A gentle breeze danced through the towering trees, carrying with it the soft rustle of leaves. Beneath, a crystal-clear river flowed silently, as if guarding the secrets of the forest. Each gust of wind loosened golden leaves from their branches, letting them drift gracefully to the ground...like nature itself was admiring its own beauty.
And there, on an old wooden bridge nestled deep within this serene wilderness, sat Talotkan and Yim side by side, their eyes following the glass-like surface of the river below. The natural symphony.....the whispers of leaves, the flowing water, the distant songs of unseen birds...filled the air, bringing peace to the heart and silence to the mind.
It was Talotkan who broke the soothing quiet, her gaze shifting toward Yim.
"Yim… do you know? This place is very close to my heart."
Her voice was calm, yet carried an intimacy that made the air feel warmer.
"Whenever I'm tangled in confusion or burdened by something heavy… I come here. This calm… this beauty.....it wins over my heart every single time. And somehow, all my pain… all my complaints… they vanish, like they never existed."
A soft laugh slipped from her lips as she spoke, and the sound of it brought a smile to Yim's face. For a fleeting moment....just a moment...their eyes met. And in that single glance, it felt as though two souls had opened their doors and peered into each other's depths.
The elders used to say:
If, the first time you look into someone's eyes, you feel nothing, then know this.....there will never be love between you.
But… if those eyes hold you still, even for just a few seconds, and your heart begins to pound so loudly that you can hear it.....and if, with that person, you feel a happiness you never knew before… then understand: this is not a coincidence. This… is the true beginning of love.
Their eyes parted just as quickly as they had met, but neither of them noticed something...their lips curved into quiet smiles, smiles born not of politeness, but of something deeper. Something warm. Something real.
Inside, Yim felt an odd joy blooming. She liked being here....with Talotkan. She wanted to thank her for bringing her to such a beautiful place. But before she could speak, Talotkan's voice came again...gentle, almost like a melody.
"Yim… once, my grandmother explained something to me." Her tone softened, her words slow and tender.
"She said… 'If tiny pebbles stick to your feet, every step will feel rough.....like the entire path is filled with stones. But if you remove those pebbles, you'll realize something.....the road was never rough. It was only your feet that carried the burden.'"
As her voice faded, Talotkan turned to Yim with a smile...soft, serene, almost luminous under the filtered sunlight.
But Yim's brows furrowed slightly. She tilted her head and asked in a hushed tone, "What… does that mean?"
Talotkan chuckled softly, her laughter a soothing balm to the forest stillness.
"Yim… Grandma knows me better than anyone. She knows what I feel, even when I don't speak. And sometimes, even I hear the voices of my past trying to pull me back. But Grandma… she always saves me from them."
She drew in a deep breath, her gaze sweeping across the tranquil scene around them before resting gently on Yim.
"What she meant is this.....when you remove those pebbles, you understand they were never part of the road....they were only stuck to your feet. In life, pain is like that. If you keep carrying one sorrow with you, you'll start to feel as though your whole life is sorrow. But… if you let go of that one pain, if you remove it… suddenly the path, the life, feels bright, clean, and beautiful again."
Her voice softened even more, almost as if her words were a whisper meant for Yim alone.
"Yim… I've removed some of those pebbles from my feet. Maybe… now it's your turn."
And with that, she stood up.....graceful, her laughter echoing like sunlight dancing on water...and began walking toward her bike. Over her shoulder, she threw a teasing glance at Yim and said in that mischievous tone that was uniquely hers:
"The whole road is yours, Yim… think about it while we ride. But for now, let's go. Otherwise, we might just end up as some wild animal's dinner."
Even with the weight in her heart, even with unspoken grief lingering inside, Yim couldn't help but laugh. Talotkan never missed a chance to make her smile. Not even now.