"Who's Jinki?"

The question made Kibum stop whatever he was doing.

"Hey, Kibum! Answer meeee!" Jonghyun, Kibum's best friend who's also his roommate insisted.

"Why'd you ask Jjong?"

"I just found this picture scattered in your table. It has something written on it's backside."

Kibum took a deep breath and turned around to face his best friend. Jonghyun waved the picture right at Kibum's face, "So?"

Kibum carefully took the picture from Jonghyun. He stared at it. Feeling his heart clench, he immediately flipped the photo. He kinda regretted it though, because the writing at the back of the picture brought tears to his eyes.

'Jinki and Kibum

always together <3

november 29, 2006'

Kibum let out a bitter chuckle. What happened to "always together"? But it doesn't matter now, does it?

"Kibuuuuumm? Are you okay?" Kibum raised his head. He was looking straight at Jonghyun's eyes but his mind was elsewhere.

Who is Jinki anyway?

Lee Jinki, that chubby kid in middle grade who excelled in every subject. That kid who was Kibum's first friend ever since his family moved to Seoul. The kid who would always have silly ideas but Kibum didn't seem to mind. That kid who stood up for Kibum when he was bullied because he looked and acted feminine back then. Lee Jinki, who promised him forever. He promised him that he'll always be there through thick and thin. Always smiling even when times are tough. Always the person who believed in Kibum. He saw Kibum more than just a kid. He knows Kibum will make it big out there. And Kibum did. But Jinki was no longer there to witness the great person Kibum has become.

Because Lee Jinki was gone too soon. Taken away from him before he even got to say how much he loved him. Chosen by God to be one of his angels, way too soon. Kibum never even got to say how much Jinki meant to him, how much he wanted him, how thankful he was to have a Lee Jinki in his life. Lee Jinki was there one minute and gone the next. Jonghyun snapped his fingers and Kibum was brought out of his thoughts,

"You okay Kibum? You don't have to talk about it okay."

And Kibum sighed in relief. Because he'll never be strong enough to talk about Jinki without breaking down. And that's just how important Jinki was, actually still is, in Kibum's life. Everything he does right now, years later, is still about Jinki.

For Jinki will always be Kibum's biggest almost.

They almost loved each other.

They almost had it all.

They almost made it.

But they will always and forever be an "almost".