(Guide Us to) A Million Stars

28🔥

(warning traumatic event ahead)

In the chaos of the Halloween event in Itaewon, Tae and I frantically searched the crowd for Wooshik. People were yelling for help and the three American men on the ledge were still trying to pull some individuals up to safety. In all that confusion I tried to find a young man in an orange and black jumpsuit.

"What does he look like?" Tae asked me, scanning the faces.

"He's dressed up like Naruto." My eyes flickered desperately until I found him. "There he is!"

I pointed him out to Tae who immediately bent down and balanced himself on the ledge. "Wooshik!" he yelled.

It got my student's attention and he instantly looked relieved. Tae stretched out his hand toward him. The momentum compelled him to lean forward and almost made him fall into the crowd, but I grabbed on to Tae's hoodie to stabilize him.

Once Tae's and Wooshik's hands locked, the rescue was complete. The three of us climbed off the wall to the other side. "Are you okay?" I asked Wooshik, noticing that his eyeglasses were askew.

He fixed them on his nose. "Yes. That was scary." He looked at me then Tae. "Thank you for helping me. Are you my teacher's boyfriend?" he asked in Korean.

Tae nodded, his face hidden by the Spiderman mask. "This place is dangerous. We should leave."

The sounds of sirens and the flashing of lights made me look around. Policemen and ambulance workers appeared on the scene. I had seen some security-looking people earlier but thought they were costumed partygoers. Now it seemed the real personnel was here to take care of the situation.

However, there were too many people around who needed help. I felt guilty leaving the area so the three of us looked at each other agreeing to stay. Wooshik climbed back on the wall to assist the three original men. Tae and I helped people climb down the wall. I gasped when one body being carried down was unconscious. Tae took off his mask completely and kneeled next to the body of a young female as she laid on the cement ground. Then he gave her mouth to mouth resuscitation.

I froze. The fear and the threat of the endangerment were hitting me. We were safe but others were still stuck in the crowd crush. I searched for other people who needed CPR. For the next hour, Wooshik, Tae and I assisted wherever we could. I noticed Tae had pulled on his mask again, only exposing his mouth, when he, I assumed, got nervous about people recognizing him. When the emergency responders made an announcement about clearing the area for workers only, the three of us met up, away from the crowds.

Tae held me close as we surveyed the sidewalk area. Bodies were laid on the streets by medical and police personnel and covered with blankets and clothing. Some bodies were transported by ambulances and more vehicles were arriving on the scene. When another announcement was made for everyone to go home, I cried softly into Tae's shoulder realizing the severity of the situation.

"Wooshik, where do you live? I want to make sure you get home safely," Tae asked, putting a hand on Wooshik's shoulder.

Still looking dazed and confused, Wooshik answered him. As we walked in that direction, he shook his head. "This was bad. This is all my fault. I am sorry. We should not have come, teacher."

"Please don't say that. You had no idea. Just be thankful. It could have been worse," I said, as I gripped Tae's hand tightly. I looked behind me one last time at the chaos down the street. "Those poor people."

As we passed a trio of giddy teenagers, who were unaware of the crisis occurring ahead of them, Tae had to explain to them what was happening. After we walked Wooshik to his house, I asked Tae how he found me at the wall. "How did you know what was happening? I thought you went back to your dorm."