Chapter Twenty Five -   Farewell

"Nara, help me take the plates and cutleries from my car!" Sungyeol shouted from the door.

"Okay, wait for a second!" I shouted while adjusting the stoves above the table with Yuri, "Oh! Why don't Yuri go with you instead? You don't mind right?" I asked and flashed Sungyeol a smile. That sly guy! 

"Sure, I'll go and help Sungyeol," she said while wiping her hand on the apron that was clung above her shirt. 

I rolled my eyes when the both of them were gone already, and resumed on figuring out how the freaking stove worked. 

"Hanseok!" I finally shouted after having enough trouble with the stove. 

My classmate ran over towards me and beamed readily with his pearly white teeth, "What's wrong Nara?" 

"The stove can't work," I grunted frustratedly and moved aside as Hanseok took over my place. 

He nudged his thick-rimmed spectacles and mingled with the stove and somehow, he succeed in igniting the fire. 

"Oh wow," I muttered, "Thanks," 

"No biggie," he smiled and went back to help the others in cooking the veggies. 

Not long after that, Daehyun and his friends came to help me with the cooking stuff, which I wasn't really good at by the way. 

I sat down on one of the vacant chairs and my eye unintentionally caught Minjae giggling and chattering with Eunji. Now, Eunji, was the school queen. The 'perfect' girl, you know. But instead of being y, she was extremely supple to everyone. She had good grades, good body, good face and the other good factors that was able to make her loved by others. She had her own circle of friends too, just like us, and almost every girl wanted to be in it. She would welcome them, and now, Minjae seemed to be one of them. No, I wasn't jealous, but... Okay, first of all, after she was over with her father's death she decided to not come and hangout with us. She went for another group. Okay, I get it, they were popular, they were the 'cool kids on the block' but hey! They weren't there when she was crying for dozens of nights. They weren't there when her life was down. Who was there? Us. Me. And she decided to abandon the people who had helped her the most. I wasn't hoping that she would drag me to Eunji and her group because I was already very contented with my circle of friends. What bothered me the most was Minjae. Why would she freaking laugh with them and not us?

I scoffed quietly and crossed my leg. "YAH! This girl really-" 

I turned behind and Sungyeol was standing there, bearing a huge box full of spoons and plates, with Yuri. "You can just tell me to move," I said and stood up.

"Yeah... We did for the last one minute and you were just staring there like a fool," Sungyeol complained as he put down the box.

Yuri was flexing her fingers and I couldn't help but curse how dumb Sungyeol was. He was nagging towards me for being unaware of my surroundings and all, while his girl had a sore hand. I swear, Sunggyu could even treat her girlfriend better. Well, maybe not. But come on, Sungyeol could've took the chance to rub her fingers or something.

"Ah.. Yuri, are your hands alright?" I asked, nudging Sungyeol a bit. 

He looked at me and I glared at him before changing my gaze on Yuri. 

"No, it's just a little scar, maybe because of the box," she said.

"Can I see it?" Sungyeol inched closer and held Yuri's hand, examining, or should I say pretending to examine, it closely.

"Ah... It's okay," Yuri put down her palm, subtly avoiding skinship with the male.

I almost laughed at the scene. I mean, lee Sungyeol being rejected wasn't the kind of scene you would see every day. But of course, being a good friend, I suppressed my laughter and cleared my throat instead. 

"I... Uh... Better get going... I think Kibum and the guys need my help," Yuri said awkwardly. 

I nodded, "Oh sure, me and Sungyeol are also planning to walk around and see other classes," 

Yuri smiled before leaving the both of us. Sungyeol grunted and pouted, "Did you see that?" He snarled quietly. 

I patted his back and gave an assuring smile, "Come on, let's just take a look at Myungsoo's class," 

He made a face and rolled his eyeballs, "You just want to see him," 

"Hello, I'm helping you here," I reasoned and dragged him out of the class. 

"Yeah, right," he muttered but followed me anyways. 

On the way to Myungsoo's class, Dongwoo joined us. Ailee was no where to be seen and I'm guessing things hadn't gotten any better.

The entrance to class 1-2 was packed. The door was like blocked with this huge sea of students, from my classmates, to my seniors. I wondered what did they do that they were able to magnetize almost the whole school. Just then, my cellphone buzzed. I cursed to whoever was calling me in this midsts of crowd. 

"Yea?" I answered, almost screaming. 

"Nara," It was Sunggyu, and he didn't sound okay. 

