Ikigai

Florina Hegedüs
At closing time, even though I'm frail, I grow wings and become strong enough for Matei if he asks for my help. We pull down the shutters, hook them with a lock, and side by side scrub down the kitchen. There's greasy mud everywhere. We had dreamed of being chefs. I catch the last tram home and dream sweetly. We meet daily at Dom, but today, instead of heading to work, he pulls me toward the Tisa. A swarm of amber threads dances on the surface of the water. Matei says they're mayflies and wraps his arm around my waist, and I understand what needs to be understood.
 
 Sanda Vaideș
I bring you the last flowers of summer and light the last candle. I came to say goodbye once more and to ask forgiveness for not coming again to your grave. Long after you left, I lived between two worlds. The flicker of a burning thought woke me. Know that I've left everything behind, nothing holds me here anymore. I leave for distant lands with only the essentials and the hope that one day the sun will shine again in my night. I don't believe in reincarnation, but I will look for you in every person on Earth.
 
 Carmen-Ecaterina Ciobâcă
A title on a glossy cover, framed by cherry blossoms. Those pink petals seemed indecent in their springtime laughter. She bought the book at Osaka airport. For him. Now she was getting ready to leave the house, like a soul hurrying out of a body that no longer wants it, tossing magazines, souvenirs, unwatched movies into boxes. When she dusted off the book, a little note slipped to the floor. Forgive me, my love. My departure will not surprise you. It is part of the world's meaninglessness.

(Translated by Miruna-Camelia Baicu / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year I / Corrected by prof. dr. Nadina Vișan, coordinator of the translations / Edited by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)