It feels great to be worthy of someone's effort. He wouldn't mind having little to no sleep at all just so he can give you a surprise gift before you leave.

Friday nights became meaningful to me when our group’s little tradition started to take place. Once everyone’s duty is over every Friday, we hang out at the mall in front of our Hotel. This night out had become our tradition every time one of us will end their internship contract. The good thing is that we’ll get to chill, relax and refresh ourselves with our social life every Friday. The bad thing is every week someone happens to leave. The worst is my closest friend during the internship, Soojung, is the first one to leave.

Not that I’m excited, I decided to finish my duty one hour before everyone else. My supervisor is so kind and nice in allowing me to leave earlier. I didn’t tell this to anyone in our group because I don’t want anyone knowing my surprise for Soojung aside from me. Apparently, someone heard me while I was asking for permission to our supervisor. I didn’t know that Chanyeol was already in the office.

“You’re going to leave early today.” He whispered to me after my conversation with our supervisor. I didn’t answer him. Instead I walked past him and made myself busy early in the morning.

“Gayeon-ah, why didn’t you tell me ahead of time that you’re going to leave early today?”

“Because I don’t want you to know. Duh!” I said in my head. But honestly, I wanted to ask him if he could accompany but I was too shy to do that. And I don’t even know why I am shy. Maybe because I just don’t want to bother him with my business. Maybe because I know he won’t reject my favor and that will add up to the things I already owe him. He doesn’t know I’m keeping track of everything and that I’m thinking of repaying all his efforts when the time comes because he’ll scold me when he knew, saying that I owe him nothing. What kind of guy is this? Is he even human to be this selfless? What an idiot.

Anyway, going back. He kept on bugging me the whole day about me leaving early. Again and again, I just smiled and changed the topic or made myself look like I’m busy. What the hell is wrong with me? I don’t even know. And I don’t think I’m ready to know.

“Gayeon, stop ignoring me,” I stopped on my tracks while the two of us were heading back to the department after lunch. I looked at his face and it was serious. It seemed like he was already getting pissed off with me. And I don’t like that kind of Chanyeol. It scares me.

“I’m not ignoring you,” I could feel my voice tremble as I speak. I tried looking him straight in the eyes but it’s too hard especially when he’s looking at me in some kind of way I couldn’t even describe to myself.

“I know it’s your surprise for Soojung. But if you need any help, you know I’m willing to lend a hand.”

“I really appreciate it Yeol but it’s just a simple gift. I can do it myself,” I assured him with a genuine smile.

“Well if it’s like that, then at least let me accompany you later.”

“But you know I’m leaving earlier than the rest and you’re in need of more hours so”

“So I’ll leave early with you. I can gain those hours back some other day, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I don’t know Yeol. I don’t want to burden you with anything.” And there I go saying what I originally planned on not saying.

“You’re not burdening me with anything. I want this. You don’t owe me anything.” And there he goes saying what I didn’t want him to say. I was speechless after. The next thing I know is that he was talking to our supervisor, asking for permission to leave early as well.

And both of us were permitted to leave early.

I actually love getting lost, if and only if I am alone. I love going on adventures and discovering things on my own. But when I’m with other people, I don’t want to drag them on my escapade because they might get impatient as we go on. It was different when I was with Chanyeol that time though. It’s not that I got lost on purpose. It’s just that we both weren’t familiar with the mall. I badly wanted to find the shop but we can’t seem to find our own way. We’re heading the right direction at first then after it we’ll get lost again. Good thing, we entertained each other through our very random conversations. It was an adventure I’ll never forget. All thanks to the giant Park Chanyeol.

Starting that Friday, every week one of us finishes their contract. And every Friday, after duty, we make sure to go out as a group and celebrate their freedom. I was the 3^rd to the last one to leave. Instead of a Friday, my last day was set on a Saturday. But still we all went out on Friday night. And during this time, me and Chanyeol are no longer in the same department anymore. He was transfered to another one a week prior to my departure.

