“Sooyeon, are we going to stay with each other forever?” A seven years old brunette asks her friend while watching the sunset.

“Hmm... Of course! I am going to stay beside my Taengoo forever!” Her friend, Sooyeon replied, smiling happily.

“So, we are going to stay as best friends forever?” Taeyeon asked hesitantly. “No matter what happens, I am going to stay with Taengoo and protect Taengoo forever!” Sooyeon reassured, turning her head to look at Taeyeon, who smiled brightly after hearing Sooyeon’s answer.

***

Two weeks later

Taeyeon sat down at the usual place where she always watched the sunset with Sooyeon. Smiling sadly, she watched the sun set, while recalling what happened the previous week.

Flashback

The two best friends were at their usual place, watching the sunset. It has become a daily routine for them to watch the sunset together, no matter what happens. 

“Taengoo, I… I need to leave.” Sooyeon said hesitantly, while glancing at Taeyeon. 

“Okay! Let’s go home then! If Sooyeon wants to leave, Taeyeon will follow her, because we are best friends!” Taeyeon replied cheerfully, not noticing Sooyeon’s hesitance and anxiety.

“No, Taengoo, I mean, I… I have to leave Korea.” Sooyeon said, her voice dying to a whisper. Taeyeon froze as silence enveloped them. Sooyeon shifted uneasily in the presence of silence and opened to explain herself but Taeyeon beat her to it.

“Why? You promised you’ll stay by my side.” Taeyeon whirled around to face Sooyeon and grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing Sooyeon to meet her eyes. Sooyeon averted her gaze and lowered her head.

“I-I … Sorry.” Sooyeon stuttered as wet drops streamed down her face. She wrenched free from Taeyeon’s tight grip and ran away, letting Taeyeon’s heart shatter into pieces.

Few Days Later

“SOOYEON! COME OUT! I KNOW YOU ARE INSIDE! COME OUT! COME OUT AND TELL ME YOU ARE LYING TO ME! SOOYEON! Please… Please come out...” Taeyeon sobbed as she banged on the door of Sooyeon’s house.

“Taeyeon… Stop, stop it. Sooyeon left yesterday, Taeyeon. It’s no use. She won’t come back so soon.” Taeyeon’s mum tried her best to comfort her crying daughter that knelt down in front of the vacant house.

“You’re lying! Sooyeon won’t come back! She broke her promise! She br-roke our promise…” Taeyeon choked out as tears enveloped her baby-like face.

***

She sat there in the cold, watching as the sun dipped below the horizon. “No Sooyeon with me anymore… Not today, tomorrow, forever… No more…” Taeyeon mumbled as tears ran down silently once more.

“You promised! YOU PROMISED SOOYEON! WHY? WHY DID YOU BREAK OUR PROMISE! WHY?” Taeyeon screamed into the horizon as she fell onto the ground.

“Sooyeon…”


When the sun sets, the whole world will be dark, like how you left me standing alone. But when the sun rises, the whole world lights up, just like how you came back once again into my life.