wind
—
that leaden morning where the sun barely shone, a thought formed in her mind. time ceased to elapse in the sparsely furnished room as a frightening, crucial decision had been made.
she would freed herself from his phantom, and freed himself in a sense. because after all, these olden days she was holding onto, had already escaped her grasp.
by the window she stood, admiring how the holm oak leaves swinged when the wind came violently in touch. her vision slowly detached from the scene and became hazy, but her eyes were still on the beautiful tree as she stayed there, recalling a long lost memory of jimin. the outline of a smile appeared on her face. even if it meant she would have to stir up the past, she would seek the answers to the questions left unsolved, she would get closure from her story with him.
it surely took her long, but she was finally ready to let him go.
things had changed since the last time she came here. seasons went by and the small town seemed quieter than before. the colors had faded into colder tones, harmonising with the ones she believed tinted her heart. maybe it had always been this way, maybe his presence embellished the insipid reality she was oblivious to.
she parked her car alongside the apartment building he used to live in. memories flooded her, but instead of the well known melancholy, she felt grateful. for all the things they did together, the sincerity, the happiness she experienced with him.
she entered the building with the intention of talking to the janitor. she doubted the elderly man would still be here. he already had winter white hair at the time and an arched back, a warm aura despite his nebulous gaze. as she nostalgically glimpsed the names on the mailboxes, in hope of remembering someone, a lanky man addressed her.
"excuse me ma'am, can i help you"
"oh hello, yes, i'm looking for the janitor"
he smiled, and she somehow understood she wouldn't see the old man again. the incumbent janitor lead her to his office, where she exposed him the situation.
"i'm actually searching for a person who lived in the building eleven years ago. i came here someday and his neighbor told me the apartment had been emptied. nobody knew the reasons back in the day, so i thought you could have more informations now. a number maybe, anything... his name is jimin park, apartment 173."
"ahh it's been quite awhile indeed... i'm not even sure they kept the file, but i'll look up. just give me a minute"
"thank you so much"
she watched him disappear behind a closed door, her heart suddenly beating fast. the confidence she had earlier died away, she didn't know what to expect anymore.
the man reappeared when she was about to lose the last string of faith, a triumphant smile on his lips.
"so... i found the file ! there's not much inside beside basic informations, but, there's an address. i really hope it will help you find him. here"
he handed her the paper, pointing at the end of the page where the address was written. she began to read it out loud, but halted abruptly. the name of the city struck her. she never went there, never went that far from her hometown. why did it sound so familiar then... pieces of forgotten conversations resurfaced, emerging from her subconscious. images flashed before her eyes.
"it definitely helps. this is his parents address."
—
