“Young master?” called a voice from the door.

Kibum looked up to see his housekeeper standing at his door.

“Go away! I don’t want to see anyone.” He yelled as he buried his head in his pillows.

“B-but young master, I have something for you. It’s from that Jonghyun kid you were always playing with…”

At the mere mention of Jjongie’s name, Kibum sat up. Wiping away his tears, he started running to the housekeeper before she could answer his questions.

“Where? What did he give me? When did you see him?” questions flooded in his head as he ran towards the housekeeper.

“Master Jonghyun passed me this package two weeks ago, and-”

“Why are you only giving this to me now?!” yelled Kibum as anger temporarily took over his sadness.

“You were sleeping soundly that day and the master and mistress didn’t want me to wake you.” Apologized the housekeeper as she explained that she had a two week break following that day, which is also the reason why she could not have passed the package to Kibum.

Impatient, Kibum ordered, “Give me the package. NOW.”

“Yes, young master.” Replied the housekeeper as she passed the package to Kibum.

“Now get out.”

“Yes.”

Climbing back onto his bed, Kibum opened the package hurriedly. Tearing off the packaging, a pendent fell out, followed by a letter.

Key, by the time you read this letter, I would probably be on the plane to California. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you earlier, and that I had to lie to you, I would rather disappoint you indirectly than to see you cry. See, the thing is that my grandmother is ill. It was immediately planned that my family would move to California. My parents had a transfer to a company in California and I will be admitted to a school there.

If my guess is correct, you would have noticed the pretty box in the midst of my treasures. It contains two pendants, one key, and the other a locket. It was given to me by my grandmother, and she had told me of the meaning before. ‘If you wear the key and the person you treasure the most wears the locket, you’ll always be able to find each other.’ This is why I have decided to give you the locket. I don’t know if I will ever come back to Korea, but I hope, that with the locket and key, I’ll always find you.

Lastly, I know that you are probably crying your eyes out. Don’t, okay? I want you to be happy. I hope that when the time comes and we meet again, you’ll be a confident person. So smile, and carry on with your life. And remember, I’ll never forget you.

-love, Jonghyun.

Fresh tears started falling off Kibum’s face. He read the letter again and again, till it became slightly crumpled and wet with tears. Clutching the letter to his chest, he picked up the locket. It is dull silver in color, and although it is a pendent, it was around the size of Kibum’s palm. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he took a closer look at the pendant. The workmanship is sophisticated, though there was a line running through the side of the pendent, probably due to years of usage.

Seeing it made him remember what happened two weeks ago, and it hurts.

It hurts to be reminded of what he had lost.

Smile? How can I do that when you have left me behind? I could have sent you off.

I could have said goodbye to you.

Sitting on the bed with the crumpled letter and locket clutched in his chest, Kibum cried. Not the way he did earlier, where he felt miserable.

Yelling and screaming, throwing a tantrum.

He’s crying in anger.

Kicking everything off his bed, he threw the pendent to the ground. Moving across the room, he threw all of his books off his bookshelves. Even when his vision is blurred as tears flooded his eyes, he did not stop his rampaging.

Soon, the whole room is messed up.

Exhausted from his raging, he fell to the ground. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply, and wiped away the remaining of his tears. Moving into a more comfortable position, he curled to his right. As he did that, he saw the pendant that he threw earlier. With a bitter smile on his face, he stretched his hand over and grabbed it.

‘Okay, you win. I promise you, Jjongie, that I won’t feel upset anymore. I won’t cry anymore. And I will never forget you.’ He promised in his heart as he closed his eyes.

Then, overcame by fatigue, Kibum fell asleep.