Whatever you do, I'll always trust you

-We Belong Together, Big Bang

A friendship is something that happens when two people communicate with each other and find something special in the other that always brings them back together and gives them the ability to label them as a friend. Friendships are in it of themselves mysteries but also something that should not be taken for granted because even the strongest of friendship withhold the ability to transcend time. And so throughout their primary school years and into thebeginning of the middle school, Ji Yong and Seunghyun became inseparable, spending endless amounts of free time to learn about each other, fooling around dancing and rapping as a joke, laughing together, and just living each day that came. They were just neighborhood friends going through school together, simple as that.

However, all good things must come to end eventually right? That’s what Seunghyun thought  to himself as he rummaged through papers on his desk. Among the pile, he found a picture. The photo was slightly crumpled at the edges but the bright smiling faces of the two boys captured in that precious moment remained undamaged. The photo had been taken on their first day of third grade which for Ji Yong had been a special year, a turning point in his life. It all started when he mentioned to Seunghyun one day how he had discovered an American rap group that went by the name of Wu Tang Clan. Yeah, that was the moment.

In making this discovery, something changed in Ji Yong and Seunghyun noticed this change right away. There was a gleam in his eye whenever Ji Yong would talk about this Wu Tang Clan, a gleam similar to that of someone who had just been inspired. Suddenly the silly raps Ji Yong would make up for fun during lunchtime became a little more profound for their age, a more seriousness in his tone when he asked for Seunghyun’s opinion. Seunghyun would simply reply, “It’s good Ji Yong.” Yet for Ji Yong those simple replies weren’t enough and it sort of hurt Seunghyun that he couldn’t provide better feedback for his friend.

“Hyung, don’t you have anything better than ‘it’s good’?” Ji Yong sighed as he settled down next to Seunghyun. The boys were sitting outside the school building, their feet dangling just above the ground from the low cement wall they were sitting on. The weather was nice today, the warm rays of the sun hitting their face while a light breeze whipped by every now and then to cool their skin.

“Are you serious about rapping now?” Seunghyun asked.

“Yeah I am. I’m thinking about taking classes too,” Ji Yong answered with a small smile as he kicked his feet lightly. “I think rapping might be for me but I don’t know if I’m good enough. My English is weak and I don’t have a lot of experience with it . . .”

“Ah, you’re afraid to fail,” Seunghyun concluded with little doubt in his voice. “Then why bother chasing a dream if you’re not willing to try, willing to fail?”

At first there wasn’t an answer and silence fell around them as Ji Yong thought on Seunghyun’s words, the only sound coming from the heels of his shoes tapping against the wall. “Well,” Seunghyun began again, “if Ji Yong-ssi is really serious about rapping and willing to try he could be great. In fact he could be greater than great; he could be the best in the world.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.”

“Hyung, when did you get so wise like an old man?” To this, their laughs blended together and whistled through the air amid the silence of nature around them. Seunghyun had figured that day he did the right thing, encouraging Ji Yong to pursue his dream because there was something special in his friend. So why does he feel regretful? It was only natural that Ji Yong would work harder and eventually leave Seunghyun behind to reach his dream but Seunghyun found himself wishing he could be beside Ji Yong along the way. With a heavy sigh, Seunghyun pulled out a drawer from his desk and slid the photo in before closing it. Maybe things were meant to be this way for a reason . . . But the question still remained. Why now?

The move had come unexpectedly but nevertheless Seunghyun didn’t show how upset he was but rather put on a brave face for his friend, wishing him the best of luck in all his endeavors. The weather that day seemed to match his gloomy mood over the move, rain droplets falling in a light shower as he watched the last bits of the Kwon family’s belongings be placed in the back of the truck. Ji Yong had stood across from Seunghyun in those last few moments, staring back at his friend before embracing him tightly.  Their goodbyes were short lived, Seunghyun being the first to break because the weight of separation was becoming too much and the tears were already starting to build at an alarmingly fast rate. Ji Yong left then, waving good bye from the car window as it rode down the street. As a hot tear rolled down his cheek, Seunghyun  waved back. “Good bye Ji Yong.” 

I just hope our paths will cross again.