Falling Petals

It’s been 2 years since Mayu left during the winter season without even mentioning anything. Hwan now is in college as a student of art in a prestigious university in Seoul. He’s sitting in the classroom with students seated in elevated seats while the blackboard is in the middle of the room. There’s a professor lecturing at the center while Hwan is listening like the other students. Everyone’s wearing vibrant spring clothes that soften the atmosphere of the room. From a flip-flop cell phone, his latest phone is not flipped anymore, it’s thick but it’s handy to hold. It vibrated above on his desk, when he touched the keypad, it was a message from Areum who was asking him to see her after his class ends. Hwan read the message but he did not respond to it.

The school bell rang after a minute, the students stood from their seats to leave the room. When Hwan stood in his seat his phone vibrated from his hand. It’s a text from a girl named Do Mi-Ah. The message asked him what time his class will end. Hwan smiled while reading the text. While walking out of the room he called someone on his phone.

“Where are you? Okay, I’ll be there.” Hwan said.

Hwan immediately run from the hallways of the building until he left the establishment. He went on the grass field with people seating in groups on the lawn. The meadow is surrounded by blooming cherry blossoms. Everyone is encircled by the falling petals through the wind. Hwan saw the girl who was sitting in the middle of the field alone. He smiled and went towards her.

“Have you been waiting here?” Hwan asked while he sat next to her.

“Jugule? What took you so long?” The girl asked Hwan then she closed a notebook on her lap.

“Mian, my classroom is far from here. What do you want to do?”

“I’m hungry, let’s eat. I want jajangmyeon*.” Mi-ah said. (Korean black bean noodles)

“Nado, that made me hungry.”

The girl put her notebook on her backpack before she stood up.

“What are you doing here anyway?”

“I’m writing in my diary. The surrounding is right to write.” The girl said.

Hwan smiled as he remembered Mayu on her. “You are exactly just like her.”

“Who? The girl neighbor you told me about?”

He chuckled, “Yeah.”

“You told me she left the country.”

“Y-yeah,” Hwan said as they started walking on the lawn.

“Is she pretty just like me?” The girls said as she winked her eyes several times.

Hwan chuckled, “Ani, she’s much cuter with round eyes.”

The girl stopped walking with a pouting lip, “What’s wrong with my slanted eyes?!”

“She’s not Korean. She’s Filipina.”

“Jinjja?” The girl asked.

Hwan and Mi-ah walked out of the university grounds going to their favorite eatery. As they were walking leisurely, they were also talking endlessly. Hwan’s face was always smiling in every conversation with Mi-ah. Hwan never felt this alive with Areum. This kind of casual and effortless discussion has reminded him of the feeling of being with Mayu. Although the faces of Mi-ah and Mayu were different, their personality and the way they talk were the same. Hwan felt at home with Mi-ah as if he were with Mayu. Since he met Mi-ah last 2 months ago, his mind has become quiet and the heavy feeling of missing her and seeing her in his dream has subsided. He has finally found tranquility within his emotions.

As they were walking outside the university, on the other side of the road, inside an eatery, Areum was sitting. She tried to look closely if what she was seeing was right. Hwan was walking on the other side of the road going north. She immediately stands on her feet to follow Hwan and Mi-ah as they wander on the street.

Minutes later Hwan and Mi-ah paused on the pedestrian lane since the stoplight had been red. On the other side of the road, Areum stood opposite to them. She saw Hwan’s light-hearted face and Mi-ah’s gaze towards him. Areum swallowed and it fell down to her chest. She thought that it’s been days since Hwan hadn't texted her. The last time he mentioned that he was preparing a painting for his exam in a major subject. He also remembered that he told her about a girl who’s just like Mayu. Seeing Hwan with the girl who reminded him of Mayu made Areum’s memory vague. She noticed the sadness of Hwan through the years, the way he acted cold towards her was not actually his personality. His weirdness and being awkward with her for years have finally been clarified. He was not honest with her. He missed her instead of her.

But as she could see it now, there was something that was bothering her sight by seeing them together.

The stoplight had turned green so Hwan and Mi-ah continued walking, going to where Areum was standing. As they approach her, Hwan has finally noticed her.

When they meet each other's gaze, Areum’s eyes become teary.

“A-Areum...” Hwan said as he walked towards her. “What are you doing here? What’s wrong?”

Suddenly Areum slapped Hwan’s face.

“Hey! What the hell are you doing?!” Mi-ah asked Areum.

“You never loved me,” Areum said with a firm voice as her tears fell down on her cheeks. Areum stared at Mi-ah, “Did you even know that he has a girlfriend?!”

Mi-ah was surprised by what she heard, “I-I...”

“Areum, stop, let’s not do it here,” Hwan said.

“Let’s break up,” Areum said before she turned her back to walk away.

“A-Areum!” Hwan called her.

“You have a girlfriend?!” Mi-ah said. “I-I thought there’s something between u—s?

“Mi-ah, let me explain,” Hwan said.

“No! I don’t want to talk to you anymore!” Mi-ah ran away going to the other side of the road.

He was about to follow Mi-ah but the stoplight had turned red and at that moment his phone rang in his pocket. He picked it up to hold on to his ears.

“Hwan-ah! Dad is rushed to the hospital!” A woman said on the other line.