I cannot estimate the time that has passed since we parted. All the time in the world is not enough to convey our time of separation. You know, time is truly a fascinating concept. Even the greatest and strongest beings are helpless against it. Profound love, breathtaking works of art, and the sun above –everything can be fallen into oblivion by the absolute ability of time. My ceaseless longing for you seems to be, in comparison, worthless as a fistful of sand. However, it is also true that we have not yet surrendered to him. I intend to endure with all my might before time comes to swallow our fate.
In the human world, overwhelmingly poignant sentiments can be found in romantic relationships, but it would not be wise to place us under that category. We, who were born simultaneously and disunited immediately, are siblings, lovers, and one body separated into two. Ever since I drew my first breath, all I did was move forward, always looking straight ahead. I have never made a detour despite the tough roads, and I have never feared the collision even if I hit mountains and stones. The vague belief that I will see you again was the only string I have held on to.
Indeed, I am aware that you and I are connected by an unbreakable bond. When someone twists my left arm, you will also feel pain in your left arm. When I fall down without an apparent reason, I sense that there was a banana peel on your way, or that you are walking on a slippery road. I’m guessing that you have also realized that a change one goes through influences the other. Scientists have long been studying this mystery of our race, but they failed to uncover it.
It was only last month that I found out that you are in a place that I cannot reach, even if I travel for more than eight years. You have almost reached the star Sirius, whereas I am flying the Saadiyat Island. The mesmerizing emerald waves of the Arabian Gulf are laid out in front of me. If I am not fortunate enough to be reflected off the waves, the deep sea will devour me and leave me with no exit. I guess you would be in a similar situation, since the star Sirius is a white dwarf with massive gravity. The end may be coming, for real.
The waves are approaching in the speed of light. Seagulls are hovering above me and the sounds of the boat horn and waves are getting bigger. This view, the pier painted with colorful sunset, is bringing me to tears. Like a pearl stuck inside a shell, we will be locked in the white dwarf for god-knows-how long. But do not let go of your hopes. And don’t forget. We are, as a matter of fact, immortal. Until I see you again, good bye, my better half.
*An electron and anti-electron join and create a pair of photons (particles of light). This pair manifests miraculous phenomena, and its behaviors are studied in quantum mechanics.
by Jaewon Yoo (Second Place Winner, Flash Fiction Reading and Writing Competition, 2016 – Organized by BrandMoxie and New York University Abu Dhabi)
To read Jaewon’s interview with Tempo, check it here: Flash Fiction Winner: Jaewon Yoo
