Work Text:
Winter came as if it did not want to lose to other seasons. The green rice fields are now covered with a frosty white blanket. The wind that blows makes the body shiver. The overcast sky covered the bright light that reconciled the day. Brings a hunch that can't be ignored.
The fireplace that is lit in each house is very pleasant to look at. Her path staggered, leading her body anywhere as long as her beads could close immediately. The shabby clothes she was wearing couldn't keep out the cold gusts any longer. Her lips kept opening and closing, letting out a breath that was almost visible from the freezing air.
The path that she used began to be invisible to the building anymore. There was only a field with a swath of snow-covered.
It was then that the autumn jewels found her and embraced the pale body in a warm embrace, screaming as if to give life to the dying candle.
***
"It turned out to be winter five years ago, everything was going fast," she gently stroked the gray-green strands that lay on his lap.
The falling snowflakes did not reduce their desire to sit on the terrace of the house. A small plate with oranges and two cups of hot tea accompanied their hours together.
I promised I'd embrace you when you lost your wings
And that crane which had beautifully taken flight that day,
I've never forgotten, and still remember, even now,
And just like always, I love you
"It's a beautiful song. Did you make it yourself? I never heard the other people sing it."
A faint smile continued on her face, "yes, it's made by me. Could it be that it's really ugly?"
A big hand that was dull from work rubbed her cheek, "I really like it. Your voice is so good that I was stunned when I heard it."
She was silent for a moment, "if one day, I don't have a beautiful voice and can't sing to you, will you still hear my voice?"
The man slowly stood up from his position, facing directly the pomegranate beads that reflected the light even though the mosquito net was always in the sky. The smile that never goes away is getting wider and so sincere he gives. His hand that was caressing the cheek now cupped the two of them, bringing their foreheads together, staring deeply to pour out the love that can't be expressed in words.
"I'll always listen to it, until then."
***
Flower petals fluttered to show off their beauty. The flower buds shyly opened themselves, showing how attractive her charm was. The woman walked forward, trying to reach what was carried by the breeze.
"You look so well suited for spring," a deep voice made her turn around, finding the man looking at her gently. The man's hands were full of rattan knitting which produced simple items that were to be sold tomorrow.
She smiled slightly, walking over to him. "You think so?"
"Ahaha, your hair that is as bright as the sun reminds me of the bright spring. But all that doesn't cover how gentle your smile is, so people fall asleep because it's so cool."
"John, your word embarrassed me," her blushing face didn't cover how shy she was to hear John's compliment.
Hugs from behind brighten up the day. Lucky and happy are no longer the right words to describe her feelings. She had already surrendered herself to the warmth of her lover.
And what's wrong with her doing that?
***
A hot day greeted them the following month. The green grass slowly grew again, breaking through the cold blanket that had covered almost three months. Birds that fly more and more actively sing their chirping. Thick clouds colored the canvas of the blue sky for many days.
Their activities began with harvesting crops. Lots of fruit and vegetables available. The girl's cheerful smile seemed to exceed the sun's rays. She energetically plucked everything that had ripened on the tree, leaving the shabby clothes dirty with dirt. Her hands didn't escape the marks of sharp wood scratches, but she ignored them, not at all stinging from the pleasure of covering them.
"John! John! Look at these vegetables! They ripen well. I'm sure this year's harvest will go well!"
She shouted with joy. As soon as she turned around, it was a shame she found the man's big body slumped over, not with her favorite smile.
"John!!"
A fishy puddle filled both of them, and neither one cared. The others panicked to the point of ignoring their surroundings, leaving their crops to fall apart and crumble. While the others tried to maintain their consciousness so that their lover's panic subsided a little.
After five minutes of struggling, John gave in, agreeing to darkness's request to take his sight.
***
Midsummer looks tough for the couple to get through. The cold mattress is a place to lie down without being able to move too much. His throat was burning, but his body was numb. The dark ceiling was always his direction of gaze.
Now and then his eyes rolled, staring at the room next to him for a long time. The room is used by the lover to knit cloth. The results are not much, and everything is used to buy the treatment.
Slowly the door to his room opened, revealing Louis smiling happily as her hand gripped a small package. She quickly took off her sandals, grabbed a glass of water, and headed for the bed.
