The rain poured heavily— reflecting the tears that never fell from Soojung’s eyes. Everyone was wearing black attire, standing with obvious sorrow on their faces. With umbrella in hand, they leant on each other— trying to gain strength. Meanwhile, Soojung was standing by herself with a straight face— too numb to contemplate everything. She didn’t care if her black dress was drenched. She didn’t care if her family was worried about her. The only thing she wanted to do right now was protecting a framed picture of her best friend in her embrace. She only wanted to hold it until she had to put it at the place it had to be.

Sehun’s mound.

Everything still felt surreal— even when the coffin was lowered into the grave, even when Sehun’s last trace was buried under the wet ground, even when his picture was leaning on his mound— even when the stone stated his name.

Oh Sehun would never come back.

While everyone solemnly took their time around his grave, Soojung quietly walked out from the crowd, joining the cold rain that wasn’t willing to stop pouring. She didn’t know where to go but all she could do was keep walking— making herself away from everyone. She didn’t know what was she going to do right now. She didn’t know what was she going to do with her life anymore.

Sehun had been laid on hospital bed for days after his surgery. They said he got into car accident and his state wasn’t good at all. Even though the surgery was successful, the period after was more important— a battle between Sehun and himself. They told her to prepare because probably— just probably, he wouldn’t wake at all.

And he didn’t. No matter how much Soojung prayed, no matter how much she called him in her restless sleep, no matter how much tears she shed for him— he never opened his eyes. He was sleeping forever.

He wouldn’t be there to finish his graduation speech. He wouldn’t be there— sitting beside her during the remaining classes. He wouldn’t be there to eat with her at the rooftop. He wouldn’t be with her when she went to drink bubble tea. He would never walk beside her when she went to school. He wouldn’t be there to give her piggyback, to listen to her story, to talk, to laugh... Sehun wasn’t and wouldn’t be with her anymore.

Her trembling hand flew onto the doorbell and barely pressed it. When it felt like eternity, someone— probably the maid— opened the door and let her in. She faintly heard their voices disappeared toward the phone, calling her family that she was home. She didn’t care. She only wanted to be in her room and locked herself.

Her room was empty— almost untouched since she came there last time. It was when she went home from the hospital just right after the doctor told her that Sehun had gone. She had come here with changing clothes as an excuse but no— she only wanted to run away from reality. Just exactly like this moment.

She lay on her bed and her eyes went straight toward her desk. There were tons of her pictures pasted there— pictures of her with her friend. Sadly, her only friend was him— the one who had gone to eternity. She turned her body to another side and took a camera that had been there since yesterday. It wasn’t completely broken but it was heavily scratched and the lens was crooked. It was Sehun’s— he brought it when he was in that accident. She did it again— she turned the camera on to see the last memory he captured.

Of course it was both of them— smiling happily as they were sitting on the deck. Their feet were hanging excitedly on the edge— her hand was on his shoulder, while his was holding the camera. Meanwhile, his other hand was resting above her head— telling her that she would be okay, that he would be back soon.

But he broke his promise. He didn’t come back— not in a way she imagined him to be. She closed her eyes and still didn’t cry. She didn’t want to because she refused to face the most heartbreaking reality— that Sehun wouldn’t come to pat her head. Sehun wouldn’t be there to tell her that she was going to be okay.
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 “Soojung.”

She remembered this da