A little girl held my fingers tightly as she ran along the beach with me. The wind blew from the left, lifting parts of her damp clothes. Her gaze was fixed ahead, her small hand gripping my left one. Her laughter filled my ears, even against the crashing waves.

  Eventually, our hands slipped apart. She dashed forward, running ahead of me before stopping suddenly. Then, she began jumping excitedly as if she had discovered something.

  "Over here!!" she shouted from a distance.

  Her voice rang out clearly. She stopped jumping when she saw me approaching. The girl looked to be about seven years old—just like me. She bent down, picked something up from the sand, then stood and held it out toward me.

  "Look… Isn't it pretty?" she said, extending both hands.

  Resting in her small palms was a white seashell, wet from the ocean, shaped like a delicate heart. I took it from her hands and placed it in the center of my palm, examining it closely.

  "Actually, what is this?" I asked.

  She smiled. "It's a crab. Pretty, right? Do you like it?" She crossed her arms behind her back, looking at me expectantly.

  I nodded. "Yeah, I really do."

  She let out a quiet huff, stepping backward while keeping her gaze fixed ahead. Then, with a swift turn of her head, she suddenly dashed toward the far end of the beach.

  "Come on! There’s so much more over here!" she called out mid-run.

  "Wait!" I quickly slipped the seashell into my pocket, my feet instinctively moving to chase after her.

  The waves rolled onto the shore, pushing the sand forward before pulling it back, repeating the cycle endlessly. The horizon glowed a soft orange, a sign that night was approaching. Slowly, the day faded, making way for the new.

  A playground, where children come to play. We walked there together. She balanced herself on a bike rack, arms outstretched like a tightrope walker.

  "Aren’t you afraid of falling?" I asked.

  She spread her arms wide. "Nope! I’m used to it."

  Then, with a small hop, she landed back on the ground. Almost immediately, she turned to face me. "Do you want to try?" she asked, smiling as she clasped her hands behind her back.

  I hesitated. "I’d rather not… I might get hurt."

  She scoffed, a playful smirk forming on her lips. "If you hesitate, it means it’s already dangerous for you. Come on!"

  Once again, she took my hand.

  "Where are we going now?" I asked.

  "To a secret place I found yesterday. It’s not far—just at the edge of the park."

  We ran together. My eyes never left her as I followed. Her long, neatly tied hair had begun to loosen, strands of straight black flowing gently in the wind.

  "Wait… Your hair tie is coming undone."

  Our hands slipped apart as she ran ahead. I bent down, picked up the fallen hair tie, then stood and held it out to her. She smiled, gathering her hair back into place before securing it again.

  Once she had fixed it, she took off running toward a flower garden ahead. The flowers were arranged neatly, forming a soothing sea of color. She plucked a single bloom before hurrying back to me, extending it forward.

  "Here, this is for you."

  I took it without hesitation. It was a bright yellow, like the morning sun. Bringing it to my nose, I inhaled its fresh fragrance, realizing it had only just bloomed.

  She ran back to the center of the golden field, twirling and dancing in the gentle breeze. In that peaceful moment, the space between us grew smaller. But just as I reached her, she suddenly stumbled and fell.

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  I rushed to her side. "Are you okay?" I asked, bending down on one knee.

  She didn’t cry or shed a single tear. Instead, she let out a small laugh, as if the pain didn’t matter at all.

  Lying on the ground, she spoke softly, "Aren’t these flowers adorable?" Even while still on the ground, she reached out and plucked another one.

  I watched her closely, fascinated by her love for flowers. She gathered five stems in her small hands before offering them to me, her lips curling into a delicate smile.

  Days had passed, feeling like a week or two since the seashell and flower were kept. Yet this time, she invited me to go to the same park. The morning weather was bright, and the puddles left by last night’s rain lined the path.

  The girl jumped gleefully, splashing water beneath her feet, leaving unexpected patterns on the surface of the puddles. Her laughter blended with the songs of birds perched on low-hanging branches.

  Not far from the slide and swings, a small river flowed with shallow, calm waters. Occasionally, dry leaves would fall and drift slowly along the gentle current. The river marked the boundary between the soft green grass and the golden sand, still damp from the previous night’s rain.

