Final

16 years ago

"Hey kid, why are you alone?" A boy walked in front of me and sat down to reach my eye level. "Wanna have a candy?"
I stared at the boy giving me a strawberry flavored lollipop,
"Thank you" I said while reaching for it. He smiled at me, the most brightest smile I've ever seen
"So, it's the first time I've seen you here" he sat down beside me and played with the sandbox I'm playing with.
"Uhm... yeah, we just transferred today and my mom said I should play here for a while so that I can gain new friends" he just listened to me while writing something on the sand.
"Well, welcome to the neighborhood! I'm --" He was about to say his name when his - I think mom or sister - called him
"I'll see you around then?" He waved at me and ran to the direction where his mom or sister called.
I just nodded and muttered a soft "I'm Cha Eunmi", I think he heard it because he looked back and smiled at me.

The next day I saw him in the swing. He also saw me, he ran to me and grabbed my hand.
"Where are we going?" I asked with a heavy breathing since he like dragged me
"Just wait! You'll love it!" He flashed another bright smile, a smile that made me smile inside too.

We arrived in a place somewhere near the playground. Indeed, as he said, it was really beautiful.
Green trees, between those green trees is a lake with ducks and birds, a big field where people can go in a picnic.
"Did you like it?" He stood beside me, eyes glimmering with happiness
"Yes, I did, It's wonderful!" My eyes widened by the beautiful sight in front of me
"By the way, I'm Yugyeom" He spoke, distracting me from my thoughts
"Huh?" I just stared at him
"My name's Yugyeom, I forgot to tell you yesterday. Now, you already know me Cha - Eun - Mi" He said those last words in a syllabical order, giving out an eye smile
"You...You heard it?" I asked confused because I know I only said it soft?
"Of course I did! I have an ears of a bat you know! Hahaha!" He laughed and sat down, patting the grass beside him, signaling me to sit down beside him.
"How old are you?" He asked once I sat down
"I'm only 6" I said as I took out my sketchpad from my bag
"Wow~ I'm older than you, I'm 8" He peeked through my back and examined my sketchpad
"You love to draw?" Still peeking
"Yes I do, it's my hobby and I love to draw sceneries" I ignored him and started to sketch. Being immersed in sketching, I noticed that Yugyeom wasn't by my side anymore.
"Yugyeom?" I started calling out but no answer. "Yugyeom! Yugyeom!" I called out how many times but still no Yugyeom to be found.

I started walking with a hope of finding Yugyeom. "Yugyeom!" I started to tear up, fear eating me since I'm not familiar with the place.
"BOO!" I screamed when someone went out from the tree
"Got you!" Yugyeom kept laughing, I went to him and threw him my sketchbook
"What was that for?!" He asked, standing up.
"That's for leaving me!" I started to cry. I have a fear of being left alone
"Hey! Are you crying? Shoot. Sorry Eunmi, Sorry" Yugyeom reached out for me, hugged me and soothing my back
"Eunmi, stop crying" That was the last words I heard before I fell asleep

I woke up in my bed, remembering how I ended up here when in the first place I was with Yugyeom in that place.
After eating lunch, I went to the playground again. Of course Yugyeom is there. He looks a bit sad?

"Yugyeom oppa!" I called out, examining his face, he looks surprised when I called him 'oppa'. I ran to him and he patted my hair.
"Eunmi-ah" he smiled "did you just called me oppa?"
I nodded and smiled
"That's the first time" Yugyeom said in a gloomy voice.
"Well, I don't have a big brother and I think you can be one" I said happily, ignoring the thought about him being sad
"Sure I can be your oppa" Then he gave me his most genuine smile, a smile I'll never forget.
"Let's play?" He offered his hand to me and we spent the whole day laughing and playing.

Days, weeks, months and years passed, Yugyeom became my oppa and my best friend. He knew every secret I keep. We're already in our junior highschool. Yugyeom became my partner in crime. Sleeping in class, eating at the rooftop, playing pranks with the teachers, jamming, being punished by the teachers and stuffs. He was there through my ups and downs. He was really close to me when it reached to the point I felt something that I didn't know.

Valentines Day came, I was looking for him because his mom gave me his lunchbox which he forgot. I saw him, in the back of the school. Is that a girl? I think the girl is confessing? But why did my heart ache? It's like being stabbed by a knife. I turned my back, walked away like nothing happened.

