[Flashback]

Brent and Sam was walking home, when a car stopped in front of them. They paused for a while, then its doors opened. A familiar face smiled at them.

"Brent! Sam!"

She called happily as she ran up to them. Realizing who it was, Brent let out a smile. "Xue Fu? Is that really you?" He asked. Xue Fu smiled. Then, she ran to them, and hugged them. "I missed you, guys!" She said. As she let them go, Sam stared at her face, and sniled. "Ah, our Xue Fu had gotten prettier, huh? There's something about France that made you look good." Sam commented.

As she laughed, he saw her looking at Brent. Brent smiled at her, his eyes locked on her as if she's the only thing he could see. "You had not changed a bit." Brent told her. "Did you miss me?" She asked. Sam knew that question is directed at Brent. "Of course we did!" Sam answered her. Brent nodded in agreement. Xue Fu looked at Sam, and pouted. "You only missed me because you have no  one to pick on." she said as she folded her arms. 

Brent let out a laugh. Sam folded his arms, and smirked at her. "You bet." he said. As Xue Fu pouted, she looked at Brent. Brent walked up to her, and pinched her cheeks. "Hey, cheer up. Sam's just teasing you." he said. "Don't you find me cute when I pout too?" Xue Fu asked. This time Brent pinched her nose. "You're cute, no matter what your expression is." he said. 

Sam rolled his eyes at the two. "Ugh, please. You two look like lovers who had not seen each other for a long time..." he commented. He swear who could see their cheeks blush when he said that. "So, you guys want to catch up over a cup of coffee? My treat." Sam said "Sure!" Xue Fu said. As Sam looked at her hand, he saw her holding Brent's hand. 

--

"What's with you and Xue Fu holding hands?" Sam asked as he and Brent walks home after they had coffee with Xue Fu. Brent lowered his head as he smiled. "Why, what's wrong with that?" he asked. "Because I'm not used to you sneaking around behind my back. Now, tell me..." Sam insisted. 

Brent paused, then he took a deep breath. "Remember before Xue Fu left for France? She told us she will confess her love for the guy she likes?" he asked. Sam nodded his head. "She confessed to me, Sam..."

"And?"

"I asked her to be my girlfriend."

Sam was surprised at what Brent said. "So, you two are together?" he asked. Brent nodded his head. He felt all of his energy got drained upon knowing the truth. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you. Xue Fu and I were planning to tell you when the time is right." Brent said. Sam let out a smile at his friend. "It's all right, I understand. I'm happy for the two of you." he said. 

He clutched onto his bag, and began to make a step, but Brent called him. "Sam..." Brent called. Sam looked back at him. "You really don't mind?" he asked again. "As long as you're happy, and she's happy. Doesn't matter." Sam said. Brent let out a sigh. He knew Sam isn't taking the news in a good way. "Nothing will change." he assured him. "I know. We're still friends. The only difference is that you and Xue Fu are together. I'm alone by myself." he joked. 

"Don't you think I didn't know? Sam, we're friends for so long. I know you like the back of my hand." Brent said seriously. "Let's stop this conversation." Sam suggested. Brent shook his head. "No. Because we need to talk it out like friends. I know you're mad because of what happened." 

"I am not."

"We both like Xue Fu."

Sam fell silent. Yes, he liked Xue Fu for a long time. It's just too bad that his best friend had also fallen in love with her, and that she chose Brent over him. His heart broke that moment Brent confessed that he's Xue Fu's boyfriend. But as their friend, he had to show how happy he is to for them, even if it's breaking his heart. 

"Xue Fu is the only girl that could soften your heart. You always listen to her. Don't you think I didn't notice how you're a different person when she's around?" Brent said. "So what if I like her?" Sam asked him. Brent sighed as he lowered his head. "I owe you my life..." Brent told him. "I owe you everything I have in life. I'm just a poor boy, and you took me under your wings. If you ask me to break up with her -"

"No. I won't do that, Brent. I won't let you do that."

Brent looked up at him, and saw the sadness in his eyes. "I've always told you, you and Xue Fu are the only thing that matters in my life. My parents doesn't care about me. You two are the only people who cares for me, just like a family. Yes, I like Xue Fu. But this friendship is more important to me that anything else in this world. If you love her, then the only thing you can do to make me happy is to continue to love her. I'll get over this. One day, I'll find a girl I'll like and she will be the happiest girlfriend in the world." Sam told him as he smiled sadly. 

"I'm sorry..." Brent muttered. "Don't be. Most of the time, there are things that money can't buy." Sam told him.

--

"Sam..."

His father called his name as he got inside his office. He knew his father had known about his latest brawl, and he's here to be scolded again. "I know what I've done, dad." he said bluntly. He doesn't want to hear a word his father will say. After all, he only got into fight to protect a boy being harassed by the rival gang.

"We'll talk about how you got into trouble in  another day. But for now, I want to tell you something." his father said in a serious tone. "What is it?" he asked. "You're friends with Guo Xue Fu, right?" his father asked. Sam nodded his head. "Good."

Sam gave his father a confused look. "Is it about business again?" he asked in an annoyed tone. "Yes. Because you are going to marry Guo Xue Fu when the time is right."

--

Sam went to the riverside park, and saw Xue Fu crying. He took a deep breath as he approached her. By now, her parents might have told her about their arranged marriage. 

"Xue Fu..." he called her. Xue Fu wiped the tears from her face then faced her. "You knew all along, right? You knew about our father's arrangement?" she asked angrily at her. "I was as surprised as you are..." Sam said as he turned away from her. "Then, why? Why did you agree?" she asked as she cried. Sam looked at her helpless face. "I did not agree. My father forced me to." he answered. 

