HEART LIES

SPRING SONATA

Spring is a moment when all found itself renewed.

Beauty is either restored or revealed, and happiness temporarily rents space in people's hearts.

If winter hardens the soul, spring appeases until summer, where passions big and small compete, making the heart skip a few beats.

This is how people like to imagine the season where cherry blossoms bless passers-by with falling petals. But, for Ji-Seong, it was a whole other story. At this instant, the man felt lost.

"What am I doing?"

The question kept playing on Ji-Seong's mind as he took a shower. He put on his tux, slipped on his shoes, and grabbed his car keys.

Ji-Seong wondered what he was doing as he drove to Seoul Center.

When he finally arrived in front of the stairs leading to the grand hall, he hesitated. Ji-Seong stared at his shoes; he knew where the steps would show him if he moved.

The man stood frozen on the spot, tetanized by the action he was about to accomplish.

"It's only music, Ji-Seong, 정신 차려요[jeongsin chareyo/get a grip on yourself]" he whispered.

Ji-Seong went to sit in a front-row seat, in line with Eun Seol's position on the stage. In her pale blue dress, with her long hair, the only words which came to Ji-Seong's lips were beautiful. The woman was like a fresh breeze, delicate and comforting even though she procured goosebumps.

Sentimentality invaded the man as he remembered the same building where he listened to Eurydice seated next to Sa rang. Guilt knocked once more on the door of his mind. It was like this every time he thought of Eun Seol, the only woman who wedged her way into his psyche and trampled on Sa rang's inhabitance.

Six years was a lot. Many said everyone pushed Ji-Seong to get on with his life, but he could not.

Fear.

Ji-Seong was afraid to forget; moving on felt like a betrayal. So he stood idly stuck in time, waiting for something which could never come.

Permission?

No, what Ji-Seong desired was a blessing, a sign allowing him to go forward.

Deep down within himself, he hoped the revelation would occur in this music hall, which suddenly became obscure. But, instead, all the spotlights aimed at Eun Seol, whose eyes stared straight at him, or at least it's the impression Ji-Seong got. Eun Seol closed her eyes; the room grew silent.

Minutes past and the soloist's eyes remained closed as though she prayed.

Ji-Seong looked around; he expected to see people yawning or whispering, but instead, everyone's gaze focalized on the stage.

Suddenly the music began, small notes which drifted in the air. Sadness cloaked everyone's shoulders, and loneliness wrapped itself like a scarf around everyone's neck.

The room's temperature dropped; hair rose on Ji-Seong's neckline.

What was this?

Taken aback, he who came to be comforted found himself thrown off the edge of despair with every note the woman played.

Still, he listened and watched when the soloist suddenly opened her eyes. The rhythm of the music changed, rage, violence, Eun Seol's gestures on the instrument were fast.

Ji-Seong's heartbeat accelerated, anger filled him.

Why did Sa-rang leave?

Should she have fought for her life for his and everyone else's sake?