Daniel Chae.

You've known him for as long as you could remember. There was never a time when he wasn't with you. Your parents were best friends and you two were, too. You also lived next to each other.  You knew what ticked him, what he loved, disliked, what genre of books he read, what kind of car he wanted to own and even the number of kids he'd want to have when he got married. To say in the least, you knew every single thing about him – things his parents didn't know, things he wouldn't tell anyone else.

Of course, like how it takes two hands to clap, it took both your efforts to make the friendship work. Your friendship was beautiful, deep and valuable, and nothing could ever replace it. As children, Daniel and you had made many promises together. You two swore to always put each other first, swore to always be there for each other.

The promise had already been in place for over ten years. Since you were four, which was as far as your memory went back, the only person who knew you inside out, other than your parents, was Daniel. Nursery, kindergarten, pre-school, elementary school, middle school. You two climbed every rung of your education ladder together.

And then came high school. 

Separated into three parts for easier reading. :)

© aegikebin ; 2012