Xue Fu held his arms and shook him. "Then, do something. I... I... I..."

"You don't want to marry me, don't you?" Sam said. There was a hint of sadness in his voice as he speaks. Xue Fu lowered her head. "I love Brent. I can only love Brent in this lifetime..." Xue Fu said in a low voice. 

He could feel his heart being stabbed as she speaks. It's very clear to him that for Xue Fu, he's just an annoying childhood friend. He could not be the one she could fall in love with, or even learn to love. "You really love Brent that much, don't you?" he asked. Xue Fu nodded her head. "I'm sorry, Sam. I wish I could learn to love you too, but..."

"You don't have to apologize for loving him."

Sam stared at her face, and then reached for her cheek and wiped her tears. "I will find a way for you and Brent to be together. I promise, I'll find a way to break this engagement."

--

"Sam..."

Sam looked back, and saw Brent walking up to him. They met up that afternoon at the riverside park. "Brent..." he called. 

He looked at his friend, and saw him smile sadly at him. "I heard the news..." he said. Sam knew Brent was talking about his engagement to Xue Fu. "Have you talked to Xue Fu? Because I told her, I'll do everything to break this engagement." Sam told him. "What's the use anyway..." Brent said. 

He put his hands on his pocket and looked away from him. "Even if you had a chance to break it off with her, what are the chances his father will accept a poor boy like me for her?" he said. "Then, I will make sure Xue Fu's father will accept you." Sam said. Brent smiled to himself, and shook his head. Then, he looked back at him. "We both know my condition. I'm not just poor in terms of money. My health...."

Sam could see the tears in Brent's eyes. "I'm not sure until when I can be with Xue Fu anyway. With my heart condition,  sooner or later, I will die." he said. "But I promised you, Brent. Once I turned 18 and get my trust fund from my late mom..."

"Even if you help me pay for the surgery, you know there's a slim chance I will survive, right?"

"I'm holding on to that small chance you'll survive. You have to survive, not just for me, but for Xue Fu."

Brent looked at him straight into his eyes. "I love Xue Fu, Sam. That's why I live each day happily for her. But I'm uncertain what tomorrow will bring for us." he said. Then, he put his hand on his shoulder. "Will you promise me one thing, Sam?" Brent asked. Sam gave him a curious look. "What is it?" he asked. 

Brent let out a sad smile. "If one day, I will have to leave you and Xue Fu in this world. Will you help take care of her for me?"

[End Of Flashback]

Sam closed his eyes as he remembered every thing from his past. As he opened his eyes, he stared at Brent's empty bed. It's been a year since he last opened his room, and even though he had been living in this apartment for months now, he had no courage to look inside his room, until today. 

After Brent's death, he fell into depression. To deal with his grief, he decided to leave his mansion, and asked his dad to let him off the hook for a year. He decided to change for the better. He enrolled at Dong Han, and did well in school. He stopped fighting. He carefully choose his fights now, especially since Sylvia became his girlfriend, because he didn't want something bad to happen to her. 

He turned his back to close the door. But before he did, he heard something falling on the floor. He looked back, and saw a marble roll under Brent's bed. He could have just left it, but he decided to take it. After all, it was the marble Brent gave him when they were young. He placed that marble in his night stand as a memory of him. 

He knelt down, and then took the marble, but something caught his eye. Under his bed, he saw an old tin can. Curious, Sam took it. He sat on Brent's bed and opened the can. 

Inside were pictures of him, Brent and Xue Fu from when they were younger until now. He also kept some of their favorite small toys and keepsakes. Sam couldn't help but smile to himself as he looked inside the box. Then, he noticed two envelopes - one has his name on it, and another as Xue Fu's name on it. 

He took his envelope, and opened it. It was Brent's letter for him. 

"Dearest Sam, 

If you are reading this letter, then you must have gone through my things. And it only means I am gone. I'm writing you this letter to say all the things I want to say. 

First of all, thank you for being my friend. Thank you for taking care of me, and for giving me a roof to live and a family, for taking me under your wings. Thank you for being there for me through thick and thin. My friendship with you is the best thing that happened in my life, and I treasure it the most. If I would live again, I'd still choose you as my best friend. 

I'm sorry that I have to leave you soon. God knows how much I much I look forward to the three of us growing old together. I really wish I could still be there to see every milestone in your life, but I was only granted a few moments in earth. Don't worry, I will look after you from heaven.

Please don't waste your life and your youth proving something. You don't have to prove to anyone how strong you are, because only I knows you well. I know you are tough outside,  but a softie inside. Sometimes, when your temper and sense of justice takes your heart and mind at the same time,   things could get worse. But that's what I admire most about you - your willlingness to help those who are in need the most. I just hope that you lessen your temper and fighting other people.

And lastly, I know in some ways, you will have regrets about me. But, I want you to know that I owe you my life. Don't regret a thing, or blame yourself for whatever will happen to me.  You think you may have not saved my life, but you did. You really did. You tried your best, but this is the end of the line for me.   Don't make it hard on yourself. Forgive yourself.  Because  I know, I will always understand every decision and action you make.    Please don't spend the rest of your life in grief for me. I am happy wherever I am, seeing you alive, well and happy.

Please be happy, Sam. You deserve it. If you're at a crossroad in your life, and you don't know what to do, just follow what your heart says and you'll never go wrong.  

Again, thank you, Sam. Thank you for giving me the best days of my life.

Always your best friend,

Brent"  

Sam found himself crying while reading his letter. But unlike before, it was happy tears. Brent understood him. He felt forgiven after reading his letter. As he read the last line, he let out a smile.

Now, his choice has become more clearer.