It was different than the ones we’ve had before because we only ate at a food court and not in a restaurant. There are good and bad points in eating in a food court. The good point is that there are many food outlets to choose from. If you’re craving for something Italian, you’ll definitely find a pasta and pizza place there. If you’re craving for something raw, then I’m pretty sure there will be a Japanese outlet there selling sushi. It’s like the world all put in one place. Now the bad point of eating in a food court is that there are many food outlets to choose from. It’s not easy to choose especially when you are a food lover! This part of your stomach may like this food while the other may be craving for another. You wanted to satisfy your whole stomach but you just can’t because you’ll end up blowing it and feeling hurt with all the variety of food inside. It's hard to focus when they are so many to choose from, you know what I mean.

In the end, after much deliberation between the different parts of my stomach, I decided to order from a Japanese outlet and order a tonkatsu. The others had their other choices too.

“This is the hardest part in being in a food court. What to choose?” Kyungsoo complained.

“I just ordered the first thing my eyes laid on upon sitting down,” Soojung said lazily.

“Where’s the Big Rat again?” Youngji, our youngest, asked while scanning the place with her big eyes.

A few minutes after, Chanyeol arrived. With him was a small box. He was happily hopping his way towards our table. We badly wanted to hide from embarrassment. A few people were following their gaze on Chanyeol.

When he arrived at our table, he placed the small box and started opening it. He brought out a small cake and pushed it in front of me while saying, “happy freedom day Gayeon-ie!” His smile that time could light up the dark galaxy.

I was surprised, of course, because he never bought or gave anything during the despedidas before. Actually, he never really made such effort until that night. My last night as an intern. 

We went home a bit later than the usual but my body was still not in the mood to sleep and rest. I went online and remembered that I had to download something important that I needed for the last day. Unfortunately though, the internet connection that time was slower than usual and the file was almost 5GB in size. There was no way for me to download it in time. I went to my Facebook account to ask for help but almost everyone I can ask that favor from was asleep, except for one person. A red message notification popped on my home page. It was him. Park Chanyeol messaged me.

He came in at the right time. And knowing that their connection is much better than the rest of us, because his father works at that company, it was perfect timing. But you’re probably asking why he messaged me first. Well, he just asked whether I brought home his pen. He lost it again for the nth time and he couldn’t remember who borrowed it. It wasn’t me though. He was about to say ‘good night’ and ‘goodbye’ when I washed away my shyness for the last time and asked him for a favor. I explained my situation and gave to him the link, just in case. I was really hoping for the best. But my hoping that time wasn’t strong enough. They too are having problems with their internet connection. I was doomed.

The following day, I was ready to apologize to one of my supervisors for not being able to download what I had to. Good thing though, he was still not in the office when I arrived. I settled on my area with my heart beating fast while thinking, “why do I still have to screw up until the very end?”

“Gayeon, you have an early visitor,” Ms. Lim teased me.

“Who?”

“Me,” just hearing the voice, I knew who it was.  “Why are you here?” I asked.

“I think you need something that’s in here.” He handed me a flashdrive. And I looked at him weirdly.

“You said you forgot to copy something from me before.”

“”I did?” I was definitely lost at that time. I didn’t know what he was talking about.

“Yeah. Just open it.” And I did. And when I saw what was the file inside, my mouth fell open. It was the file from last night.

“How?” was all that came out from my mouth. He was smiling his usual satisfied smile again and I couldn’t help but feel light inside.

“Let’s just say I only had about an hour of sleep so that I could go to my father’s office so early and download your file.”

I couldn’t say anything else aside from ‘thank you’. I didn’t need to ask further questions because it was crystal clear to me. 

"Hey Chanyeol, today is your crush's last day. What is your gift to her?" Our funny Mr. Jackson teased the two of us again. 

"Jackson, stop teasing the kids." "Thank you Ms. Lim." I said in my head.

"I can’t help it because I’m right. True, Chanyeol?"

"That's not true Sir," I answered in behalf of him. But what he said next was unexpected.

"There's no point in denying it anymore anyway," The people who heard it had smiles plastered on their faces. Mr. Jackson threw his fist in the air rejoicing. 

So to answer Mr. Jackson's question, "what did that guy prepare for me on my last day?" Effort. Effort was Park Chanyeol’s last gift to me before I left.