Kim Ryeowook? Could that be him? Is it him? He has changed a lot. 

I remember the moment when I saw him back at the river; it sticks in my head for what seems like the whole two hours of Japanese Literature. He looks surprised when he sees me too. Maybe I should talk to him, but what if he's pretending that he recognizes me or even remembers me? It's been a long time. If he's coming back here, then why didn't he at least tell Yesung or me about it? 

The new student gets up from his seat and drags his backpack. Whoa! Is class over already? He sure is a quick packer. I was about to stand up when he zigzags past Yesung's desk and heads out without looking back. 

"Dude!" Yesung hisses and slaps me on the shoulder. 

"What?" I snap. 

"Why are you acting like that?" 

"What are you talking about?" 

"You gave the newbie the death stare." 

"No, I didn't!" 

"Uh....then why you didn't even smile at him? He'll not feel welcome if you keep doing that. Besides, the last time I saw you with that look was four years ago when you argued with your dad of not letting you go to the Sung Si Kyung concert." 

"That was a one-time thing, and he didn't even let me enjoy myself for just one night!" 

"Well, then can you explain why you cast the f*** you spell over the new boy, huh? I mean, can't you see? That's our Ryeowook! Our old buddy! He's back!" 

"How can you be so sure, Yesung?" 

"Wow! It looks like you've got a hole in your brain." he shakes his head, "He did announce his name. Come on! How many Kim Ryeowooks are there in this world?" 

"What if there's two? I believe that the Kim Ryeowook I once knew is happily living his life in America, not the one who purposely comes back here to show himself off." 

"Yah! Cho Kyuhyun! 무슨 일이야? (museun il-iya-What's going on?)" 

Yesung speaks Korean whenever he's mad at me or whenever he wants to get answers from me. His Korean skills will awaken when he gets pissed or annoyed, including when he's around me. 

I sigh and run my fingers through my hair to get my thoughts straight, "It's just that...it's been so long...if it's our long lost friend...do you think he still remembers us?" 

Yesung slowly smiles and pats my back, "I'm worried about that too, but we've made a promise back then, remember?" 

<<<

"I've come up with a pact for our group. We have to say it every time we get together." 9-years-old Kim Ryeowook announced. 

"Good idea!" Yesung clapped.

"Does it involves giraffes flying in the air?" I teased. 

"Nope." Ryeowook laughed. 

"Chocolate chip cookies?" Yesung smacked his lips. I chuckled as I watched him close his eyes, dreaming about it. 

"Nope." Ryeowook laughed harder. He immediately cleared his throat, " Do you wanna hear it or not?" 

"はいはい (hai hai-yes yes)!" I nodded.

"どうぞ, リョウクちゃん! (doozo, Ryouku-chan!-Go ahead, Ryeowook!)" Yesung clapped again. 

Ryeowook grabbed a purple-crayoned paper from his desk and held the paper proudly in front of him. He gulped when he peeked at us, staring. "You can do it!" I cheered. He relaxed a little and read, "We, KRY, will always be for each other, look out for each other and stay true to each other. We will never leave each other behind. We will forever be together, no matter what." 

He put down the paper and looked at us eagerly, "So...what, do you think? Too much?" 

"I love it!" Yesung's eyes sparkled. 

Ryeowook grinned. He then turned to me.

"Well...I think it's sorta cheesy." 

Yesung gasped. Ryeowook's smile faded, "Y...you, don't...like it?"

I burst out laughing. The other two blinked. 

"I'm kidding! It's great!" 

"Oh..Kyuhyun!" Ryeowook sighed in relief. 

"Shall we practice saying it?" I suggested. 

"Yeah! Here! I've made a couple more for you!" Ryeowook replied as he handed us a copy each. Mine was written in red crayon while Yesung's in blue. We stood up in a triangle and read through the pact for about ten times. We even managed to memorize the whole thing! Miraculously. 

<<<

"Kyuhyun? Yoohoo! Helloooooo? Kyuhyun -san!" Yesung's voice rings in my ears. I realize that I'm back in my 20-years-old self. 

"Do you still remember our pact?" he asks, 

"Of course! Why wouldn't I?" I answer. 

"Well...now that he's back," Yesung suggests, "maybe we can talk to him to see whether he still remembers us." 

"Why don't you go talk to him?"

"No! You and I should talk to him. You're a part of our pact, buddy." he says, "Besides, it's our Ryeowook. What else could go wrong? He's still our friend, right?" 

"Yeah," I sigh, "I guess."

I am about to pack my things when a yellow origami catches my eye from the floor. I pick it up and twirl it around. The person who makes this paper giraffe must have some delicate fingers and incredible skills. It's funny, but the new student immediately comes in my head. I notice that he has smooth-looking hands and long fingers, which makes him look like he can do complicated folds. If only I can see him again, I can check whether it's right. 