"John, let's take your medicine first," her hands were painstaking, starting from helping him sit up, and feeding him his medicine until she waited for the water in the glass to finish drunk.
The grip of the woman's slender fingers caught his attention. He gently touched the hand that was smaller than him, noticing that there were several cuts and scrapes there.
"Your fingers are beautiful," a hoarse voice trailed in Louis' ear.
A wry smile formed on her dry lips, her arms wrapped around his thin body, burying her face in the back that was still so warm to her. "If one day, my finger is no longer there, will you continue to hold it?"
A low laugh was like inviting Louis to joke, trying to cheer him up. He gave a light stroke, treating the hand like a fragile glass.
"I'll always hold on to it, until then."
And John managed to shed tears in the silence that buried her head even more.
***
The maple leaves give off a reddish glow. Autumn is near at hand.
COUGH! COUGH!
"John!" Louis ran as hard as she could out of her weaving room, finding her lover covering his mouth with bloodstained hands.
His pain kept getting worse, no matter how much medicine he took.
After laying down the sleeping John again, Louis walked towards her room, closing the door as quietly as possible even though she was sure the loud noise would not wake him up.
Her tears were flowing again. She hugged her knees and buried a face that was muddled with sadness and anger. Sad that she couldn't help her partner, angry that she was completely useless.
She wiped away her tears roughly, her loom moves non-stop, day and night.
'On, on, on,' she thought to herself. 'A little more, faster, more,' her hands moved to string the snow-white strands into beautiful fine cloth.
Louis only hoped that this season she would be able to buy better medicine. Even though her body was writhing in pain.
She visited the noble mansion in the area. Presenting her woven fabric. The smiles of the rich people widened, pleased with the results they got. A money bag is thrown for her. Louis bowed deeply, and thanked them before exiting and immediately buying medicine with the money.
Her lips smiled happily. The medicine she bought was getting better and better, and with this John's illness would soon be cured.
Her running speed made Louis not notice a rock had hit her leg. The impact of her body and the rough ground was inevitable. A pained moan escaped her lips, her eyes accidentally stared at the flock of geese swimming in the river beside him.
The trembling of her body could not be concealed. With all her strength Louis rose from the fall, for the medicine in her arms was safe without being damaged.
'I'll cure John,' she vowed carelessly if her own back bled enough.
***
The dark room with no light froze every surface of the object as it started to snow. She was crying, so hard the tears flowed but her voice didn't come out at all so that her lover wouldn't wake up.
Her cries were nothing more than the screams of a slowly splintering soul. She didn't cry because of her wings which were torn apart to make fine silk. The screams were simply her sadness, which could not help her partner. Her hands trembled as she gripped the figure's rough fingers. The figure who always smiled at her, the hands of a rough worker but so warm more than a winter hearth.
"Just a little more, and John will be fine," the last strand of woven cloth was almost finished. Her hands were shaking, but he didn't stop weaving.
That day was the same as a year ago, the year before, and before that too. Their long memories did not end even though four seasons passed by both of them.
But now her heart was tight. She was afraid that there was not enough time. She prayed all night to give her more courage. Unfortunately, until the end, she did not dare to say it.
In her room she wrestled with, the door she never opened was just an escape so her lover wouldn't see her.
A low voice filled with pain, "if I no longer be human," she could not continue.
'Are you going to stay with me?' The question is hidden in the heart.
It was only for a split second that Louis felt a warm embrace from behind. The warmth she hadn't felt in a long time, the warmth she had cried over the past year, the warmth that made her tears fall even harder.
"I'll always be with you, no matter what."
There's nothing John needs anymore. All the perfection of his life has been obtained many years ago. Under the gray clouds, among the piled snow, the white swan looked very innocent and pure. His wings flapped, grabbing John's attention without him blinking.
"I've always loved you, Louis. Four seasons can't describe how long and how much I longed to hold you like this."
John didn't cry. He endured everything for the swan he loved the most. The small body in his arms felt tight, sharing the togetherness that had been lost for how long.
And now that togetherness has been united in the softness of the wings of love that this pair of lovers woven themselves.