Wait. He was supposed to be taking his english test at that moment, not calling me. 

"Sunggyu? Why are you freaking calling me right now?" I exclaimed, closing my other ear so I could listen to him properly.

"Can you come here?" He asked, his voice barely heard as I shuffled between the people around. I couldn't even see Sungyeol right now, and I was slightly panicking.

"Come where?" I asked back, not really paying attention. My eyes went back and forth looking for any traces of Sungyeol or Dongwoo. Where were they?

"Home," 

Silence. Only the vibration of the frequency could enter my ear. The whole vast crowd vanished.

"Nara? Hello?" 

I didn't know what to say. 

"Nara-"

"You're home Sunggyu?"

"Ye-"

"What about the exam? The huge exam!" I shouted, my voice still suppressed by the noisy hallway. People were shoving against me and I walked pass the corridor to the end of the hallway. 

"Just-" 

"What the heck are you doing? Did you do this on purpose?" I yelled. 

"No, listen to me-" 

"No, come on Sunggyu," I sighed with defeat, "I'll be right there," 

I hung up the line and without further delay went out of the school compound, rushing back to my apartment. I met Sungjong on the way there but didn't took much attention on him until he started following me. I wanted to ask him why he did so, but decided to save it for later. When we entered the elevator, the air was filled with our pantings. Once the door dinged open, I rushed to Sunggyu's apartment and knocked on his door. 

"Gyu, open up," I said. 

The door before me creaked open with an unusual unwelcoming sound. My gut said it won't be good. "Come in," Sunggyu spoke. 

Me and Sungjong entered his apartment, and in a split of second, I sensed that something wasn't right. 

"Sunggyu... Why are all your things packed up?" My lips trembled, not wanting anything bad to happen. 

Sunggyu sighed and gazed down, "I need to tell you something Nara," 

He waited for me to speak something out but I didn't, nor did Sungjong. So he continued, "I got accepted," 

It was almost three minutes of freezing until I let out a small scoff. "Accepted where?" 

"We both know what I'm talking about," 

My head suddenly spun, my breath felt heavy, and my heart beat were rapid. "Sunggyu..." I managed to croak, and let out a smile, "Congratulations," I choked. My vision became blurry with tears and my eyes felt moist. 

He walked towards me and hugged me. I couldn't hold it anymore. I bursted out, weeping and crying. "I'm happy for you... Sunggyu..." I managed to say between my sobs. 

"You're not and it's okay," he rocked me inside his warm arms, my hair. 

"I'll miss you," 

"Me too," 

"I don't want you to go," 

"I know," 

He wiped my tears with his fingers and I kept on crying, not able to stop. "Nara, stop crying," he said, his voice starting to sound nasal. 

I choked out a small laugh and snorted, "Are you going to cry too?" 

"I'm trying not to, but if you keep on crying like this I might burst out as well," 

We laughed and I wiped my tears away. Sunggyu looked over me, to Sungjong who was standing behind, "Thank you, Sungjong," he smiled. 

"Thank you?" I frowned. 

"I had sent him, in case you refused to come," Sunggyu answered blandly. 

"Oh wow. That's so selfish," 

"Oh wow. If you hadn't come right now you would be throwing stones at me, saying that I didn't force you to come," 

I arched my brows. He was right. 

"So... When will you be leaving?"  

He gulped, and it wasn't going to be good when Kim Sunggyu gulps. "Emm... In three days," he said, gazing down.

I nodded, "On friday?" 

"Yeah," he muttered quietly. 

"So that's the reason why you didn't take your exam?" 

He nodded. 

"So you won't take your exams?" 

He shook his head. "They only require SATs, and I've obtained a full scholarship there," 

I had realized since secondary that Sunggyu was a genius, "And when are you going to take your SATs?"

"When I'm there. They told me that international freshmen should be there by the end of this week. Classes would start on monday," 

"Wow. Tight schedule," 

"Yeah," 

The room became silent once again. Sungjong already placed himself above the couch, on the exact spot where I forgot to wear my sanitary napkin. I scoffed bitterly when small bits of my memory with Sunggyu rewinded in my head.

"Have you told your friends?"

He shook his head, "How should I tell them?" 

"They deserve to know about this Sunggyu," 

"Yeah, but how should I tell them?" 

"Well like how you told me," 

"I don't want to deal with each of them crying like you did," 

"You can't just disappear like a ghost. That's rude!" 