"Hey! What's that?" Yesung tilts his head. 

"I think he dropped it." I shrug. 

"Is that a giraffe origami?" he suddenly gasps, "Oh my gosh! It is him!"

"Huh?" 

"Who makes giraffes out of origami paper beside Ryeowook?" Yesung waves his arms, "Name one!" 

I stare at him for a moment; then, I look back at the little masterpiece. 

"I've come up with a plan on how to approach him! Thanks to that!" Yesung's eyes sparkle. He grabs on my shoulders and grins, "We'll invite him for lunch!"

"We don't even know his schedule." I point out. 

"Well...let's ask him in the next Japanese literature class!" 

"Do you think he's ever gonna say yes?" 

"Dude! If you give him that deadly stare again, he will think you're a monster. Can't we at least get him to hang out with us?" 

"Okay! Okay! Fine!" 

                                                                                *                                        *                                      *

10 pm. I can picture myself being so fed up by night classes as Tuesdays and Thursdays go by. And it's even worse because the night classes are 4 hours of Medical Science. Plus labs. I'll get stuck like this for four more years. Yeap. That sounds like complete hell. My father doesn't even care how long it will take for me to complete my studies. He wants to see me running my hospital with lives and deaths crashing in every year. That is a place I don't want to be. But heck Appa doesn't even care. 

After a whole day of being stuck in university, I'm so glad that I can finally drop my car keys on my desk, throw my backpack on the floor and plop onto my cushiony bed. Once I lie down, all of my stress pour out of my body. My sight lands on my notebook sticking out of the bag. I take it out and flip to the pages where I've left the giraffe. Examing its features, I immediately remember that day when we first got into origami folding. 

<<<

We three 9-years-old kids watched the rain trickling against the window of my bedroom. Ryeowook pulled out a set of colourful square papers from his bag. 

"What's that?" I asked. 

"Origami!" he smiled, "Umma bought it for me for my birthday." 

"She gives you...paper?" 

"Not just any paper!" he giggled, "You can make anything out of these! You can fold them into animals or flowers or even cars!"

"Sounds cool!" Yesung hopped off from my bed, "Can we try it?" 

"That's why I bring it, Yesung-chan!" Ryeowook winked, "Umma got me this...origami guide book too! Let's see what we can make!" 

I watched with interest as he took out a paperback book with colourful samples arranged randomly on the cover. He was careful not to cut himself by the new-looking pages. He turned the book in front of us with visual instructions on how to make a turtle. 

"Yesung! You can make this!" he said.

"Whoa!" Yesung's mouth hung open. 

Ryeowook kept on flipping till he reached a couple of pages on how to make a penguin, "Kyuhyun! This is perfect for you! You love penguins, right?" 

"Yeap!" I nodded, getting excited. 

"I bet this guide has all of the animals!" he said as he browsed through his gift once more. He finally stopped at a three-page guide of a giraffe that appeared in front of his eyes. 

"Oh wow! I've got to make this!" 

"How are we supposed to make our animals if we only have one book?" Yesung pointed out, "We can share, but it would be hard for us to look at our instructions." 

"Hmm..." I tapped my chin, "I know! Let's make a turtle first, then a penguin and then a giraffe! Together!"

"That's a great idea!" Ryeowook clapped. 

"I'm in!" Yesung clapped as well. 

<<<

I nearly drop the origami as I am alerted by a familiar sound. I get up to see the DP of a face I haven't heard from in weeks. 

"Umma!" I beam, answering the video call. 

"My sweet boy!" she smiles back, "I've finally managed to call you! How have you been? How's your first day of the semester?" 

Oh! How I love hearing her voice again! And her list of questions!" 

"It's been good, Umma." 

"You sound otherwise." she chuckles, "Science is hard, huh?" 

I chuckle, "You know me too well, Umma." 

"Well, you know, Appa. He never fails to push you till he gets what he wants." 

"Yeah...I know." I nod sadly. 

"Appa knows what's best for you." 

"That's what he always says," I grumble. 

"And every time I convince him to let you go, he just couldn't. He's worried about you." 

"But he doesn't know anything about me, Umma." I frown, "He doesn't even care what I like." 

"He's just hoping to have at least one family member in the medical field." 

"Well, he can have Kibum." 

"Kibum's his nephew, not his son." Umma sighs, "He's influenced by his parents' brutal upbringing, forcing him to have the most respectful career. And now he's passing it along to you."

"If only...I can be free just like Ah Ra."

"Appa can't do anything about her anymore."

"Yeah..." I hang my head.

