They met in their first grade in school. Her best friend was jolly and cheerful, while she, on the other hand, was very quiet and keeps things to herself. Not that she can help it though since she is a transferee and her Korean is not really good. She always gets bullied due to how she speaks and that her body was weak. No one wants to play with her, she was always last in school activities, and she isn’t noticed even if she was absent for weeks due to her sickness.

 

One day, the bigger guys grouped up around her and started bullying her, getting bad words from her ego-boosting classmates. She laid her head down the desk and covered her ears, crying. Then she heard a girl’s voice with what seemed to be threatening the bigger guys that were around her. When she decided to look up, she saw this tiny body pushing away the boys bullying her. She could not believe where all those strength came from this puny body of hers.

 

When everyone ran away, the girl dusted her dress and smiled at her. Her eyes lit up and suddenly felt warm inside. She returned it with an eye smile. For the other girl, it was and will always be the best smile she had ever seen.  

 

They spent every single day together, all throughout grade school and high school. They were inseparable. They even went to the same university and took the same course to make sure that they will always be together – the best friends for life.

 

Unfortunately, her heart sickness returned while they were just within the middle of their first term. She was forced to stop school and stay in the hospital, indefinitely.

 

Her best friend visits her every day though. This gives her strength to not give up and fight. Her best friend always drops by after school and does her homework or projects in the hospital. She’ll stay until dinner and will just leave to go home and sleep. She even did overnights on Fridays and weekends.

 

----

 

She did this for four years, until graduation.

 

She heard a knock and came in her best friend.

 

“Hey.” She smiled. “How are you?”

 

The lying girl smiled back. “I’m doing great.”

 

It wasn’t convincing because there were more machines in the room now around her bed.

 

The girl understood and just walked towards her, leaned down to kiss her forehead.

 

Her kiss gives her hope. Even though she gets it every day from her best friend, this made her look forward for another day, to fight for another day. She was her strength.

 

“Congratulations.” She smiled widely as best as she could to make sure that her message gets across even with the very soft voice. She was very proud of her.

 

“Thanks.” The girl smiled back.

 

“I have something for you.”

 

“Oh!  A graduation gift!?” The girl asked in excitement.

 

She giggled at the sight before stopping a little to think, “Hmm… not really.”

 

The other girl raised her eyebrows, confused.

 

“Can you get it in the drawer for me?” She tilted her head to the left, gesturing at the drawer.

 

Her best friend pulled it open and picked up a necklace with a key pendant. She smiled, “A key necklace... Thank you!” She looked at her sick best friend, smile not leaving her face before looking back at the dangling key.

 

“It comes with a catch though.”

 

“Eh?” She looked back again, now with a confused face.

 

“You need to give it back to me when you find someone that loves you.”

 

Her best friend was very puzzled, “Why? I don’t get it. This is your gift to me, right?”

 

“Just promise, okay?” She replied then continued after taking in another air, “This is the only favor I asked for you. Please?”

 

True indeed, she never asked anything for her best friend. Only this.

 

The girl just shrugged it off and nodded to comply with her only wish.

 

----

 

 

Her best friend got busy since she was able to land a job right after graduation. The trips to the hospital became lesser and lesser by the month. On the second year, it was reduced to just monthly visits. The third year was worse, her best friend only dropped by on both their birthdays and on Christmas.

 

A knock on the door immediately turned her head towards the door. She smiled, she was happy and was longing. She missed her so much. Nothing can describe how badly she wanted to see her.

 

“Hi.”

 

“Hey. How are you?”

 

Her best friend chuckled. “I should be the one asking that.” She smiled and spoke again, “I’m sorry.” Her smile faded and lowered her head a little.

 

“It’s okay, I understand. I know you’re busy and have a beautiful life out there.” She tried her best to smile for her best friend. The latter always compliments her smile ever since they’ve met back in first grade. So she always tries to smile when she is around.

 

Her best friend felt guilty, “I’m sorry.”

