YOUR POV

7:35 AM.

             I’m leaving the day after tomorrow.

10:09 AM

            I’m leaving the day after tomorrow.

1:42 PM

            I’m leaving the day after tomorrow.

That thought ran through my mind all day, preventing me from concentrating on anything my teachers were saying.

When school let out, I hung around Yankumi, helping her with her various papers, many of which had a low score circled in red ink.

“If only all of my students were as caring as you,” Yankumi pouted.

Later on, as I entered into Kuma’s bright and crowded restaurant, the rambunctious gang saw me and cheered.

“It’s been a while since we’ve hung out,” Take grinned and tackled me with his usual greeting.

“Yup,” I smiled back softly. My eyes wandered over to my boyfriend. Odagiri made his way over to me, shoved Takeda off of me, and wrapped his arm around me.

“My girlfriend,” he glared at Take. Take blinked innocently back before smiling sweetly like an angel.

“What’s the special occasion?” I asked as I took a seat.

Yabuki was the only one not stuffing his mouth; his chopsticks were halfway to his mouth when my question floated out in the air. “We were hungry,” he paused and answered before commencing with shoveling food down his own throat.

I chuckled as Kuma made his way over to us.

“Oi, ______! Didn’t see you there. What do you want to order?” I was glad to see Kuma being his usual jolly old self.

“The usual, please. Need some help?”

“Nah, I got it. The crowd’s starting to thin out now, so I have more space on my hands,” he waved away my suggestion of helping him. “Sit and have fun with your friends.”

The evening sped by me, regardless of my wishing that it would slow. Laughter drifted through the ceiling and the atmosphere was joyful and enjoyable. Kuma even sat down with us when he was done serving the customers.

After all, the more the merrier, right?

I used this chance to secretly tell them my goodbyes and my blessings.

We lingered around after paying for the meal; none of us wanted the night to end. Pretty soon, however, we had to each go our own way.

“Hey, Teddy Bear,” I called out to Kuma as I left, “thanks for everything.”

He looked puzzled for a moment before breaking out into a radiant smile. “No problem!”

Odagiri refused to leave me out alone in the dark and tagged along on my trip to Kikwang.

“Yo,” Kikwang threw out a peace sign upon seeing us. “What’s up?”

Shrugging, I replied, “Nothing much. Just felt like seeing you.”

“I see… How are you doing?”

From his careful attitude, I knew that he was partially aware of my dilemma.

“Good.” I hated lying to him, someone I thought of highly, someone who filled the brotherly void in my life.

Odagiri, Kikwang, and I conversed about random things before he had to go back to work. As he left, I pulled him into a sudden hug. “Make sure to eat healthy food, okay? Stay healthy and happy.”

He, like all the rest, didn’t understand my hidden meaning, my hidden goodbye. “Okay. You too, all right, sis?”

“Yeah.”

Odagiri and I returned home.

Instead of watching a drama, instead of writing my letters, I simply just wanted to hold him and have him hold me.

And we did.

We sat on the couch in each other’s arms, silent in the darkness, his chin lightly resting on my head.

My fingers drew random shapes on his arm and his hand played with the ring on my finger.

Time seemed to dwindle down to a trickle and I felt as if I was floating in a dark expanse of nothingness. Odagiri’s close presence was the only thing that kept me connected down to earth, and I snuggled closer.

Odagiri’s calmness was like peace washing over my anxious heart. He wasn’t worried about our future. But then again, he didn’t know that our future was about to take a drastic twist.

The girl in the mirror watched me with weary, careful eyes. I returned her gaze.

Odagiri was sleeping already, and I guessed that this night was going to be another sleepless night for me.

I pulled out my pen and a sheet of paper and began Kuma’s letter.

I guess you’re used to my spontaneous behavior by now, right, Teddy Bear?

Sorry for suddenly leaving you like this again, especially for something so dangerous.

Don’t worry, I’ll stay alive.

Before you know it, I’ll be eating at your restaurant again.

Smile, okay?

Kuma, thank you. Thank you for everything.

This isn’t a forever goodbye,

So I won’t make this letter devastatingly long.

I love you, my brother.

The days seemed to be drawing shorter and shorter as the last day approached.