until february 28 | jaesung

28. Winter Is Cruel

Times that hyung wasn't around, I used to catch cold pretty often

Not caused by any sort of physical weakness. I just caught cold pretty often becuase of standing in the snow for too much

The eight and nine years old me and the more years old me used to stand in the snow too much. As my friend, Na Jaemin would have leave me by the start of every spring. I used to wait for him to comeback until every winter, I used to stand in the snow too much for three months of each winter. But one time he left me on the winter itself so I was more feared than before

Neighbors we were, so I used to stand and wait in front of his house, in front of the window of his bedroom. I stood in the snow for too much

February It was, one year had passed from the time that the ten years old Na Jaemin would open his bedroom window. By Now he is eleven. Now his bedroom window is all close and locked. At nights, even the window wouldn't be lighted up by a lamp. All locked and dark it is. On the very snowy noon time of one Februrary, nine years old Park Jisung stands beneath that window for the thousandth time as he have done this for the past months.

He waits with a small body and a pair of glittering eyes.

And so, how cruel the winter is. Winter sees half of Jisung's eager face as it is revealed from his red scarf, Winter sees how the little child shivers with excite. Winter sees how he waits. But how cruel this season is. Winter always takes Jaemin away, Winter wouldn't try to be less cold or harsh as it snows and snows so heavily on the tiny body of Park Jisung. Winter is cruel, But Jisung is all eager and stubborn. He waits. Because Jaemin told him to.

When winter comes, I should leave here with my parents. I will go to Germany. I don't exactly know when but...wait for me Jisung-ah! I don't know what year but sure I will be back at one Februrary. Wait for me

What Jisung was told a year ago became his belief. It became what he was loyal to. Jaemin told him to wait so he waits. No matter how much it snows and becomes cold, just like now Park Jisung will stand and wait.

Even though the little Park Jisung discovered two saddening facts about what Jaemin told him.

By asking from elders, Jisung realized that Germany is in fact too far away. It is another country as the seas and oceans are distancing it from where he leaves. And so he realised that when Jaemin says one February, it sure is not this year's Februrary. It may not even be the next year's. But the explanations were too much, so Park Jisung would only believe one thing.

Na Jaemin will comeback this February.

Wind blew and Jisung shivered. Again little boy raised his head. He looked at the window of Jaemin's bedroom with half opened eyes. Dark its inside seemed, no one opens it.

Jisung missed the sight of the pretty face youngster who opens that window with the brightest smile as snowflakes would land on his eyelashes once he leans his head outside. Jisung missed the voice that called for his name and would say "Jisungie" unlike others. Jisung had troubles, because when the pretty snowy guy isn't around, He can't walk in the snow easily as he was the one to leave footprints for him. These days Jisung falls on the snow too much.

Little boy sneezed. Feeling his nose running caused him to breathe heavily as he wiped his red nose with his sleeve. Again he looked at the window. Cold weather and actual fear made tears around his eyes.

Why isn't he coming already?

"Jisung! What are you doing over there?!"

One feminine voice called and so its sudden and familiarity caused Jisung to flinch. Little boy turned back to where the voice called. There he saw, the sight of his own concerned mother who was clutching her shaky hands on her coat while running towards her little son.