I threw everything my hands got a hold off on the ground as I was searching for my luggage bag inside the storage closet located in the bonus room of the house.

BAM!

The sudden noise startled me. It may or may not have made me jump a little. I looked around to see what made the noise. Then I saw it, the box filled with my childhood memories. Unfortunately, everything in it had been scattered all over the floor. I looked at my watch, and it was almost time to go. Ugh! I still have to pack up, but if she sees this mess... Brrr scary. 

Crouching, I picked up what was inside and placed them back in the box. While doing so, I saw an old VCR tape that was labeled 'Little Mina at Hype Park'. I picked it up, and walked towards the VCR player. (Shhh... don't judge me. I love using it to  watch some old movies. Classic, I tell you, classic). I sat down on the couch facing the TV and pressed play, completely forgetting about the mess that I previously created. 

A smile made its way up to my lips as I watch my tiny self going up and down the slide, running for the swing, and more. Then I saw her, my best friend, Sana Minatozaki, sitting on the edge of the mini bridge that connects the both sides of the playground together.
 
[In the tape]

I was jumping all over the place passing by a little girl who was, I think, watching me. I was trying to find the perfect place to launch my new and improved awesome paper plane. 

I smiled from ear to ear, showing my gummy smile, when I found it. I threw the paper plane but the wind has carried it away from its projected flight path and to the side hitting the little girl I passed by earlier. As she picked the plane from the ground, I ran towards her and smiled. 

"Hi, my name is Myoui Mina. What’s yours?"

"Sana. Minatozaki Sana," she replied with a really high pitched voice. 

"I'm sorry I hit you with the paper plane. Let’s be friends from now on." She giggled and nodded her head.

After that I pulled her towards the swing set, played with some dried autumn leaves that has now fallen on the ground, the slide, and more paper airplanes.

[End of tape]
 
I never thought she would be my best friend but it happened anyway...

I leaned back on the couch and began to reminiscence more of our memories...

[Flashback]

We were in our 2nd year of high school. I was in the school's basketball team, while Sana was in the cheerleading squad.

Tomorrow we would have a big Math exam so we decided to stay at the library to study but things don't always go as planned. We got a little bored ended up making paper airplanes with our notes. Laughter slowly filled the library as threw the planes. I know we were supposed to stay quiet in the library but come on we were the only ones there and the librarian didn't seem to mind. 

While we were making our third set of planes, she said "Mina look over there."

Being the obedient person I am, I looked to where she was pointing at, and then she stole the plane I had just made. I pouted at her which in return made her laugh. After all that fun, we eventually had to study. 

I was on the verge of falling asleep while trying to solve a problem. I think I saw Sana smirk, but I didn't care anymore. I tried, I swear I tried to stay awake but I just can't. 

-----

I rushed to Sana's house with two buckets of ice cream after receiving a call from her mom that she had been crying non-stop because of her now EX-boyfriend, Mark Tuan. I opened slowly opened her bedroom door and saw how vulnerable and fragile Sana looked. I felt pain in my heart, well who wouldn't right? I just saw the one I love and care for the most crying over some guy who does not even deserve her precious tears. 

"Hey, I brought ice cream." 

I said softly holding up two tubs of different flavoured ice creams. She looked up and smiled. It was not her usual cheery one, instead it was the one I never wanted to see on her face ever again. 

As I entered the room, I pretended to trip on air and dropped the ice creams on the ground. She shook her head and laughed.

We laughed all night, talking about weird things, and sometimes her giving me her not so scary glare. It’s nice to see her slowly going back to her old self again.
Sana suddenly stopped talking and leaned on my shoulder. She eventually fell asleep. I carefully removed her head from my shoulder and tucked her in. I was about to leave but I noticed a paper airplane on her night stand. I reached into my pocket and grabbed the one I made and placed it beside hers. If only she knew how much I love her. 

-----

Today I received my acceptance letter to go to Kobe University, majoring in Business. I'm so excited that I can't wait to tell Sana about this, because this university was ranked at 4th place in Japan for the study of business and has a significant international influence.

I told her to meet me here by the lake in our neighbourhood. I could hear a very high pitched sound from behind me. Knowing who it is, I turned my body around only to be greeted by a big and tight squirrel hug. She broke the hug and showed me her letter of acceptance in Bunka Women's University in Tokyo. It was one of the top fashion universities not only in Japan but in the world. 

I showed her a sad smile. Don't get me wrong, I was really happy for her. It was always her dream to study fashion and to get accepted in such a prestigious school was great. I gave her a sad smile because I thought she would go to Osaka to study, close to her family who are moving back to Osaka, close to Kobe, close to me.

