Winter's Farewell

​🇨​​🇭​​🇦​​🇵​​🇹​​🇪​​🇷 𝟏𝟑₁₃

The city was covered by an opaque sky, and a cold breeze blew as Claire walked toward work. The buildings and trees appeared as silhouettes in a blurred landscape, as if the weather reflected her mood. With each step, she felt the weight of her last encounter with Leevi, a weight that seemed to anchor her in her own thoughts. Although she tried to convince herself that his distant behavior and criticisms didn't mean anything, the sadness and confusion grew inside her.

Since she had started noticing those changes in Leevi, something in her had also changed. The absence of his jokes, his biting remarks, and the indifferent tone with which he sometimes spoke to her made her feel that, little by little, she was losing a part of her life. The Leevi she knew, her best friend, seemed increasingly distant.

When she arrived at the bookstore, she greeted Julia with a small smile, without many words. Julia watched her for a moment, sensing her sadness.

"Are you okay, Claire?" she asked, her tone full of concern.

Claire nodded, although deep down, she knew her response wasn't entirely sincere.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I guess it's just the weather; I feel a little off," she replied, trying to sound carefree.

Julia seemed to accept the explanation, though she looked at her with curiosity for a moment before dropping the subject. Claire knew she couldn't tell Julia what was really happening. How could she explain something she didn't even fully understand? How could she tell her that her best friend was turning into someone she barely recognized? She felt trapped in her own silence, unable to share the pain she carried inside.

While working, her thoughts kept returning to the moments she had shared with Leevi. She remembered the afternoons they spent in their favorite café, talking about everything and nothing at once, when laughter and trust flowed effortlessly. She also remembered the long walks through the park, the times when he listened to her attentively and his words comforted her, assuring her that she would always have someone to lean on.

But now, those memories seemed so distant, as if they belonged to another life. Every time she remembered those moments, she felt a mix of nostalgia and sadness that consumed her. Leevi was still her best friend, but he was no longer the same person who had been there during those days. His words, once full of understanding, now carried a critical tone that deeply hurt her, and his gaze, once warm, seemed to grow colder with each passing day.

While organizing some books on the shelf, a phrase came to her mind: "I can't promise to solve all your problems, but I can promise that you won't have to face them alone." That was one of the promises Leevi had made to her during a difficult time, and at that moment, those words had given her a sense of peace and security she hadn't found anywhere else. But now, that promise seemed empty, as if it had faded with time, leaving her alone in the midst of her confusion.

After her shift, she decided she didn't want to go directly home. She needed to clear her mind, find some calm before facing the loneliness of her apartment. She headed to the park, a place she used to visit with Leevi, and now seemed heavy with memories that only made her feel more alone. As she walked among the bare trees and fallen leaves, her thoughts continued to revolve around her friendship and the pain of watching it crumble.

She sat on a bench, watching the people passing by: families, couples, people seemingly wrapped up in their own world, oblivious to the pain she carried inside. At some point, an elderly couple passed by, holding hands, and Claire felt a pang of envy seeing the deep and sincere connection they shared. In her heart, she had always believed her friendship with Leevi would be like that— a relationship that, no matter the years or difficulties, would remain intact.

"I've met a lot of people, but no one feels like you." That phrase from the song echoed in her mind, and she realized how true it was. She had met many people throughout her life, but none had the same impact as Leevi. He was special, someone with whom she shared a connection that couldn't be compared to any other relationship. But as time went on, that connection seemed to weaken, as if being torn apart by invisible forces.

Claire sat on the bench for a while, lost in thought. She remembered the early moments of their friendship, the way Leevi had entered her life and changed it forever. She remembered how he had always been there, listening to her and supporting her, even in her darkest moments. But now, that presence seemed to disappear little by little, leaving her to face a reality she didn't know how to handle.

Finally, she got up from the bench and began walking back home, hoping that time and distance would help her clarify her feelings. She knew she needed to talk to Leevi, face the pain she felt, and try to understand what was happening between them. But the fear of losing him completely paralyzed her, leaving her trapped in a cycle of confusion and sadness.

When she got home, she collapsed onto the sofa and closed her eyes, trying to calm her mind. But the images of Leevi and the memories of their friendship kept invading her thoughts, not giving her a break. When had all of this started? At what point had their friendship begun to crumble? Claire felt like she was losing something valuable, something she would never be able to get back unless she found a way to heal the wound opening between them.

As the hours passed, a deep and heartbreaking sense of loneliness took over her, a loneliness she had never felt before. Although there were people in her life who cared for her, none of them could fill the emptiness left by Leevi's absence. He was her friend, her confidant, the person who understood her better than anyone. But now, that connection was fading, leaving behind an abyss that seemed impossible to cross.

Before going to bed, she looked at a photo of the two of them that she had saved on her phone. It was from one of their walks through the park, a day when laughter and complicity flowed effortlessly. In the picture, they both seemed happy, oblivious to the problems and pain that now separated them. Claire felt a lump in her throat and, for a moment, wished she could return to that moment, to that version of their friendship when everything was simpler.