"The Cage of the Heart"
Thunderclouds had begun roaring across the sky.
Lightning flashed again and again,
while the rushing winds carried whispers of love within them.
The branches of the trees swayed wildly against clashing with each other,
as if the sky, the clouds, and the winds themselves
had fallen into astonishment after hearing Richer's words.
And there stood Ramish—
for a few moments he was lost in complete amazement.
After hearing those words from Richer's lips.
When Richer noticed him standing there silently, lost in thought,
he lifted his hand near Ramish's face
and He said, playing pinching lightly,
"What happened, Ramish?"
Ramish blinked slowly.
Then, without blinking again,
he kept staring deeply into Richer's eyes.
His own eyes had already become moist.
Richer instantly grew worried.
"Ramish…
why are your eyes filling with tears?
Didn't you like what I said?"
A faint smile appeared on Ramish's lips.
"It's not that, Richer…
These tears are from happiness.
And honestly…
hearing those words from your lips—
for me—
makes me unbelievably happy.
You have no idea
how desperately
I had been longing to hear all of this from you…"
A soft smile spread across Richer's face.
In a gentle voice, he said,
"Don't become too emotional now…
because I love seeing you smile."
Ramish looked deeply into his eyes.
"Richer…
you are the reason behind my smile.
You are the sparkle in these eyes,
the laughter on these lips,
the light spread across this face…
it's all because of you.
Only you.
If you exist, then I exist.
And if we exist, then everything exists.
And if you are not…
Then there is nothing…
Neither do I.
.
Hearing those words,
Richer's own eyes began to grow moist as well.
He smiled quietly
and extended his hand toward Ramish.
"Come on…
let's keep going."
Ramish immediately held his hand,
and the two slowly walked together
toward the rhino enclosure.
There, they fed the rhinos together,
and afterward, they wandered toward the elephants.
Ramish lovingly fed the elephants,
sometimes gently stroking their trunks,
sometimes smiling like an innocent child.
Richer silently watched him with affectionate eyes.
Then he smiled softly and said,
"Ramish…
come on, let's take a picture with them."
The two stood side by side.
Richer placed his arm over Ramish's shoulder
and started taking pictures.
They were still busy capturing moments together
when suddenly,
one of the elephants stretched out its trunk
and lightly touched Ramish's shoulder.
Ramish flinched in surprise.
The moment Richer saw the elephant's trunk near him,
he immediately pulled Ramish toward himself
and wrapped him in his arms protectively.
"Are you alright, Ramish?"
he asked in a worried voice.
Smiling softly,
Ramish hid himself even deeper within his embrace.
"I'm perfectly fine…
Besides…
the moment I enter your arms,
I lose all my senses anyway…"
The moment Richer heard that,
he couldn't stop himself from smiling.
He stepped back slightly and said,
"You should take better care of yourself."
Ramish simply nodded with a smile.
Just then, the nearby guide laughed softly and said,
"Sir…
the elephant is only asking you for food.
It won't hurt you.
And honestly…
I think it really likes you.
That's why it keeps bringing its trunk close to you.
It doesn't behave like this with everyone."
Hearing that,
Ramish smiled happily.
But Richer immediately put on a serious expression.
He pulled Ramish even closer beside him
and pointed toward the elephant.
"He belongs only to me…
understand?"
For a brief moment,
it almost felt as if the elephant had understood his words.
It let out a loud sound,
waved its trunk dramatically,
and stepped a few paces backward.
Ramish burst into loud laughter at the sight,
while Richer's face still carried
that adorably jealous seriousness.
Ramish smiled softly,
then lovingly pulled Richer's cheeks in a playful way.
In a teasing voice, he said,
"Take this seriousness off your face…
it's just an animal.
And besides…
even it has understood
that I belong only to you…
and you belong only to me…"
The moment he heard those words,
an involuntary smile appeared on Richer's lips.
Then the two of them slowly walked toward the bird enclosure,
where countless beautiful birds
were filling the atmosphere with soft chirping melodies.
Their voices sounded like a gentle symphony—
beautiful… yet strangely sorrowful.
Ramish and Richer stood quietly near the enclosure,
watching the birds in silence.
Just then,
Richer's phone rang.
It was a call from his manager.
Listening to the call,
Richer walked a few steps away.
Meanwhile,
Ramish remained completely lost in observing the birds.
A few moments later,
Richer quietly returned from behind
and wrapped his arms around Ramish.
Resting his head gently on Ramish's shoulder,
he asked in a soft voice,
"What are you looking at so deeply…?"
Ramish was slightly startled,
but then smiled faintly.
"Look, Richer…
these birds are so beautiful.
But the sadness in their eyes reveals something…"
His gaze remained fixed on the birds as he continued,
"No matter how large the cages may be…
they can never replace freedom.
Yes, these birds can still fly from one side to another side…
but they can never truly experience
the beauty of the open sky.
Maybe that's why…
they keep staring silently toward the heavens…"
Ramish fell silent for a moment.
Then a strange depth entered his voice.
"Richer…
love is like a beautiful bird too.
It flies freely through the world of love,
soaring across open skies.
It cannot bear imprisonment…
it does not understand boundaries.
It simply flies endlessly
around the one it loves.
And if it remembers anything at all…
it remembers only its beloved.
Its entire world
becomes that one person…"
Richer quietly lost himself in Ramish's words.
His head still rested against Ramish's shoulder,
while the rhythm of his heartbeat
seemed to speak the emotions his lips could not.
After a few moments,
Richer spoke softly,
"Ramish…
isn't it better
to keep the one you love
locked safely inside the cage of your heart…
before they become someone else's?"
A gentle smile appeared on Ramish's lips.
"If love is true, Richer…
then no matter where the beloved may be…
they still remain yours.
And once your love settles deep inside someone's heart…
they can never erase its fragrance from within themselves…"
Richer's lips remained silent,
but his heartbeat grew faster
with every word Ramish spoke.
And inside the enclosure,
the birds repeatedly fluttered closer to the two of them—
as if even they wished
to become a part of this quiet, beautiful conversation about love.