The Union of Souls
Valerie lifted her gaze, focusing her eyes.
He stood in the darkness like a shadow, his clown-like awkward outfit swaying, and the paint on his face was melting away.
Romeo, standing at the window of an old house like the palaces of ancient kings, could make anyone fall in love.
Valerie squinted her eyes and glared at him, moving directly in front of the window.
The room's light was insufficient, but he could read the astonishment in Valerie's eyes.
It was as if he suddenly came to his senses and abruptly turned to leave.
"John!" Valerie tried to stop him.
He paused without turning around.
"Why are you here, and why are you standing outside?" she asked softly.
Grandma had fallen asleep, and she didn’t want to disturb her; she didn't want her to wake up.
John took a deep breath and turned around.
The makeup was scattered across his face, but there was a strange sadness among all of it.
John looked in Valerie's direction.
He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t find the words.
"Oh John! Why aren’t you speaking?" Valerie's hair was scattered across her face, and there was annoyance and concern in Juliet's eyes.
He smiled, feeling as if he was now fully aware.
"Yes, I... actually... why aren't you coming there to play the violin?" he said quickly.
"I don’t go every time; only when necessary... when it doesn’t become a means of earning.
I am studying, and now I have found a job with a good man," she clarified somewhat.
"Alright," the rain suddenly intensified.
"Are you leaving?" Valerie asked as he was about to go.
"Yes," he could only say, "Will you come tomorrow?"
Valerie laughed.
"My violin is broken, so how can I come? Have you forgotten?"
John remembered.
"Yes, your violin."
Then he paused for a moment.
"Then you won’t come tomorrow?" There was helplessness in his question.
Love makes a person helpless, and while asking for every single minute from the beloved, one forgets that it is also a form of begging.
With thousands of people around, why does one always want to rush towards just one person?
In this regard, silence is better.
"Yes, I will come tomorrow, my friend," she said with a laugh.
There was an attraction in talking to him that she could not comprehend.
John's face lit up.
"I will wait for you."
He hummed to the tune of love, moving further away from her sight every moment.
Valerie thought, why is she watching him go away... why does her heart want him to stop?
________
The morning began with John arriving at a famous music shop as soon as he got out of bed.
He expressed his desire to buy a high-quality violin.
The shopkeeper laid out several types of violins before him.
He gently touched and examined them all.
Finally, he chose a very exquisite and beautiful violin.
How beautiful it is!
To buy a beloved's favorite gift.
A smile never left his lips for even a moment.
Holding the violin in his hands, he wandered the streets of the city.
He thought about getting the gift wrapped at a shop.
"Oh, how beautiful it is!"
An elderly woman, who owned the shop, exclaimed upon seeing the violin.
John's smile widened.
"Is this for your beloved?" the woman playfully looked into John's eyes.
John blushed and thought to himself,
"It’s as if my face is written all over with the fact that she is my beloved."
He mumbled while lowering his head,
"How embarrassing."
The woman blessed him with the longevity of love.
As he was about to leave the shop, she stopped him.
"Listen! Sincerity is a condition in love. If you try to win her over with sincerity, God will unite you with her."
John smiled back at her.
The woman's eyes sparkled with love.
The woman's love and smile filled him with hope.
If love had a form, it would be the expression on John's face today.
He imagined Valerie holding the violin and playing.
The beauty of imagination is that one can paint it however they wish.
He dressed Valerie in a white gown, leaving her golden hair loose, and handed her the violin.
She was gently playing it to the tune of her favorite song.
Cherry blossom petals were falling.
John felt those lost petals in his imagination.
Before he could feel the touch of the flowers, a distant voice echoed in his ears.
"Flowers are a symbol of dying in youth."
This thought shattered his entire vision.
He was jolted back to reality.
It was still early evening, but due to the clouds, the sun seemed to be on holiday today.
For some reason, John's heart began to race.
He looked up at the sky and prayed that God would not let it rain today and that Valerie would arrive soon.
He had placed the gift on a bench and was watching the clouds.
Flowers are a symbol of dying in youth.
A disturbing voice began to invade his senses.
He tried to shake it off in a panic.
The tiny pink cherry blossom petals appeared wrapped in rosy hues.
John prayed that Valerie would arrive soon.
Grandma stopped him.
"Valerie, since your violin is broken, why are you going?"
Valerie lowered her gaze and thought,
Should she tell Grandma about her new friend?
No, she denied it to herself.
Grandma doesn’t approve of such matters; it’s better to tell her later…
Grandma shrugged.
"And God is about to rain again."
Valerie peered out of the window.
Dark clouds were gathering.
"Grandma, I’ll be back soon; I just have a little work to do. I’ll return before an hour."
Bidding farewell to Grandma, she quickly grabbed her umbrella and headed towards the street where she played the violin.
She didn’t know what force had prevented her from telling Grandma the truth and compelled her to meet a stranger.
She shook her head.
This thought is pointless.
John glared at the clouds in annoyance. They were eager to pour down.
"Oh God! Just hold off the rain for a moment."