resolve.
"Sure, I'll watch and support you."
Then the next day, his friend didn't come to school. The teacher said he was sick.
Then the next day, and the next. His friend still didn't come to school.
"Is he that sick?"
Then the boy decided to visit his friend's house. No one was there. He returned anxiously, worried about his friend's well-being.
Then the next day, the race began.
The boy looked everywhere, looking towards the spectator seats, hoping his friend would be there watching. But he couldn't find him.
"Then I have to win and show him my medal." The boy was excited.
The race began. After the whistle blew, all the competitors ran as fast as they could. The boy ran as fast as he could. Faster than he had practiced. With the hope of victory in mind.
He was the first to cross the finish line. He was met with loud cheers and applause. He stood on the podium and received his medal.
A bright smile spread across his face.
Then, in the afternoon after the race he stopped by his friend's house hoping he would be there so he could show him his medal.
After he knocked, a woman who looked about his mother's age opened the door. It was his friend's mother.
Her face was filled with sadness, and tears continued to flow down her face.
"You... you're his friend, right?" His friend's mother tried to speak, but through sobs.
"Yes... is he home?" The boy asked politely.
His friend's mother couldn't hold back her sadness and burst into tears.
"I'm sorry... B-because he c-can't see u-us again..."
With tears streaming down her face, her friend's mother grabbed his shoulder. Her grip wasn't painful. But what made the child cry was the meaning behind those words.
"I'm sorry, ma'am... can, can I meet him?"
The boy cried.
His friend's mother nodded.
"We... We got the news this morning. He's still in the hospital and will be buried now. Would you like to come with us?"
"Yes... Allow me to come..."
In the afternoon as the blue sky turned orange, a boy stared at the newly made grave.
The boy fell silent.
"Look at this, I... I won."
The boy smiled.
"You should have seen me win..."
Tears began to fall.
"I... I'm great, aren't I?"
His voice became hoarse.
"Sorry... I should have come to you sooner."
"Sorry..."
The boy fell to his knees in front of the grave and wept bitterly.
As he was about to leave, his friend's mother approached him.
"Thank you. I'm glad my son has a good friend like you."
Although she was smiling, her face looked sad. The boy remained silent, unable to answer.
"Here, I think this is for you." The mother handed the boy a letter.
The boy accepted the letter and bowed his head in thanks.
He was then taken home. In his room, the boy opened the letter. He read the words written on the paper.
"Yo! Congratulations on winning your first race! I knew you would win! Didn't I say you could do it? Be more confident! And I'm also sorry I couldn't see you compete. But, as long as you're still alive, keep running. I'll watch you from here if I can, hahaha. Thank you for being my friend. Even though my illness prevents me from running, when I see you run, I feel like I'm running too. Thank you for running for me. Goodbye, my friend."
The eyes that read the letter could no longer hold back the tears.
His cries sounded so sad.
He had lost his only friend.
A good, sincere friend. A friend who wanted to be with him for who he was. A friend who always supported him.
Now gone to a place so far away and never to return.
The days passed quickly. Although his grief lingered, he quickly picked himself up. Just as the letter had written, as long as he was alive, he would continue running after his dreams.
Looking up at the sky, the boy smiled.
"I wish you could see me."
Time passed quickly. The boy was now a third-year high school student. One more year until he graduated. It had been almost three years since his friend's death. Yet, the boy continued to train, albeit alone.
"Look at this. I'm going to enter this race." The boy showed a flyer in front of a grave.
After his friend's death, every time he was going to run a race, he would come and tell his friend.
"I don't know if you saw me or not. But I'll tell you anyway."
"Oh, and also, look at this." The boy pointed to the pair of shoes he was wearing.
"My brother gave it to me." The boy smiled happily.
Three years ago, when the boy came home sad because his friend had left, his older brother saw him. As his brother approached the boy's room, he heard his brother crying.
And the next day, his brother saw his little brother lacking any enthusiasm. Although his brother seemed cold and indifferent, it wasn't because he hated him.
Although he felt a little jealous of his little brother's enthusiasm for doing what he wanted, he actually cared about him.
However, due to the pressure and demands of his parents and his position as the eldest child, he kept his distance from his little brother.
He didn't want to take his frustration out on his innocent little brother. His brother had been enrolled in college abroad by their parents.
Three days before his departure, his brother gave him a box containing a pair of comfortable running shoes. Upon receiving the shoes, the boy was surprised. His brother patted his head gently.
"Cheer up. I hope you won't be like me, who has given up on his dreams. Prove to them that you can. I'm sorry if I made you sad. You are my little brother, whom I love." A gentle smile appeared on his brother's face.