 

“Don’t worry. You’re here and that’s what’s important. Come here, sit beside me.” She requested in a soft voice.

 

Her best friend obliged, pulled a chair beside her bed and sat down.

 

They spent hours chatting with each other, catching up with what her best friend’s currently doing now. She also understood why they were lesser trips the past year, only thrice to be exact and this was only the fourth in more than one year.

 

“From the sound of it, looks like he is a really great guy.” She tried to sound convincing and forced a smile again.

 

“Yeah he is! I know you’ll like him too!” She smiled as well but frowned at the sudden silence of her lying best friend.

 

“I’m glad you’re still wearing the necklace.” She said while looking at the key necklace on her best friend’s neck.

 

Her best friend followed the gaze and smiled. “Of course! This is your gift to me.” She said while grinning proudly.

 

“Can I have it back now?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“You promised me, remember?”

 

“But why? I don’t want to.”

 

“You promised that you will give it back when you find someone that loves you.” Her voice was soft but it was stern and pleading all at the same time.

 

Her best friend was very confused. After a long while of thinking and arguing, she gave up, not wanting to fight with the sick girl. She took the key necklace off and handed it over to her.

 

“You know I don’t want to return this. I really like that necklace.” She said before pouting.

 

Now she smiled sincerely due to the cute sight. “Sorry. But that’s the catch of this necklace, remember?”

 

Her best friend can only nod in defeat.

 

----

 

 

Her phone rang and it woke her up. She groaned and answered her phone after reaching for it on the night stand.

 

“Hello?” She said groggily.

 

She heard nothing so she tried again, “Hello?”

 

This time, she heard a sob. “She’s...” Another sob followed. “She’s…”

 

She gasped.

 

----

 

 

She opened the room and entered. The bed was empty and she only found a crying woman sitting on the chair beside it.

 

“Omoni!” She ran towards the crying mother, leaned down and hugged her. She couldn’t control her tears this time as they flowed out from her eyes.

 

They cried together for a couple more minutes before finally calming a bit.

 

They broke the hug and wiped their tears and nose. Both stood up as the older woman picked up a folded letter from the corner of the bed.

 

“She wanted you to have this.” She handed over the letter to the confused girl.

 

She was staring at it while stopping her tears to come out again.

 

“I’ll leave you for a while, dear.”

 

“Thanks Omoni.” She bowed and gave the mother another hug before watching her leave the room.

 

When she saw the door closed, she turned around again and unfolded the letter, reading it.

 

Hey there,

 

If you’re reading this now, then I’m most likely on a better place. I miss you so much, do you know that? And I will forever miss you. I don’t blame you though so don’t feel it like that. I know you’re busy with work and I understand that you also need to spend time with your other loved ones. I know you! So stop blaming yourself. Only read ahead when you finally stopped blaming yourself.

 

She was actually feeling guilty of not visiting her often the past year. She was not able to control her tears again as they started to trickle down. I’m so sorry. She continued reading.

 

I told you to stop blaming yourself! Don’t make me come down from here and kick you!

 

She finally let out a chuckle at that and decided to forcefully follow her best friend’s order.

 

Good. Now that that’s settled, I hope you will live on your life to the fullest. This is my other favor to you. Please live life to the fullest for me? In return, I will watch over you from here. Which is good actually because you’ve been looking after me ever since we’ve met and this time, I’ll finally be able to look over you too. I also wanted to say sorry as I am now not there to take care of you personally but I am confident that someone else will.

 

She cried hard and couldn’t continue reading the letter. She was angry at herself, she wasn’t able to be with her best friend whenever she needed her. She hated herself for giving up.

 

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” She cried uncontrollably this time at the loss.

 

She calmed down a bit after ten minutes of crying. She then noticed something was different with the machine at the back of the bed. She gasped when realization hit her.

 

Her eyes went wide, her heart broke more into pieces. She didn’t know that she can cry more this time, but she did and it was heavier.

 

She found the safety lock that was protecting the valve that supported her best friend’s heart. It was unlocked.

 

 

A key was still inserted in it.