Two women were strolling down a run-down stone path in the suburban areas within the city. Glancing towards the sunset just across the other side of the bridge, one of them spoke up. 

“How long have we walked down on this path since the first time we met?” Hyunjin stopped for a while, holding the other’s hand in hers softly, awaiting for a response. 

“Perhaps years. I’ve stopped counting for the numerous times we’ve been through this path together.” JinSoul tugged at the hand placed before her and smiled at the figure back-facing her. She didn’t know such an answer had already tugged one of the many heartstrings in the cat. 

Holding back her tears, Hyunjin slowly turned back and smiled warmly to her childhood friend. 

“Thank you for always being next to me.” A wave of calmness swept past the other party and the statement was well-reciprocated with a tight squeeze on her hand. 

“You know I have to leave you someday right?” JinSoul gave a hearty laugh without noticing the expression change on the cat’s face as they continued walking down the stone path. 

‘I really hope that won’t ever happen.. I don’t know how to live on without you by my side.’ The thought plagued the mind of the cat for the rest of the evening. 

---

Two women were walking down the same path again. This time, the cat had news to bear to her friend. 

“Hey Soulie, I need to tell you something important.” The girl clenched her fist while biting the lower bit of her tongue. At that instant, the entire mood fell down by several octaves. 

“You can just say it, you know?” The oblivious girl doesn’t yet seem to know the weightage of the next few lines in the next upcoming seconds. 

“I.. I- I.” The words seemingly got stuck in the throat of a new victim of cancer. 

“..Yes?” A disconcerting look came from the other girl which made the cat feel guilty of her actions. 

“Sorry for being selfish to have you listen to my not-so-important news. It’s alright.” The girl quickly waved off the negative miasma in her brain to other trivial school life that happened to each other’s lives. 

“Okay..?” The blue-betta doesn’t sound as convinced as she should, but to corporate with the mood of the cat, she moved on with the topic as well. 

---

Words spread fast when it comes to someone’s passing. Especially when one was your closest person since young. A childhood friend to be specific. 

Standing alone on the ruined stone path thanks to the heavy rain a few days ago, JinSoul stared at the same sunset scene from the same previous spot she was in just a few months ago. 

‘It’s okay that you might have a bad time trying to express your thoughts out to me. But maybe if you tried at least once, I’ll have you know that I’ll always be-’ 

“By your side, just like a streetlight illuminating your journey along your darkest times.” 

That day was November 15th.