Tennis Player, Song Lost Four of His Teammates in Subway Fire

˝I can`t believe that they are not here with me…˝ He went out because he just could not stay in the empty room alone. They were together in the room, laughing and talking to each other just a few days ago, but now he feels only chilliness.

Song Doo-soo, 21-year-old captain of school tennis team at Daegu Catholic University, lost four of his teammates in the subway fire. Of five tennis players, 21-year-old Kim Jong-seok, 21-year-old Suh Dong-min, 18-year-old Kim Taek-soo and 18-year-old Bang Hui-min took the train on the day and never returned.

In the morning of February 18, he left the dormitory for training in Daegu University of Education about one hour earlier than usual. He was planning to enroll in classes for the new school year before starting training at 10:00 a.m. Suh called him at about 9:50 a.m. as he finished filling in the enrollment form in an Internet café. ˝We are about to pass Jungangro Station. We will be there soon. Wait.˝ Song never imagined that it would be the last call with his friend.

They did not show up well past the training hour. He called every four of them and none of them answered. Then he heard the news about the subway fire. ˝What can I say? I just can`t believe it and I don`t want to believe it, either.˝

The four were all dear friends to him. With Kim Jong-seok, he played a pair in the summer college championships last year, and was supposed to join the trainee course together to become a schoolteacher. Suh, despite being a sophomore, was of the same age as Song and like a friend to him. He used to talk about his girlfriend a lot. Senior players loved two freshmen Kim Taek-su and Bang Min-hui and Song began to feel they were like younger brothers.

˝We had a lot of snow one day last month. We ran out to the ground, took pictures and had snow fights like little children…˝ Since the accident, Song have been visiting hospitals and Daegu Community Center, where the emergency headquarters is located, to find remains of his friends. ˝When I was back in the dormitory last night, it came upon to me that we all would wear a necklace. So I came out right away hoping it could be of help to find their belongings.˝

Breheit once wrote in his poem titled `Grief for the Survivor` that `I was lucky enough to survive many of my friends.` The lone survivor Song, however, felt guilty instead. ˝I just can`t see their parents` faces. I feel so sorry. When they said `It is good that you are well,` I just could not fight back tears….˝

Meanwhile, Daegu Catholic University held a memorial service for the four players killed in the subway fire at Gyesan Catholic Church at 7:00 p.m. on February 20.

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com