"Good afternoon passengers, this is the pre-boarding announcement for flight KE171 to Christchurch, New Zealand. We're now inviting those passengers with small children and those requiring special attention to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately 5 minutes time. Thank you."

Chanyeol stood in front of the flight schedule information board with his luggage by his side. Yes, he was staring at the board, but his mind was far away from it. Hurtful words from Se Ri echoed in his mind. He felt as though his soul left his body and his heart was wounded. Never in his 21 years of living did he feel at the lowest point of his life. And of course, he never knew Se Ri had the ability to sputter trenchant words to him. It pained him so much and came to a conclusion that going away is the ultimate choice right now.

*I hope you're happy Se Ri.*  he thought sadly to himself. *I'll miss my best friend a lot.*
He sighed, putting on his shades and with his head lowered, he walked over to the departure gate, pulling his luggage behind him.

--------------------

Se Ri was clearing the trashcan in her room when her phone rang on her bed. She tied the garbage bag up and placed in by the door before walking over to her bed. She picked it up and checked the called ID.

Mrs Park

Se Ri could foresee the topic of conversation if she answered the call. Not wanting to be rude to the person that brought her up till today, she cleared and pressed the answer button.

"Hello, Ahjumoni?" she answered.
Silence. She heard crackling sound over the phone before a male voice answered.
"Se Ri?" the voice questioned.
"Oh! Ahjusshi!" her voice had a hint of mild surprised. She knew Mr Park wasn't the type to talk on the phone.

Se Ri resorted to sitting down on her bed as her legs felt tired from cleaning up the house that morning.
"My dear child...." Mr Park started with a gentle voice. "...how are you?"
"I'm fine, ahjusshi. And you?" she smiled, nodding her head unknowingly.
"Aahh, still on a wheelchair, otherwise, I'm good my child." Mr Park joked lightly.
Se Ri chuckled at the other end of the line. There was silence for a few good seconds before Mr Park started the conversation again, "Se Ri..Chanyeol sends his regards to you. He also wishes you to be happy."

Hearing his name, Se Ri's heart stung in pain. Her eyes shifted to their photo on her desk drawer. She had been trying to forget yesterday's incident by busying herself with the chores that had piled up for days. A big lump formed in . "So......he left?" she asked warily.
"Yes, he left yesternight. And oh yes, he also left something for you. Do you have plans today? Could you come over and get it?." Mr Park asked her.
She contemplated for a moment before agreeing.
"Okay, I'll be waiting at the front door for you." he chuckled and hung up.

Se Ri stared at her phone, "What did you leave behind, Yeol?"

--------

Se Ri tapped her feet and wound her scarf firmly around her neck. She had roughly a minute till the train arrives. From a distance, she could hear the faint sound of the train approaching and not long after that, it whizz past her, sending her hair flying all over the place. She smooth it down with her hands and entered the train as it came to a stop. A few people were seated in their own seats, some were standing, probably alighting at the next stop. She sat herself down comfortably at a far corner and stuffed her ears with her red earbuds. Her ipod began to play one of her favourite songs and after that she set her phone alarm to one hour later. She closed her eyes rested her head by the glass panel.

*It's a one hour ride. I should probably take a nap*

Before she could fully drift off to sleep, her ipod began to slip off her lap. She jerked from her half-asleep state and before her ipod could kiss the floor, she caught it with both hands. Her fingers accidently pressed the next button on her ipod and a familiar song, in fact, Chanyeol's favourite song, Jazzyfact’s “Always Awake” started to play. She straightened up slowly and leaned against the seat's backrest. Her head limply landed on the glass panel as she reminisce those times she had with Chanyeol. Chanyeol had passion in rapping and he would always come up with his own lyrics as he raps. He also plays the guitar and every time Se Ri's moods were down, he would always strum his guitar and sing a sweet soothing melody to her. A pang of guilt seized her heart and tears started to well up in her eyes. She covered her face with both her hands and sobbed quietly in her palms. Eventually, sleep took over and she drifted off to dreamland.

An hour past, and her alarm rang. She woke up, dazed and look around the train for the indication of her stop. Her ipod had stopped shuffling from low batt so she pulled out her eyebuds, wrapped them around her ipod and stuffed it in her pocket. The train announced her stop. She waited a few minutes for it to reach its stop. Once it did, the doors parted and she got out.