Afternoon of that day
Yugyeom sent me a message saying that we need to meet at the playground. I wonder what it's all about, so I walked straight and saw Yugyeom sitting in -the swing - his favorite place, he has this expression again.. An expression that seems too familiar to me.
"Hey Eunmi!" His facial expression changed from gloomy to a happy one "Seat here!" He patted the swing next to him
I sat there and started to swing "So, why did you want me to meet here?"
His happy expression turned back into the gloomy one. We remained silent for 5-10 minutes already.
Breaking off the silence he said "Eunmi ah, Oppa's not gonna be here anymore"
I looked at him with a confused face "What 'not gonna be here anymore?"
"I'm leaving" He kept looking at the ground
"Face me oppa, it's a joke right?" I faced him "TELL ME" I almost screamed
"It is true" He looked at me, is that tears?
"No..No.. Wh-where are you going?" I almost choked 'cause I'm preventing my tears to fall
"I'm leaving for America tomorrow morning" He looked at the night sky
"How long will you be there?" I didn't noticed that my tears was already falling
"I don't know" He sighed deeply
"Please... Please don't leave oppa" I pleaded because if he left me, who would be my partner in crime? Who would be my crying shoulder? Who will listen to my secrets? Who will protect me from the school bullies?
"I'm sorry Eunmi, but I need to, but one thing's for sure, I'll come back for you" He gestured me to turn around, I felt a cold metal in my neck, it was a necklace
"Here Eunmi, a necklace. A necklace that symbolizes my promise for you. Please keep it and treasure it. I'll find you one day here in the playground we used to play to"
"Oppa, please don't go.... I....I.. like you" He seems surprised but he patted my head "Goodbye Eunmi, see you" He left without a reply. Yugyeom left. I was left alone under the night sky, the moon witnessing Yugyeom's promise and my confession to him. The next morning he left. Yugyeom's now gone. I have to face all of this by myself. No Yugyeom. Yugyeom. I wish you were here. What happened last night felt like a dream. It felt unreal or maybe I didn't want to accept that Yugyeom left me. All my head is full of thoughts about Yugyeom. Everyday I reminisce the times where Yugyeom and I prank around. I miss him. Yugyeom where are you?

Few years passed
College Graduation Day
"Congratulations Eunmi!" My parents congratulated me. "Finally! I've graduated college! Graduating right now made me remember my high school graduation. I still remember Yugyeom. Yugyeom. My childhood friend. A special person. Where is he right now? Is he okay? Did he finish school as well?" I thought while holding on to the necklace.
"Eunmi!" Mom snapped me out of my train of thoughts "AH! Yes! This calls for a celebration!"

PRESENT

"Omo! I'm running late! Bye mom! Thanks for the toast!" I ran off outside the house hoping to catch the train to the destination of my job. Yes, I'm Cha Eunmi, 25 years old, a successful business woman. I still wore the necklace my childhood friend, Yugyeom, gave me. Till now I have no news about him. I hope I can meet him today. I miss him so much. I think I should visit the playground? It's still early for me. I think I should go

I was walking down the street when the sight of the playground appeared, unknowingly a smile appeared in my face. "Ah the memories" I reminisced, my first encounter with Yugyeom, in the sandbox. The swing where he loves to sit, his favorite place. I stood up and went to the place where he brought me back then, the green trees are still there, the lake, everything. I felt my eyes teared up and knew that this was too much now so I went back to the playground and found myself sitting in one of the swings. I took out my mp3 player and started to listen to music. I don't care if I'm gonna run late, I feel like reminiscing today. I shutted my eyes and hummed to the music.

After a few minutes, I felt a presence beside me, I opened my eyes and found a guy in a polo shirt and pants, I took off my earphones and stood up. As I started to walk, the guy spoke.
"Hi Eunmi, long time no see?" Wait.. I remember this voice. The voice I will never forget. I turned around and he gave me this smile. I know this smile. This genuine smile. This eye smile.. Don't tell me....
"YUGYEOM!?" He smiled and stood up, walking towards me
"Yes Eunmi, long time no see" I froze in my place and still trying to register what's happening right now
"Don't you miss me?" He laughed and was shocked when I started to punch him in the chest
"What was that for?!" He asked
I felt my legs getting jelly, I started to cry, God I missed this guy in front of me
"HOW COULD YOU?! LEAVING ME LIKE THAT AND NOW SHOWING UP LIKE THIS?!" I kept on punching his chest when he hugged me
" I know. I'm sorry I left you when you confessed to me. I'm sorry" He keeps rocking back and forth to make me stop crying.
"How could you..." I said between sobs
"I have many things to do around in America, but I kept my promise right? I'm here" He hugged me again
"Yugyeom.. You don't know how long I've been waiting for you" I said still crying
"I know. Your mom told me. I know I have lots of explaining to do but I kinda asked them not to tell you I arrived yesterday and I kept in touch with your mother" Yugyeom said still hugging me
"I hate you" I just pouted
"I know you love me" He only laughed and whispered "I love you too"
"What did you say?" I detached myself from him and looked at him
"I said.. I .. Love.. You.." His cheeks turned into a tomato which made me pinch it
"Hey!" He pouted " I missed you! And yeah you're right, I do love you" I smiled at him
"Does this means we're together already?" He smiled and I nodded.
"And thank you for keeping your promise" I said
He smiled and touched my necklace saying "Of course I will, you treasured the necklace well"
He then kissed me on the tip of my nose.
Only God knows how much I love and missed this guy.

This is the start of my and Yugyeom's beginning. This playground is one of the memorable places in my life. The place where I first met Yugyeom, the place where he left me crying, the place where he made a promise, the place where I went to when I miss him and the place where we met again and started a new chapter of our life.