Two Birds

“It looks like it would rain. Maybe not today.”

Changmin and Kyuhyun were two blue birds. They lived in a nest on a tree outside Sooyoung's window. Across the window was an electric wire where they would perch on all day and watch as Sooyoung went about her daily chores. They would chirp together, singing a merry little song.

This has always been the routine and Changmin was perfectly fine with it. Kyuhyun on the other hand was bored. He wanted to fly. He wanted to explore. He wanted to go to the belfry downtown. He hovered on the wire as Changmin perched still.

"Come on Changmin," he chirped from above. "Let's fly to the belfry downtown. It would be wonderful."

Changmin just watched him from the wire, glancing once towards Sooyoung’s window. Today she was dressed in blue, fanning he face with her hands. It was a hot sunny day.

“The sun is shining too brightly. Maybe not today.”

The next day Changmin and Kyuhyun were still perched on the wire, looking on as Sooyoung made a warm cup of coffee. The sun was hiding her golden face behind a fluffy blanket of silver clouds. Maybe it was a nice day to fly, Kyuhyun thought so he asked Changmin just like before.

“It looks like it would rain. Maybe not today.”

The following day, it rained. And the day after that. And the day after that. And a few days more. Kyuhyun didn’t count the days. He just perched on the wire beside Changmin and listened to Sooyoung’s radio. He looked at their wet nest. It was missing a few straws but it was still a home. Maybe tomorrow would be a good day to fly.

At last the sun finally went out to play. The leaves of Kyuhyun and Changmin’s tree were all dry but their nest was calling to be rebuilt. They perched on the same old wire, watched the same old things and chirped the same old little song but it didn’t feel quite right.

“I’m flying to the belfry downtown,” Kyuhyun told Changmin as he again hovered above. “How about you?”

Changmin looked at him, clinging still to the wire. He glanced to the window and then to their little nest and then back to him.

“Maybe not today,” came the answer. Just like before, Changmin remained perching on the old wire as Kyuhyun flew away from him. Changmin’s gaze followed his old friend disappear into the horizon.

He never saw Kyuhyun again.