Time To Say Goodbye
1.
They were standing side by side under the setting sun with an awkward silence between them.
She was the one who broke the silence, “I have to tell you something.”
He said in a calm tone, “I know what it is about. I mean, I guess.”
She said in the same calm manner, “Then tell.”
“You are going to leave me today.”
“You are right.” She let out a sigh. “That was what I wanted to tell you.”
Both of them had been thinking about breaking up. But no one dared to say it out loud. Because no matter how hard it seemed to hold onto an almost-broken relationship, breaking up and the things that follow were even more painful. They didn't want to break each other’s heart. But they were unable to carry the burden of the relationship either. Finally, they made their decision, thinking that it might be better for both of them.
He looked at her closely after a long time. Her hairs were flying in the wind.
He asked her, “Are you going to leave right now?” this time there was sadness in his voice.
“I can stay a bit longer, if you insist.”
“Then let’s take a walk together.”
They started walking together, in silence. She took a close look at him after a long time, too. Suddenly, she felt an urge to not to leave, to walk together by his side for a long time. He also wished to hold her hand and walk closer to her. But it was too late for it now.
In the end, they walked as if they were two strangers who happened to bump into each other.
And they walked away from each other like that.
2.
Few years later.
He was sitting at the seashore, alone. The night and the weather reminded him of another night years ago. The night when his lover left him.
He could clearly picture her stray hairs flying in the wind.
He thought, what if they could meet again, and start over? Would everything be alright then?
He answered himself, most probably not.
At the same time, she was walking along the same seashore, thinking the same thing.
They looked around and their eyes met.
They thought, “Should we go to each other?”
Then they thought, no.
Because maybe if they went to each other, they would realize that they had become stranger to each other now. So it was better to look at each other from afar, and say goodbye.