Autumn-The Season of Fall

 The Day I Met You

On the 4th of September, the fourth day of the fall season, I met you. It was rather windy that day. I was on my way to a friend's house to help him review the material for the upcoming math exam when suddenly you called out to me by my name.

It was taking me quite some time to locate you through your voice alone, but your waving hand up in the air assisted me. On the edge of the rooftop of the hospital, wearing a white patient gown with black dots embedded on it, the blowing air brought strands of your straw-colored hair in front of your face.

 I wasn't acquainted with you, but to inquire how you knew my name, I headed your way.

As I approached you, your voice became clearer.

"CAN-YOU-BRING-THAT-WHITE-SHEET-OF-PAPER-UP-ON-THE-ROOFTOP? PLEASE!" you called at the top of your voice, deliberately in a slow manner.

I had a bit of time up my sleeve, so I accepted your request. I casted a glance over the ground to look for the sheet of paper.

"Found it," I whispered to myself.

I picked the sheet up and instinctively turned it over.

"It's drawn poorly," I murmured.

I raised my hand towards you with the sheet in it, to seek validation that it was indeed the one. Upon seeing it, you immediately wore a smile of relief.

You spoke loudly once more in a slow manner, "CAN-YOU-BRING-IT-UP-ON-THE-ROOFTOP? PLEASE!"

I responded to you in the same manner, "I'LL-BRING-IT-UP."

I stepped foot in the hospital and made my way to the elevator.

"Ugh…. They still haven't fixed the elevators yet. It's a pain to climb the stairs," said a young man with frustration.

Hearing him, I turned to the stairs and dashed all the way up to the top. In a while, I reached the rooftop. I leaned against the wall, my chest rose and fell rapidly as I struggled to catch my breath. Soon after recuperating my breath, I walked towards the edge of the rooftop by making my way through the laundered sheets.

Sitting on a bench with chrysanthemums flower pots behind, you held a pencil and a paper board in your hands. You were engrossed in sketching. Beside you lay two bunches of white sheets, one filled with sketches and the other untouched, both adorned with a sketchbook on top. The blowing air once again brought strands of your hair in front of your face.

"Here," I said as I moved my hand towards you to hand over the sketch.

"Just a minute," you responded solemnly.

I watched you recreate the same sketch you had previously drawn on the sheet I now held. Your hands were trembling, implying your lack of confidence in sketching smooth lines. But you improved. It was considerably better than your previous attempt.

"Done!" you spun the pencil in your hand with a bright grin on your face.

"Here," I said as I moved my hand again towards you to hand over the sketch.

"Oh…"

You took hold of your sketch and spoke with considerable positive energy, with your flashy blue eyes radiating it,

"Sorry for making you wait, Do-yun. Is everything good at school nowadays? Been a while since I've stepped foot out of the hospital. I'm glad it was you passing by; otherwise, I would have los... You don't know me, right?"

You were able to tell by my blank stare.

"What is your name?" I asked for your name, in hope to ring a bell.

"It's Hyang-gi. Park Hyang-gi."

The intensity of my blank stare heightened to a new level and elicited a chuckle from you.

While chuckling, you made a fist with your right hand to cover your mouth.

"Sorry. It should've been obvious since we've never talked before. But you know, you should at least try to learn the names of your class fellows."

Before I said anything,

"You're in the art club, right?" you inquired to get to your real objective.

"Yes."

You asked me to review your revised sketch, earnestly. I was a bit hesitant at first, but seeing you getting ready to take notes, I pointed out all the mistakes. After I was done, you held your notes up towards the sky and looked at them while smiling brightly.

You took a deep breath,

"Finally! I'll be able to improve with these corrections. You see, I have no one to guide me. You're a great help! Thanks, Do-yun."

I was impressed by you; despite lacking guidance, your improvement was evident in your sketches.

I got ready to take my leave.

"I hope you get well soon, Park Hyang-gi."

I turned around to leave, but you suddenly stopped me.

"Wait… You're leaving so soon? Can't you hang out a bit more with me? You see, as the exams are right up ahead, my friends are not visiting me anymore. You're the top of our class; you won't have any trouble. Can't you stay for a bit longer? Please! Please! Please!"

I turned you down promptly, but due to your persistent pestering, I reluctantly agreed. Over the course of next 10 minutes, you forced me to learn our classmates' names based on characteristics or behaviors you believed I might have noticed.

"…The one who argues with our math teacher, despite always being wrong, is Woo-Bin, and the one who speaks exceptionally fast is Min-jun. Am I right?"

"Perfect! Now, you might have heard someone munching loudly during lunchtime, right?"

"Yes," I nodded.

"He's Eun-woo."

"So he's Eun-woo. Then what is the name of the guy who always competes with me in examinations?"

"Him? He's Ha-joon. Shouldn't you know his name? After Hyuk, he is the only one you talk to at school."

"Yes, you're right. Wait… Hyuk… ah… I'm sorry, but I have to go now. I forgot I had to help him review Math today," I finished my sentence as I got up from the bench.

You apologized for taking so much of my time.

"I had fun," I said that with a bright smile.

Before leaving, I asked for your permission to visit you again the next day.

"Please do!" you replied with a huge smile.

I hurried through the laundered sheets to the stairs, down to the ground floor, and finally out of the hospital.

Our first encounter was quite eventful… for me. Following that, I visited you regularly, and it led to my encounter with your family—grandmother and younger sister. Shortly after, you recovered, and I was invited to celebrate your recovery at your home.

We went to movies, karaoke, amusement parks, arcades, and art galleries. You also joined the art club at school. We participated in a local art competition and held an art exhibition at school. Soon, we graduated.

And on February 18th…You died.

All you left me was a single letter in my hand, permitting me to continue with my life and forget you, saying that you were just a passing breeze all along.

I cannot do it. I cannot continue like nothing wrong has occurred. I cannot continue knowing you are not here anymore. I cannot continue… without you. Tears stream into my mouth.

As I'm about to step off the bridge,

"Let me…DIE! ... Wretch," I hear someone say these words in great agony.