I. L. Chang

Leaves

“Ow! It hurts!” Minho tried to wiggle his body to smooth out the tightness, but the crinkling made it more painful. “My veins feel like they are being squeezed.”

“So are mine! No one else is complaining but you, Minho. Stop being so sensitive.” Jaehyun said.

Their skin has turned shades of red, yellow, and orange, and the wind caused them to rub against each other. Their once silky texture was now flaky and dry. Death was inevitable. The branches had debriefed them on their life cycle since they were budding in the spring, but Minho was in disbelief that they had reached the last days. The cityscape and nature were like a kaleidoscope of endless experiences. He longed to hear the cicadas’ songs again, the children’s giggles at the animals, the rhythmic roar of the vehicles, and…

“Minho, it’s the same every year. One cycle is more than enough, trust us.” The branches said.

Was it? Minho didn’t believe them. There must be something new every cycle.

“I’m glad to be done. One full and exciting year is good enough.” Jaehyun said to him when he was exploring the idea of living longer. The others agreed with him. “And Minho, you don’t get to choose how long you live.” Minho curled inwards at Jaehyun’s remark. Jaehyun didn’t need to spoil his mood with realism.

Temperatures dropped each passing night. Minho used the light breeze to turn his body towards the dark indigo sky. A leaf survived a fall from the mountain miraculously and landed among them. He told Minho about the sea of shimmering stars appearing in the night. Ever since, he hoped to see it once before he passed. All he could see now were thin rows of electricity lines and fluorescent lights emitting from the square windows of tall apartments.

Seaside

Birds echoed in the sky.

She squeezed her toes into the dense sand dampened by the foamy water pulling and pushing from gravity. Her bare feet were pink from the cold.

A couple wearing matching long jackets walked past her. The girlfriend’s hair fluttered in the icy wind, and her smile at the boyfriend glowed under the sunlight. The boyfriend saw a shadow of his own smile in her eyes.

She dug her toes further into the sand, creating a deep footprint.

“That’s maybe 19-4245 TCX Imperial Blue.” A confident voice spoke behind her. She was most likely stepping on 13-0401 TCX Oatmeal, he said.

“The water is freezing.” She started a new topic to end another colour naming session.

“Well, of course. It’s -2 degrees Celsius.”

“It feels velvety against my skin. Try it.”

“I’m happy to be in my warm socks. Also, water is not a velvet material, how can it feel velvety?”

Her lips curled up in amusement and laced her fingers with his. “It’s a metaphor.”

Winter Breath

Everyone had fallen to their deaths, including Jaehyun. Only Minho remained holding onto the branch, who was in deep hibernation. He hadn’t talked for days now. The freezing wind sent a sharp pain down his frail body. Temperatures have reached below zero, with some nights in the double digits.

A sizeable group of them passed from the first snowfall. Their usual chatter died down in mutual acknowledgement that only moments remained in their lifespan. In the summer, he had witnessed enormous beaks appear and snatch insects in seconds, tearing their bodies apart. The crunch from its bodies breaking into pieces sent chills to the leaves around. The branches stayed apathetic. “It’s part of the natural life cycle.” They said, offering no condolences. Minho wasn’t sure which was better: the slow, silent death or the quick, violent death. As he endured the painful drying out of his body, he didn’t wish to live longer; he only wished for the pain to cease. Jaehyun’s realism offered more comfort than his own pondering to prolong life.

The wind blew stronger tonight. Only a few vehicles drove by. The pork bone soup restaurant next to the tree he was hanging on closed earlier than usual. Many people clutched their big, puffy coats and hurried home. The wind roared louder into the night. Suddenly, an electrical wire snapped. The square windows around him blinked and closed their lids to fall asleep. Complete darkness covered the area. Minho felt the cold concrete sidewalk on his back, and the apartment buildings appeared much taller.

Stillness lingered.

Minho looked up and saw tiny lights blinking in the sky. It shimmered just as the leaf had described it. He took his last breath and whispered, Thank you.