  The girl chose the swings as her plaything, pulling me along. As she swung back and forth, she kicked her feet to gain momentum. When she reached the highest point, she jumped off, landing on both feet. Her arms stretched wide before she let them fall back to her sides. Then, she turned towards the swing beside hers.

  “Alright, give me your hand.”

  I slowly stood up, and she held my left hand. A silver ring was slipped onto my ring finger. Then, she let go of my hands, stepping back while letting mine remain lifted in the air. Under the sunlight, the ring shimmered slightly. After that, I lowered my hand and looked closely at the design on the ring.

  “My mom made this ring. Look, your name is engraved here,” she said, pointing to the small letters etched onto its surface.

  “But I don’t know how to read,” I admitted.

  She smiled before carefully spelling out the words on my finger.

  The river continued to flow, carrying its crystal-clear waters from left to right. A metal railing had been placed along its edge, preventing anyone from crossing the boundary between water and grass.

  The girl stood before it, gazing at the flowing stream. Balancing on the metal railing, she moved as if she were humming a soft melody. Her voice and gestures carried a gentle rhythm, fading into a tranquil note.

  “You know, my mom said I have a talent for singing.”

  I looked into her eyes as I stood beside her, watching the small river ahead of us. “Do you really love singing?”

  She grinned happily, as if delighted by my question, though her eyes remained fixed on the flowing water. Her voice came out calm, carrying her thoughts. “When I grow up, I want to be an idol. I want to sing and be surrounded by fans.”

  Then she added, “Just like my mom.” She lowered her gaze toward the river beneath the railing, watching its steady flow.

  “Maybe tomorrow will be the day,” she whispered softly.

  I simply watched her, sensing something different about her mood. “Today, you seem different.”

  She turned around and jumped down from the railing, letting her feet land firmly on the ground. Then, she took both of my hands and lifted them together to chest level. “If I become an idol one day, promise me you'll be there, cheering for me from below.”

  I nodded, agreeing. She shook my hands quickly, as if in a playful handshake, but with both of our hands pressed together.

  “Promise!” she said teasingly.

  She released my hands, taking a few steps back while looking at me. “Tomorrow, I have something to show you. I hope you’ll come to this park again!”

  I had no idea what she meant. But I simply smiled, watching her leave me alone in the park.

  The next day arrived. The evening breeze blew gently, caressing the leaves that swayed slowly in the surrounding trees. The girl invited me to run across the vast green grass. We chased each other, challenging one another like children who never grew tired. Our laughter echoed in the air, blending with the peaceful sounds of nature. Our feet occasionally stumbled over exposed roots, but that only added to the joy.

  After running to our heart’s content, we collapsed in the middle of the grassy field, gazing at the sky that had begun to turn golden orange. Our breaths were still ragged, but our hearts felt light. The girl turned toward me with a smile that was hard to describe—full of meaning, as if holding something unspoken.

  “The ring I gave you… do you still have it?” Her voice was soft, almost a whisper against the evening breeze.

  I fell silent for a moment before nodding slowly. My fingers reached into the small pocket of my shirt, feeling the familiar shape of the ring still there. “Yes… I still have it.”

  She nodded slightly, her eyes dimly lit by the setting sun. “Then, keep it safe.”

  We slowly got up and walked without a clear destination. Our feet stepped over the grass that was starting to feel cool. Every now and then, the girl would lower her gaze, plucking small wildflowers and twirling their petals between her fingers. I simply watched her in silence, trying to memorize every movement and expression on her face.

  After a few minutes, we arrived at a small rocky area near the hill. From there, the view of the sunset was clearer. The sky was like a painting that changed with every second, blending orange, red, and purple in perfect harmony.

  The girl stopped. She stood tall, letting the wind tousle her flowing hair. “Finally…” she exhaled slowly before turning to me. “…the sunset is really beautiful, isn’t it?”

  She leaned forward slightly, her hands clasped behind her back. She let out a small sigh before breaking into a wide smile, her face glowing with warmth. Like the sun slowly sinking below the horizon, her smile felt like something I wanted to capture forever.

  I tried to return the smile, but suddenly, my vision began to blur. Everything around me started to spin, the world seemingly closing in under a dark veil. I tried to hold onto reality, to remember this moment for just a little longer, but everything faded into black… like a television being forcefully switched off.