"Hey, come on! I've battled through countless days of classes this week, and a sulking son is what I get as a reward?" Umma's voice lightens, "Whatever help you need, don't forget that I'm here, okay?"

I look up with a small smile, "Yeah. Thanks, Umma."

"Oh! By the way!" her face lights up, "I just got a call from Mrs. Kim! Her son is now back in Osaka! And he's attending the same university! Did you know that?" 

"Oh! Ryeowook?" 

"Yes! Oh yes! That's his name! It's been years! Did you happen to see him? Mrs. Kim told me he had lost so much weight ever since he moved, but he's gone better. He has become wiser and more independent." 

"Wow! Way to go bragging about someone else, Umma." I raise my eyebrow. 

"I'm just saying, Kyuhyun dear!" she laughs, "I mean...it's just like old times. I miss seeing him being with you and Yesung. He's the missing puzzle piece to your lives. And now he has fit the puzzle." 

"Y...yeah." I take a peek at the origami resting on my pillow. A question immediately pops in my head. 

"Umma." 

"Hmm?

"Do...do you think...he'll remember us?" 

"Why? Did you see him?"

"Yeah, he's in my uh...Japanese Literature class." 

Umma's lips stretch to her cheekbones. Honestly, I have never seen her so overjoyed or excited for years. Is it because of Ryeowook?

"Thank God! I've prayed that something like this would happen! My three precious boys will reunite one day, and now is the time!"

"Umma! Don't get your hopes up high!" 

"But he's your long lost best friend!" 

"Was." I correct. 

"What do you mean 'was'?" she air-quotes, "Aren't you happy that he has returned?" 

I don't know...Yes? No? Maybe? 

"He'll only be here for a year, that's still not gonna change," I reply. 

"But he's here to mend the broken string that once tied you three together." she explains, "I can feel it." 

I look at my mother in surprise. Why is she so confident?

She seems to have no problem reading my face. She looks at me seriously, "Kyuhyun, I know it was tough when Ryeowook and his family left. When they settled in Canada, they couldn't afford a lot of things, including a computer." 

I stare in surprise, "W...what, do you mean?" 

"The Kim family is in debt, even until now. They've strived the best they can, working extra shifts to pay the bills aside from finding the cheapest transportation to write for travel blogs and magazines. You know that living in Canada is expensive, right? Well, Mrs. Kim told me that they want the best for Ryeowook. They successfully registered him for middle school and then high school, and finally, California State University, which included a ridiculous amount of fees. They even moved to LA with him! They've given Ryeowook the best things so that  he can live like a normal citizen."

"Then...why Ryeowook didn't even write to Yesung or me?" 

"Because he has lost the addresses." 

"How come?"

"When they arrived in Toronto, Mr. Kim found that the paper with the addresses had slipped out of Ryeowook's luggage. It was out of sight. Ryeowook was upset. He begged for his parents to buy him a computer so that he could at least send emails to you and Yesung, but of course, they couldn't afford it.  And so...he had no choice but to move on." 

I stare, stunned by the truth told by Umma. Now I realize how hard it has been for him. He wanted to reach out to us, but he couldn't. 

"Wait...Umma." I ask. 

"Hmm?" 

"How did you managed to contact Mrs. Kim?" 

"Facebook!" 

"Huh?" 

She giggles and gives me a cheeky smile, "I'm surprised that she has a smartphone now! I've found her profile out of the blue! Thanks to Ryeowook, she can finally communicate online!"

"Wow! Th...that's great!" I exclaim. 

"Uh-huh," she nods, "And you should do the same for Ryeowook. Give him a chance." 

"Yeah...maybe I should." 

"Okay! I have to get back to marking homework. I'll talk to you later, okay?" 

"Neh, Umma. 안녕히 주무세요 (annyeonghi jumuseyo-good night)!" 

"Don't sleep late!" she waves and hangs up. 

I go to the bathroom to wash up and change into an oversized shirt and a pair of boxers. While brushing my teeth, I keep repeating the video call in my head. As I walk back to my room, my eyes are glued to an old photo sitting on my shelf. Little Yesung had his arms wrapped over our shoulders. Ryeowook was holding a tambourine while I was gripping a harmonica. We finished our very last concert a couple of days before Ryeowook's departure. I remember how teary we got after we performed, but Ryeowook kept telling us that we would always be best friends. Our eyes were swollen from crying, yet we managed to smile for the camera. 

"... he's here to mend the broken string that once tied you three together."

Those words are a glint of hope. I turn off the fluorescent light, crawl onto my bed and gently lifts the giraffe origami off my pillow. I want to put it away, but memories start swimming in my head as I twirl it front and back multiple times. I have to admit. I miss him. And I want KRY back. 

Kyuhyun (キュヒョン)