Never Be Apart

CHAPTER 30

"Yuki Lee," I heard the principal call my name, and a wave of excitement hit me. I slowly made my way up to the stage, the cheers from the crowd ringing in my ears. It felt unreal to finally be here.

As I looked around the gym packed with students, my eyes found my two best friends, Aki and Haruki. They were grinning from ear to ear, waving like crazy. Their support meant everything to me, but I couldn't shake this twinge of sadness. I had always imagined this moment with my whole family cheering me on, but instead, I was up here on my own.

With a big smile, I accepted my diploma from the principal. The handshake was firm, and I felt a rush of pride. I turned to my friends, who were ready with their cameras, and I beamed as brightly as I could, trying to push away the bittersweet feelings.

As soon as I stepped off the stage, they rushed over. Aki was the first to wrap me in a hug, and Haruki followed right after. Then she surprised me by handing me a gorgeous bouquet of red roses. I froze for a second, caught off guard. They looked at me, concerned, but I quickly shook it off and smiled, grateful for their thoughtfulness.

It had been four years since everything changed in my life. I'd be lying if I said I had fully moved on. The memories still stung a bit. But I wasn't going to let that stop me from enjoying this moment. Graduation was a huge deal, and I was ready to dive into this new chapter.

After the ceremony, we headed to our favorite restaurant, buzzing with excitement. Haruki insisted on treating us, thrilled that he had just gotten her allowance. I couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm. I was living with Aki now because I couldn't stand the thought of being alone in my house. The memories there were just too much, so I only went back once a week to clean up and then got out of there as fast as I could.

As we settled into a cozy booth at the restaurant, the vibe was all about celebration. We swapped stories and laughed, and I felt a warm glow inside. Even with everything I'd been through, I knew I had friends who truly cared about me. This was a fresh start, and I was ready to take on whatever came next, one step at a time.

"Is Natsumi not coming home?" I asked, trying to hide my disappointment. She had promised she'd try, but we hadn't heard much from her. It had been four years since she left for Japan to live with her sister. That day, we also learned she had a sibling, but she didn't seem keen on sharing more details. Haruki just shook her head as an answer.

"How's Med School?" Aki asked Haruki while eating to change the topic.

"Hectic," she complained, taking a big bite of her meal. We all laughed. "What about you? What's your plan?" she suddenly turned to me, making me think. I noticed she often asked about my plans, which made me chuckle.