When Seasons Fade
When Seasons FadeFor my dear dongsaeng animeotakupooh who never failed to comment on each one of my stories. love you <3
Petals of Cherry Blossom litter the soft ground, naturally creating a pathway for the two figures. The blonde tiptoes carefully, trying not to step on the delicate flowers while the other laughs cheerfully, following his patterns. Hand in hand, they skip along the gravel pathway, trying to outrun each other.
A misstep, he tumbles down awkwardly on the flower bed, flattening the heaps. He sees the other look at him worriedly, eyes crinkling in fear but he smiles, casually picking himself up.
A few pink petals tangle in his brown hair and the blonde laughs; tinges of red creeping up his milky cheeks. Laughing, he once again takes Kibum’s hand and they skip along the gravel pathway, bright sunrays reflecting on their flyaway hair.
***
Hot scorching sun continues to make both of them sweat heavily; soaking up their necks and backs, boiling up their brains but they continue to stroll down the beach. Two pairs of footprints one deeper than another, imprinted a path on the deserted beach.
They link hands, slowly taking a step at a time towards the shore. Cold sea breeze plays with their hair, messing them up, as strands of soft brown locks brushed against his face.
Kibum laughs at him, pulling away his hands as he clutches his stomach and Jinki falls into the water. He pulls Kibum’s legs, ignoring the constant apologies and protest and they both roll around in the sea, salty water soaking up their clothes. Looking at one another, they laugh loudly; sands covering half of their face and hair.
***
Splutters of brown, red and yellow lying under their feet, picturing a perfect season of fall.
They didn’t link hands this time, but he stayed close while watching the other kept his pace using the crutches; but still with a smile attached on his face.
The blonde didn’t help nor said anything. Keeping his mouth shut; he knew he needed to leave Jinki by himself, to be independent, so he let him be. He merely stood there, waiting for that pair of smiling eyes to look up at him, mouth forming a stuttered sentence.
“Let’s run”
And so they did, laughter echoing throughout the cold red forest.
***
They stood still in the middle of the frozen lake, this time, heavy layers of clothing wrapping their bodies.
He stood behind the wheelchair, with a grim expression on his once young face. A now fragile Jinki sat in front of him with sunken cheeks, flimsy wrist but those smiling eyes were still there.
A slight push and the wheelchair skidded dangerously on the slippery ice. He tried to stop it, he wanted to stop it but a soft voice halted his actions.
“I want this Kibum.”
And he let the handle go. A distant laughter rang in his ear and he smiled, a frozen tear rested on the edge of his pale chin. He didn’t laugh this time.
***
A rain of cherry blossom falls onto them, later covering the green grass with a spectrum of soft pink stretching out into the distance. Scent of cherry blossom lingers in the air, slowly suffocates him, tightening his chest. He sits there unmoved, in front of the tombstone now with jet black hair.
Lee Jinki
1989 – 2012
He can’t stop the tears from streaming down his cheeks onto the cold black marble. He knew this was coming. He knew this is going to happen but everything is too fast. Last spring they were together, laughing at the fat swans in the pond and now he’s gone.
“I miss you.”
A petal descends on a drop of tear on his sunken cheeks, absorbing the moisture. He peels it off, no tears this time as he touches the delicate structure as if it has absorbed his grief as well.
“I’ll see you again Jinki.”
He smiles, walking through the peaceful graveyard and letting that one petal of cherry blossom floats leisurely in midair; later rest quietly on top of the black marble.
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