"I know, I know. I'll tell them alright?" 

"You have to tell them Sunggyu,"

"I told you I'll tell them didn't I?" He raised his voice.

"Yeah, but I know that you're not planning to! I know you okay Sunggyu. I know it when you lie to me, and I don't like it," I sighed, "What the hell is wrong with you Sunggyu? I ran here, missing the whole art festival just for you. I could've just ignored your call and proceed following Sungyeol and Dongwoo to see how handsome Myungsoo looks. And I don't care how childish I might sound but can't you just repay my effort by telling your friends that you'll be leaving?"  

"Look Nara, calm down," he said and open his fridge, taking a can of soda for me, "I don't think that me leaving would really affect us. I mean, no one cares-"

"What the- That's the problem with you Sunggyu. You are sometimes too ignorant to think that even though you are not hurting yourself, maybe the people around you are hurt," 

"They have no reason to be hurt or feel sad just because I'm leaving. You're exaggerating," 

"Well maybe they do. Maybe after all this time, they care for you and it's just you who don't care," I panted, feeling the after effect of ranting at him. 

Sunggyu kept quiet, glancing at me and then at the can of soda I was holding. 

Sungjong stood up from his seat after several moments and patted my back, "That's enough hm? I'll take you to your apartment," he said with his voice, as calming as ever.

I suspired and shook my head, "Sometimes you can be adorably cute but annoying as hell," I muttered and walked out. 

-***-

After taking a bath, I joined Sungjong on the couch. He had made me a cup of hot cocoa, and was sitting idly with a novel on his hand. He raised his head and smiled once I sat down.

"Feeling better?" 

I nodded, bringing the warm mug up to my mouth before slurping the drink inside it. I didn't know what to say. Heck, I didn't even know what to feel. Sunggyu was leaving in three days and yet, I didn't feel as sad as I had imagined. It was empty. 

The male beside me was just gazing at me, as if he was okay with all the silence. As if he understood what I was feeling without me having to say it out loud to him. 

My phone suddenly shrilled. I picked it up and Sungyeol's grating voice was at the end of the line, complaining about my disappearance. I hung my phone up immediately and tossed it on the table in front of me. 

I sighed and sighed again. Christmas  and New year without Sunggyu would be different. No exchanging presents with him meant that I wouldn't get the chance to expect huge things from him but ended up receiving a box of stationary. "It'll boost your grades," he said blandly. And I remembered pouting and being grumpy for the whole day until he bought me ginger cookies. He would drive us to meet my parents and the four of us would stay there until new year. Sunggyu had never gone back to his family, and sometimes he would say, "I wish I had a family like yours," and I would cry and tell him that he should go and meet his parents, but he would just laugh and say, "I'm complementing your family. Why are you crying?" And I would feel stupid. Really. 

And I didn't know why Sungjong was handing me a box of tissue until I realized that my eyes were all moist and blurry. I took the tissue and wiped my tears away. He put down the box between us and patted my shoulders. 

"I don't want him to go," My voice was hoarse and weak. 

"Nobody wants him to," 

I placed the mug above the table and sat back. Ruffling my hair I groaned, "What am I going to do now?" 

Sungjong shrugged, "Make things better,"

"How?" 

"Calm yourself first," he smiled.

Again, I sighed. It was like, I was trying to breathe out all of my emotions and yet, there were still leftovers in my heart. 

"It would have been easier you know, if Minjae was still here with me," I said, "She would've known how it feels like," 

"People say dwelling in the past isn't good," 

"No, I was just wondering," I pulled my feet on top of the couch, "Would we be crying together when Sunggyu tells us he'll be leaving? Or would we plan a stupid surprise for him?" 

"Sunggyu sees things in a different way Nara," 

"That guy's insane. He wouldn't even tell his family he's going across the globe," 

"It's tough," 

"It is, and I just wish that this is all just a dream and I would wake up soon," 

"There's no point wishing at this moment," he said. His tone was informative, like the weather man telling about today's forecast. I didn't feel like he was snapping or nagging at me. Not at all. 

"One day, you'll see why all of this is happening," he looked at me with his gentle gaze and gave me a small squeeze on my hand, "Everything happens for a reason," 

"I know," I looked back at him. 

"Hey Nara," he adjusted his sitting position, "Can I be honest?" 

"Shoot," 

"I... I know exactly how you feel right now," he started quietly and gave a sad smile, "Kim Sunggyu," he let a small chortle, "I like him."