“Please don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault,” Kikwang uttered weakly. “This was all me. I gave in. My weakness was greater than my will to live.”

Amber looked down at her former childhood friend. Tubes and wires connected him to the machines that monitored his vitals. He looked weak and frail to her. She felt that if she blinked he would stop breathing altogether. Even with that Kikwang was still able to read her. Maybe her emotion was really written all over her face.

“I’m sorry, Amber” Kikwang lifted his hand toward her and she took it in hers.

Amber nodded in response. She accepted his apology. There was no point to hold a grudge against him. She felt like it was time for her let go of all the grudges that she held against so many people in her life. With this path that he had chosen for herself she was committed to turning over a new leaf.

“I’m sorry,” Amber said as she leaned over and brushed a strain of hair from Kikwang’s forehead. “I wasn’t there for you. Forgive me for not being a friend that you could rely on. I wished that things turned out differently between us, but … we can’t change the past now.”

Kikwang smiled weakly at her, a sardonic and painful smile. They might have forgiven each other, but things between would never be the same again. That friendship, that bond that they had shared was broken a long time ago.

A single drop of tear ran Amber’s face as she bid farewell to her childhood’s friend. She said farewell to the old her and hope that the new Amber learned from the mistake the old had done.

[-][-][-]

Three months had passed. Everyone had gone their separate ways. Life continued.

Amber had been busy with the preparation for her departure to the Czech Republic. She had obtained her work visa. She talked with the coaches and administrative staffs over there to arrange for her accommodation. They had found a small one bedroom flat for her that was close to the practice facility. Majority of the residences within the building were her future team mates, which would allow her to get to know them better.

Amber had started to learn a bit of the county’s language, but it was a difficult language to learn and she still only knew the basic words.

She would be leaving for Prague, the capital city of Czech Republic, in two days time.

Kyuhyun had been offered a job to work with UBISOFT in Quebec, Canada. Like Amber he had been preparing himself for this big move and the big change in his life.

Seohyun and Ryeowook had agreed that they would continue to learn about each other more. Ryewook was giving Seohyun time to let go of her past and wait to see if this was the future that she really wanted. Without the pressure from his parents – now that he has a fiancé – Ryeowook was given all the time in the world to marry Seohyun whenever they were ready.

Ryeowook was willing to wait for Seohyun no matter what her choice was.

Seohyun felt the freedom for the first time in her life. With Ryeowook by her side she felt secured and there was no need for her to tip-toe around Amber now that the younger girl knew how Seohyun had felt toward her all their lives. She still cared for the younger girl, but that feeling had changed to more of a sibling love than what it was before.

As for Kikwang, he had been diagnosed with severe case depression. With his unstable mental health his parents had taken him back with them to Turkey.

Lee Jonghyun was doing well in Japan. They played many gigs. They had become a well known band within the indie scene. ‘My Love’ was the band’s most recognizable song.

Life had led the five friends in various directions.

[-][-][-]

“Yes,” Amber said as she locked the door to her apartment. Her mobile phone held up to her ear by her free hand. “I got everything ready. Hae, I’m not a child anymore.”

“I know you’re not a child anymore, but I’m still you’re brother and I still worry about you.”

Amber walked over to her elevator and pressed the down button, “I know. Anyway, how are you doing in Italy?”

“Everything here is fine,” Donghae chuckled through the phone at his little sister attempt to change the subject. “You have to come visit me when you get settle in Prague. You leave tomorrow right?”

“Yup,” Amber said with a smile. She and Donghae had a chat over a month ago and their relationship had returned to its normal ways.

She had told him that she knew about the fact that she was not his real sister since she was younger. It was his parents – their parents – that told her about it when she stumbled about a picture of herself with her real father and mother.

The fact that she was not his real sister or that she was adopted didn’t affected her. Amber felt that Donghae and their parents – her adopted parents – was her family even if they were not related by blood. She loved them and they loved her – that was enough. She told him that she didn’t felt like the matter should have been brought up. That was the reason she never talked about it.

“Are you excited?” Donghae asked.

“I’m excited and nervous at the …,” The ding of the elevator notified Amber of its arrival. Amber was about to stepped into the elevator when she saw who stood within.

“Amber?” Donghae asked curiously when his sister stopped midsentence.

“Hae,” Amber stared at the person in front of her with eyes full of surprised. “I’ll call you back later, okay. Love you.”

Amber hung up the phone and slowly placed it in her back pocket. Seeing that the man in the elevator was not stepping out Amber stepped inside the elevator with him.

“Are you going somewhere?” He asked her. She answered with a nod. “Is it important?”

“No.”

“Can we talk then?”

Amber nodded. She knew that this day would come. She been so busy and he have been as well. The both of them didn’t have the time to resolve any issues that they might have toward each other. She was just surprised that he had showed up at her place unannounced. She wasn’t trying to avoid him, but maybe that was the vibe she had been giving off.

“Where do you want to go for this talk, Kyuhyun?”