The man lights the small hearth on the table.
The tiny flame sways
like a morning on a mountain no one has yet stepped upon,
gently revealing the shadow of the past
that had sunk deep within his chest.
The steam rising from the cooker
wavers like the faint scent of choices once made
and words left unspoken,
brushing softly against his cheek.
The cat follows the steam with its eyes,
its slowly swaying tail whispering,
“There are burdens you no longer need to carry.”
The man tastes a sip of freshly brewed coffee.
In the dim room,
the faint scent left after shaving
reminds him—not of cutting ties—
but of the quiet courage to simply let go.
For the mountain ahead,
he must carry no unnecessary weight.
With his gaze lowered,
he murmurs as if picking up
the words that had remained in his heart.
“Past… I leave you here.”
ToEbe.
Toward the margin.