“Shin Dong Geun!”

Peniel just let out a soft laugh as he heard the angry voice of his childhood friend shouting his name. Peniel didn’t need to guess to know the reason behind the angry voice. Mark must have found out about the news.

“Yes, Mark?” Peniel turned around to face his angry friend as he asked out innocently.

“Don’t you ‘Mark’ me!” Mark was definitely pissed off at Peniel. “What is it that I heard about you leaving again?”

Peniel sighed as he replied calmly, “I can explain but before that, would you mind going somewhere with me first?”

“Don’t you try to change the subject, Peniel!” Mark glared at his childhood friend demandingly.

Peniel let out a small laugh as he said, “You know I never lied to you, right? Besides I don’t want to die in your hands.” Peniel laughed teasingly before he ignored the glare Mark gave him. “Come on, come with me.”

“I have to work!” Mark protested.

“Just take the day off. Come on!” Peniel insisted as he dragged his childhood friend away from the building towards the car park where Mark car was. “Let’s just use your car, ok? I didn’t drive today.” Peniel said before he asked for the car key from Mark who just caved in.

“You better had a better explanation for forcing me skip work today!” Mark said sternly to his childhood friend before he got inside the passenger seat.

“Where’s your adventure spirit? Have you forgotten about those days when we secretly took my parent car out for a ride?” Peniel grinned as he remembered back of their rebel teenager days.

“Yeah, and we’re both grounded for a month because of that!!” Mark couldn’t help but to laugh at the memories.

Seeing Mark laugh, Peniel just couldn’t help but to smile widely. He always loves to see the see the angelic smile of his childhood friend.

“A beach? You’re taking me to a beach?” Mark couldn’t believe his eyes when he was forced to skip work to take him to beach.

Peniel just smiled away at Mark surprised face as he led his childhood friend closer to the beach. “We always spend summer at the beach, didn’t we?” Peniel suddenly said as his eyes never left the wide beach in front of him. “I miss those days where we didn’t need to worry about everything but to have fun like normal teenagers do.”

Mark sighed as he understood completely what his childhood friend meant. Sometimes, Mark feels the same too. There were times Mark wished he could turn back the time to where he was still a teenager with no burden and worries to shoulder.

No words were exchanged between the two childhood friends as they were swum back into their own memories of old.

It was Peniel who first broke the silence as he took out something under his shirt. It was a simple necklace with a small ring in it. Mark was surprised to see two similar rings hanging onto the necklace his friend was wearing. Mark recognized the rings in one glance.

“The rings...” Mark eyes never left the two rings that Peniel now released from the necklace. It was the silver rings Mark and Peniel bought for each other to celebrate their 3 months anniversary back in the States when they’re young. But on the day they decided to break up and stay as friends, Mark remembered they have buried everything under the tree somewhere in Chicago.

Peniel chuckled as he saw the surprised look on Mark. “Yes, this was our rings.” Peniel said as he looked at the most precious thing for him who has been with him for years. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, but the next day after we buried it, I went back and dug it out. I’m sorry Mark but I have been lying to you all these years about my true feeling for you.”

Peniel sighed as he has decided to come clean and be honest with Mark with everything. Peniel has been thinking for the whole night about it and came up with the decision of letting go of Mark for real this time. Peniel has always known that Mark has moved on since the day we decided to stay as best friends, but deep inside his heart, Peniel still holding o