Yunho and Mingi met in high school, though they went to different schools. Their friendship began on a chilly afternoon when Yunho, a spirited and outgoing student, decided to take a detour from his usual route home. He stumbled upon Mingi, who was sitting alone on a park bench, devouring his lunch.
"Hey, are you here by yourself?" Yunho asked, noticing the loneliness in Mingi's eyes.
Mingi looked up, slightly surprised. "Yeah, my friends always leave before I finish eating. Why?"
Yunho grinned. "Well, now you won't have to eat alone. Can I join you?"
From that day on, Yunho made the trek across the city every lunch break to be with Mingi. He walked miles through rain and shine, enduring the physical strain because he couldn't bear the thought of Mingi sitting alone. Their bond grew stronger with each shared lunch, each laugh, each story exchanged.
Yunho and Mingi sat on their favorite park bench, the sun setting behind them. The air was filled with the warmth of their friendship, a calm that belied the seriousness of the conversation they were about to have.
"Do you ever think about the future?" Yunho asked, his gaze fixed on the horizon.
Mingi took a bite of his sandwich, then set it down. "Sometimes. I guess it's a bit overwhelming to think about. Why?"
Yunho turned to face Mingi, his eyes earnest. "We've been through so much together, even though we're from different schools. I just want to make sure we're always there for each other."
Mingi looked at him with a smile. "Of course, we will be. I don't see why that would ever change."
Yunho leaned forward, his tone growing serious. "Let's make a promise, then. No matter what happens, we won't let anything come between us. Not even time or distance. The only thing that could ever separate us is death itself."
Mingi's eyes softened, and he nodded firmly. "I promise. Nothing will tear us apart, Yunho. We're in this together."
Yunho extended his hand, and Mingi shook it with a grin. "It's a promise, then."
They sat in silence for a moment, the gravity of their words sinking in. It was a vow that felt unbreakable, sealed by the strength of their friendship and the trust they had in each other.
But as they graduated and life took them in different directions, their promise was put to the test. Yunho went on to study engineering at a prestigious university, while Mingi pursued a career in art, moving to a distant city for an opportunity. They kept in touch, their conversations filled with excitement and nostalgia, but the distance and their diverging paths began to create a chasm between them.
Years later, when Mingi was preparing for an important art exhibition, he received a call from Yunho. It was the kind of call that always held a special weight, like a secret shared between them.
"Yunho, what's up?" Mingi asked, his voice tinged with anticipation.
"I'm sorry, Mingi," Yunho began, his tone serious. "I can't make it to your exhibition. I'm stuck with a critical project at work, and I can't get out of it."
Mingi's heart sank. "But you always said you'd be there for me. This means a lot."
"I know," Yunho said softly. "And I wish I could be there. I just... things have changed, and I'm afraid I can't keep my promise. I'm so sorry."
Mingi tried to understand, but the disappointment was palpable. They continued to talk and text, but the connection they once had started to feel strained. The reality of their separate lives was a force neither had anticipated.
One day, as Mingi prepared his studio for another day of work, he received a message from Yunho. It was a simple note, written with regret and nostalgia, expressing that while their friendship was cherished, their lives had naturally drifted apart.
Mingi stared at the screen, a lump forming in his throat. He realized that the distance between them had grown insurmountable, not because of death, but because of the relentless march of time and change.
He sat in his studio, surrounded by his paintings that spoke of emotions and memories, reflecting on the promise they had made. The bond they once shared was now a cherished memory, a symbol of a time when their worlds had been intertwined.
And in the end, something did do us apart, and it wasn't death.