She walked around the familiar neighbourhood. Again, her memories flitted back to the past. How Mrs Park would chase Chanyeol with a spatula in her hands because he stepped into the house with mud on his shoes, how Chanyeol would always steal her candy when she wasn't looking. It was all embedded in her mind and it would permanently stay there. She sighed and continued walking. In 5 minutes, she reached Chanyeol's home. Before she could ring the doorbell, it swung open.

"Oh! Se Ri, you're here already!" Mrs Park gasp.
"Are you going somewhere Ahjumoni?" she asked, eyeing the purse Mrs Park was holding.
She nodded, "Yes, I'm going to the mart for a moment. I forgot to get onions for tonight's dinner Silly me." she chuckled. "Go on in, Mr Park is inside waiting for you." she urged.
Se Ri nodded and stepped inside. She waved goodbye to Mrs Park and closed the door. Mr Park wheeled out and greeted her. She bowed to him and smiled.

"My child...come here." Mr Park motioned her over. Se Ri followed him as he wheeled over to Chanyeol's room. She entered and instantly nostalgia hit her hard. The room where they usually had sleepover, the room where they always sneak food in when Mrs Park was not around.

"Se Ri?" Mr Park called out.
She broke out from her reverie. Tears were already running down her cheeks and she wiped it quickly. She scrambled over to where Mr Park was, beside Chanyeol's bed. She sat down at the edge of the bed and look at Mr Park with a wistful smile. Mr Park wheeled to the drawer and pulled out something from it. He wheeled back and handed it to Se Ri. It was wrapped with in a white wrapping paper. She looked from the wrapped up thing in her hands and back to Mr Park. Mr Park urged her to open it and so she did. Slowly and carefully, she unwrapped the white paper. She gasp when she saw what it was.

A stuffed penguin. Pororo.

"Recognize that?" Mr Park asked her, with a small smile.
She was too shocked but managed a nod. "He still.....kept this?" she asked with a shaky voice. Mr Park nodded with a smile.

"It's always been with him." he answered.
"Bu-but he...he said he never liked it. He-he said it was too...too girly." Se Ri stared at him, a big lump forming in . Her eyes were beginning to swell and hot tears were already spilling out without a care in the world.
Mr Park smiled at her. "He could never hate this thing. It's from you. Anything from you, he would gladly treasure it."
"I...I never knew....." she stared at the doll in her hands. "But - but...why is he giving this back to me?"
Mr Park sighed. "Since you had decided to end this friendship with him...he also made up his mind to not have any traces of you when he's there. He wanted to bring it along with him but decided against that leaving this behind is the best decision, according to him, having it around, would only make his situation worse."

Se Ri's hands flew over . Her sobs are threatening to escape from her lips.

"My dear, I hope you would never forget him. I understand that you are angry and those words you said, I know you don't mean it. But from the way I look at it, he has a point. He's just concern about you because that's what best friends are for. A best friend is someone with whom one shares the strongest possible kind of friendship. Many people, not all, go through different best friends throughout life. However, usually a person only has one real, true best friend in all that time. A best friend is not only someone you have a good time with, it is also someone you believe you can trust your life with. They are the first person you call when the most amazing things happen in your life, and when the most horrific incidents happen. They will always remember no matter what comes about. Some people lose the only true best friend they will ever have, and even when they get new "best friends" .. that old, real best friend is always on their mind. They are almost like real family and gives the opinion you usually care most about. They tell you the things you absolutely need to hear regardless of whether you want to hear it or not. They are the person you usually can be around always and never get sick of. They don't envy you, they are who you are grateful to have as a friend. I'm sure Chanyeol would forgive you always, even when you've screwed up so bad. And even though you may have drifted apart from them, when the time comes for them to hug you or congratulate you on an accomplishment or to console you on a loss.. they are the number one person you want to see, always because they are the person you've confided the most in and they are the person who knows you for who you truly are."

Se Ri lost it right then and there. The dam broke and hot torrents of grief coursed down her face. Guilt, sadness, anger and all mix emotions coursed through her body. She sat there, her arms wrapped tightly around herself in a hug, hoping to comfort herself. Her body gently rocked back and forth, her cheeks stained with the endless stream of tears from her glossy eyes, enduring the emotional pain that continued to engulf her.