"Congratulations!"

She was too happy to notice the emotion behind my smile. She hugged me again and said, "Thanks!" 

During the hug I frowned, knowing how she would be farther away, albeit being in the same country, from me.

-----

I met a few new friends in my classes; the forever rookie minded Jackson Wang, the charismatic girl crush Yoo Jeongyeon, and the half-Korean Yasuo 'Kangnam' Namekawa. I hang out with them almost every day, and I might say they are very entertaining. Although they tend tonplay lots of pranks and tease me to no end, whenever I'm down, especially when I miss my best friend, they always try to cheer me up. Speaking of my best friend, Sana and I, despite being in two different cities, we still kept in touch with one another through phone calls, video calls, or just by sending each other messages on how our day went. 

Today we had no school because of a national holiday. So now I'm at my apartment that my dad had generously bought for me as a congratulatory present, waiting for anyone to message or call me. I logged on to Skype to see if there's anyon I want to talk to. Fortunately, Sana was online. I called her and she immediately answered.

“HEY!!” Sana said as she waved at me. I waved back showed her my charming gummy smile.

“How is the princess squirrel doing? There aren't any boys or girls hitting on you there right?” I said while laughing.

“YAH!! I’m perfectly fine you penguin lover. And no there aren't any boys or girls hitting on me. I think you scared most of them away when you visited.” She frowned.

There was silence between us. After a couple of seconds we exploded, laughing at each other. When we managed to calm ourselves down I asked, “How’s school there?”

“It’s great but I still don’t get why we have to learn math.”

“Well Miss Squirrel look-a-like, you need it because how would you know the cost in making your designs to life and the price at which you are going to sell it for to gain some profit. And plus it's simple math.”

“I know but still. Isn’t that the job of your people you penguin lover?”

“You mean we, the people who study business?”

“Yup! HAHA! How abou-“

She was interrupted by her friend/roommate Momo. She was telling her about some party happening on the garden of their campus. Not only did she interrupt or conversation, she didn’t even let us say our goodbye’s to each other before she pulled Sana out of her bedroom in their shared apartment. 

I suddenly thought of something. I started throwing some of clothes on my bed and shoved them on my duffle bag. I rode a taxi to the train station and bought a ticket on the next train heading to Tokyo. As to my luck, there were still some spots left and it leaves in about 15 minutes. The travel from Kobe to Tokyo took about just a little over four hours. During the train ride, I thought about what to say to her when I see her.

I arrived infrint of her apartment only to find the door slightly open. “Aish! This girl. She's lucky this building is guarded.” 

I entered her apartment and walked towards her room. I quickly opened the lights only to find the room empty. I sat by her bed. I don’t know how long was I sitting there but-

[End of Flashback]

I was brought back to reality when a paper plane hit me in the head. I looked around the room for the culprit and found my fiancé, Minatozaki Sana, standing by the door smiling at me. I could tell she hasn't seen the mess at the corner of the room by the storage closet yet. 

I stood up from the couch and walked towards her. She placed her arms around my neck, while I placed mine on her waist pulling her closer to me.

“What were you doing Penguin?” She asked as her delicate fingers brushed through my hair.

“I was just reminiscing the past, like how I went to your dorm and just suddenly confessed my heart out to you.” I flashed her my ever so charming gummy smile. I could see a faint blush growing slowly on her cheeks. “That was the best day of my life Sana. I honestly never actually thought that you actually felt the same way I did. I still can’t believe that you are mine even if it happened five years ago. I mean I must’ve done something good in my past life to deserve an angel like you right now,” I said making her blush even more. 

After my little confession, silence came as we stared deeply at each others eyes. I looked at her like she was the prettiest woman on earth. I looked at her just like when I first saw her by the playground.

She pecked my lips as she broke the silence. “Well, you better believe it.”

The way my heart beats fast like I had just ran a marathon; the way the butterflies from deep whithin my stomach flutter that whenever I open my mouth I'm worried that they will come out; and the warmth and comfort I always felt when I was with her... 

“I,” I kissed her on her forehead.
“Love,” then the tip of her nose.
“You,” finally capturing her lips.

The kiss was slow but passionate. It was filled with love and not with lust. It was a kiss that you would give to someone whom you missed so dearly. It was a kiss that the prince in a fairytale would give to his princess.

“I love you too."

Minatozaki Sana felt like home, and there's no where else I'd rather be but home.
--------------------------
AN: I hope you guys enjoyed it.