It was dark alright. The silence was too bothering to think off, but I could not start a conversation, not at that moment, not with the both of us inside my closet.

I seemed to be worse than a minute. I could not feel any words fit enough to start a chat. It has almost been seven years since we last had talk. Now, here I am sitting in front of her for at least some time now and all I could utter are slow breathes, blank stares, and this hefty mannerism of biting nails.

The words I wanted to hear coming out of my mouth stayed intact with my system. I could not spill the beans. The candles I lighted up a while ago started melting. The warm air started to damp down while the thick and melting wax continued to stain the wooden floor.

"You know we only have 7 minutes right?" Sandara spilled her words with utmost comfort. Still, with that crisp tang of youth.

I could not believe the surreal moment.

It was real alright. She was there.

"I'm sorry... This just seems.. ahhh.." I was still unable to find my words.

Seven years. Seven years.

Sandara did not change a bit. Her stunning radiant smile, her soft and melting stare, the scent of her sun-kissed clothes, her perfection- they all stayed the same.

The way I remember it, we used to stroll and play in our streets like wildfires. Our own secret world. We were kids alright-young, bare and free. I have always been her company. We were the textbook definition of partners in crime. From breaking the neighbor's windows to messing their water meters - from ringing their door bells at random days to sticking chewed gums onto their doorsteps- we have done them all together.

She has always been special.

"It's been a long time Chaerin. But the way I remember things, you don't hum and haw." Her voice was truly enchanting- enchanting in a way that I can't believe that she stayed calm at those moments.

"No.. not that I'm stammering. It's just .. wow I can't believe I'm here with you again" finally, some worthy words came out of my mouth.

***

Of course this was our favorite game.

Seven minutes to heaven.

It all started from the movies of course. There was this time when we were jumping off the channels of her television just right next door. There was this one movie, a group of friends playing with an eventual love team of the group.

They were locked up in a closet for seven minutes, and they could do anything they want and no one- no one would ever bother them. The couple had the greatest conversation of their childhood/ prematurely-teenage years and ended the seventh minute with a long passionate kiss.

I wanted that.

We wanted that.

Of course with the sole exception of the end part- we just wanted to be alone and isolated from this world of hatred and judgments.

"Why don't we do that Chaerin? Lock ourselves in a closet forever and just be happy?"

Sandara truly has kindled spirit when it comes to adventures.

"Forever is a big word Dara. Why don't we just time ourselves like in the movie we just watched?" OF course I argued. I did not want to be stuck in a closet forever.

***

"So Chaerin, what's new? It's been a while right? Six.. seven years since we last did this?"

"Aahh.. yes. Seven. I'm sorry if I'm acting this strange. Look, all I wanted was to say sorry about..."

"Are you really going to waste your time apologizing Chaerin? I mean, That's a long time ago."

"Right. Just saying. I have been waiting for almost a lifetime now just for this moment. I'm really