the leaves dance with the touch of the cool breeze on this typical summer afternoon. The soft warmth of the sun peeks through them as it reaches my cold pale skin.
I watch the scenery -- back laid on the tickling grass -- like a slow motioned video. I lazily blink, matching the slow rustling movements of the leaves above me.
I inhale, only to let the smell of dirt enter my system.
Smiling, I close my eyes. Thinking of wanting to spend my whole life like this.
"Eri." A voice calls out in a low note.
A grin forms. "....yeah?" I lazily reply with my eyes still closed.
The leaves' rhythm once again envelops my senses with the silence given to me by the man beside me.
".....you are happy, I assume." He says, nearly in whisper.
"Yeah.... are you?... Al..." I let the wind caress my whole existence as I clearly feel needles slowly burying themselves on my chest.
"...I am.. and perhaps.. this moment is the happiest moment I have ever experienced.. and will ever experience in this lifetime." A soft chuckle escapes as tears start to slowly form from my still closed eyes.
"I deserve a thank you, huh." I scoff playfully.
"...yeah... thank you.. Eri.." a frown forms. With eyes still closed, I breathe heavier, feeling my heart crumbling as time slowly passes by.
An unfamiliar rustling breaks the rhythm of the nature as he sits up beside me.
"This happiness.. is enough to save me and let me live on." 'so selfish.'
"Mmn, 's that so?" I reply.
"Yeah.. I have learned so much from you.. I can now live without regrets.."-- with this statement, I can perfectly picture him smiling, satisfied, gazing at the unending horizon before him.
'what about me.'
A lump forms in my throat, preventing me from breathing normally as my heart aches at a ridiculous degree.
"Are--" my voice cracks. I swallow my urge to cry and deeply breathe in. "...are you really going?... do you really need to?..."
"...you know how much I need to.." he whispers.
"Once you leave.." I clench my teeth.
"..you're never going back.. are you.." the cool breeze embraces my face as if trying to comfort me, making the tears that welled up since earlier to finally trickle down the side my closed eyes.
Not wanting to show any more of my endless weaknesses, I immediately cover it with my arms as I still wait for his reply.
"... I--...." I smile and bite my lower lip so hard, the taste of iron starts to linger inside my mouth.
"..haha..yeah, I knew this was coming after all. No matter, I will be missing you for just a few days. After so, I will definitely go back to how I usually am. Feelings of guilt or whatever unnecessary feelings that you might be having right now -- they all need to be left here. Let the wind of this beautiful land sweep it along with the memories that might be holding you back from wanting to move along." I certainly need a pat for not stuttering even though I feel my heart shatter in pieces with every word that leaves my sinful mouth.
"..yes, you are correct." My smile trembles in fear of losing him.
"Of course, I am correct. I always am." I playfully say. We both chuckle.
"...you need to go now.."
"..I do.." he whispers.
"...then this is how we part, huh.. you should go.. I will be staying for just a bit more.." I state, avoiding to look at him as my arms still cover my eyes.
"...are you sure?" He asks.
'No.'
"Yeah." I say, in my jolliest voice.
"... then..." I hold my breath as I wait for the word. "..... farewell, my friend..." my heart shatters completely. It feels like my world that I have been desperately building since so long had just easily crumbled with just a few words.
"Mn~" I hum to agree.
".. thank you..." strange new rustles add on the beautiful music the nature is creating as he stands up.
"...and Eri..."
"...ᴵ ˡᵒᵛᵉ ʸᵒᵘ..." he whispers to the wind.
The rustles that long broke the rhythmic pattern of the peaceful music start to fade as time passes by. And on a certain moment, the rhythm returns to its original state and stays like that for a long time until another -- unpleasant this time -- sound joins once again.
I bawl.
So much until my eyes have completely swelled up.
By the time I stopped, the blue sky has already turned red. Sitting up, I watch the beautiful setting sun drown into the darkness as it let its fellow stars twinkle above me.
The once warm scenery is now covered with the cold darkness of the peaceful night, the green land disappeared along with the sun, and even the pattern of the rustles from the leaves have changed into yet another beautiful melancholic melody.
Everything managed to turn into something beautiful again in just a short period time.
I wish I could also do the same.
I wish this feeling of pain inside can easily disappear like the sun that I watched earlier.
I scoff at how hideous I have become, before completely standing up.
I inhale with closed eyes, exhale, and open my eyes with a smile.
"Well, I guess that is the end of my peaceful summer here." I grin. "I made the most beautiful moments of my life in this place, thank you... but everyone needs to move on.. and that includes me too. So now, it is my turn to bid farewell..." I inhale and start to walk away from the tree that stands at the center of this vast greenery.
"....farewell, I---"
***
"Miss Erina, another letter has arrived." She frowns and looks at the tray being held by the maid, containing a single envelope. She softly snatches it from her, pick her paper knife and read the contents. After such a long time, a smile has finally found its way through her beautiful face.
"Took you a long time, huh." She scoffs before placing the letter on the safe side of her table.
As she continues her unfinished work, she hums a similar melody that certain warm summer day had sung for her.
On the side of the table, the opened letter contains a very long message.. however, a single line stands out within it--
"-- I will be picking your up. I cannot afford to let my precious old friend miss my most important day, can I."