Evanesce in Time

The city had a strange quietness tonight. The streetlights flickered above Donghae, their soft glow illuminating the deserted roads, casting long shadows in his path. The familiar scent of autumn hung in the air, but tonight it felt different. Colder. He buried his hands deep into his pockets as he walked aimlessly through the streets. In the silence, his thoughts screamed louder.

Why does everything disappear so easily? he wondered.

He paused, his steps faltering as the sound of a piano reached his ears. The haunting melody floated on the breeze, faint but clear, pulling him toward a small, hidden café at the corner of the street. The café. Their café.

Without thinking, Donghae found himself standing at the entrance, the warmth of the café spilling onto the sidewalk. The old piano in the corner was still there, the same soft notes echoing from its keys. His heart clenched as the memories surged forward—her sitting by the window, always waiting for him, always smiling.

He closed his eyes for a moment, the weight of nostalgia almost unbearable. The scene played in his mind like an old film, the laughter they shared, the whispered promises under dim lights, the feeling of forever in her gaze. But forever, he had learned, was an illusion.

Evanesce—he had always found the word beautiful, even though he never quite grasped its meaning until now. It was more than just fading. It was losing something precious, watching it dissolve in front of you, knowing there was nothing you could do to stop it.

He stepped inside, the warmth of the café wrapping around him like a blanket. His eyes scanned the room, but he knew she wouldn't be there. She was gone, not physically, but in the way that mattered. The distance between them had grown slowly, like an inevitable tide that swept away everything they had built.

Donghae found a seat in the far corner, where they used to sit together. The table was the same, the small scratches on the wood, the faint scent of coffee lingering in the air. His mind drifted back to their last meeting here. She had been quiet that day, her eyes distant, her smile soft but hollow.

"I don't know how to stay anymore," she had whispered, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup. "Everything feels like it's slipping away."

He hadn't understood then, not fully. He had tried to reach her, to bring her back to him, but she had already begun to fade. Every day, she became a little more distant, a little more unreachable, until one day she was simply gone.

Donghae let out a shaky breath, his hands tightening around the edge of the table. He had never learned how to let go. Even now, months later, he still came here, hoping for something—anything—that might help him understand why everything had fallen apart. But all that was left were echoes of a love that once was.

The song playing in the background shifted to a familiar tune, their song—Evanesce. He had once loved it, the way it told a story of fleeting moments, but now it felt like a cruel reminder of what he had lost. The soft piano and heartbreaking lyrics spoke of everything he didn't want to accept.

In your heart, I can see a trace of the tears you're hiding...

The words hung in the air, heavy and full of meaning. He had seen her tears, the ones she tried so hard to hide. He had known, deep down, that something was wrong, but he had been too afraid to confront it.

You're evanescing from me, he thought bitterly.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him from his thoughts. He glanced at the screen, a message from Eunhyuk, asking if he wanted to meet up. Donghae stared at the text for a long moment before slipping the phone back into his pocket, his gaze returning to the piano.

"She's gone," he whispered to no one, the words barely audible over the music. "And I couldn't stop it."

The café door opened, the bell jingling softly as a few customers entered, their laughter filling the quiet space. Donghae watched them for a moment, a sad smile tugging at his lips. Life went on, even when love faded away. People moved forward, even when the past lingered like a shadow.

Standing up, Donghae left a few bills on the table and headed toward the door. As he stepped out into the cold night air, he took one last look at the café, the place that held so many memories. But those memories, like everything else, were beginning to fade.

Maybe that was how it was meant to be.

As he walked away, the city lights blurred around him, blending with the stars above. His footsteps echoed in the empty streets, and for the first time in a long while, he felt a strange sense of release. She was gone, but he was still here.

Evanesce, he thought again. Perhaps it wasn't just about loss. Maybe it was about moving forward, even when everything you love disappears.