Goodbye

Until We Meet Again

The school bell rang, letting the students know it was lunch time. Everyone got up from their seats and immediately grouped up. Others headed down to the cafeteria in pairs, giggling at whatever gossip had been spreading around.

A few girls dragged their chairs towards my desk and sat down, offering me some of their own personal made bentos. One of them had hearts and the other ones contained cute little characters off of a newly made show. I declined with a smile which made them turn red like a tomato but they kept on insisting.
I turned my head and continued to look out the window, up at the clear, blue sky. That's all I had been doing since class started. 
I was told to make a decision immediately but didn't know what to do. Something like this could change my life forever. But what about him? What was he going to do? 
"Oikawa Tooru!" The teacher called out from in front of the classroom. "You're needed in the office."
I let out a sigh and slowly stood up, earning a few sighs of disappointment from the girls as well.
"Don't worry ladies. I'll be back!"

I was directed into the principals office where a man in his late 40's sat with a stern look on his face and his hands laced together under his chin. 
I closed the door behind me, leaning against it afterwards. I kept my head down and wore a painful smile, trembling ever so slightly. 
This is it. I have to decide now. I was ready to give him my answer but my voice didn't come out. I swear I had lost my voice within that very moment. "I decided." I finally managed to choke out after a few attempts. I gripped onto my jacket and sinked my teeth into my bottom lip. It felt like I was gabbling but with my life which turned my stomach. Had I made the right decision?

I headed up to the roof top. No one was allowed up here but Iwa-Chan and I decided to make ourselves an exception. I remember always getting caught at first. Apparently this was one of the teachers hideout's. This is where he'd smoke his frustration off and he'd get angry whenever he saw us and tell us to leave. We'd take our sweet time and delay which only angered him more. We continued to come up here in which infuriated him and he eventually decided to just look for a new spot to smoke his cigarettes. It was kind of upsetting that he gave up so quickly. 4 months were nothing. I quickly began to get bored and eventually Iwa-Chan had to keep me entertained.

When I pushed the door open, there he stood. He was leaning against the railing, his short hair flowing in the wind with a grim expression.
"You wish you had long hair!" I laughed.
"Shut up, shitty-kawa!" He punched my arm as I walked up to him in which I let out a yelp. He's always been so strong. I wondered if he even knew how to hold back his strength.
"Did you want to go down to the cafeteria?" I asked, after noticing that he wasn't eating his usual meat bun. He always bought three. One for him, one for me, and we shared the other. He slowly shook his head, overcomed by a painful expression that I had also been wearing earlier.
"Did you decide?" He asked quietly. Huh? This is so unlike him.
"Yeah," I nodded. 
He met my eyes for a second before quickly looking away.
"After this, I don't think we'll be seeing much of each other," he paused for a moment, "but I'll be sure to call you and text you when I can."
I could feel my chest tighten. I don't want this! "I'm choosing on going to N university."
No! I made the wrong decision! We're going to be miles away from each other!
My eyes widened at the thought of us being apart. I couldn't imagine a life without my best friend. We've always been together! I can't just let go. 
"You decided on S university didn't you?" How?! "Your mother told me the other day when we ran into each other outside the supermarket." He answered me as if he had read my mind. But then again. We've known each other our whole lives. He knew everything about me like I knew everything about him. His favorite foods, hobbies, favorite style of clothing and brand. His little quirks like biting the crust off his sandwiches first and how kind he was to give away the little money he makes working to the old homeless guy just down the street from our homes. I know everything about him up to his guiltiest pleasures and what turns him on. I know every little secret and thought he holds just like he knows mine. 
This can't be happening! 
"Iwa..." My voice began to tremble as I tried to hold back the tears that tried so hard to surface.
"Schools almost over you know. Just two more weeks... gosh, shitty-kawa!" He chuckled. "You sure procrastinate a lot! You left your decision at the very last moment. The principal was very anxious. He wanted you to choose as soon as possible. He thought you were going to waste your talent," his voice cracked. As soon as he noticed he began to speak more loudly, "Dammit shitty-kawa! Do you know how much pestering I had to go through because of you?!" 
He turned his back to me. His shoulders were shaking vigorously now. He was crying. 
Iwa... I need to tell him how I feel. Phone calls and texts won't be enough! I need him with me or else we won't be able to binge out on Friday nights anymore! We won't be able to talk about the latest news and share our favorite things with each other! We won't be able to do anything together anymore! I won't be able to sneak a fry or two from his plate while he pretends not to even notice. He knows I just can't finish a whole tray of fries by myself. We won't be able to share from the same bucket of ice cream, we won't be able to trade our crappy lunches with each other anymore.
I could feel the tears begin to run down my flushed cheeks. I don't want this. That was all I could think. I don't want this.

Graduation for 3rd years had now arrived. Everyone already received their diplomas and everyone was exchanging buttons with other 3rd years and girls that secretly held crushes on the person ripping off their buttons for them at this point. 
"Oikawa." I heard a deep voice from behind, call out softly. It was Iwa-Chan. "This is it..," he trailed off. 
His eyes were red and puffy from underneath but none-the-less, he looked handsome as always in his school uniform. 
This was it. This is where we'll be parting ways. We promised to visit each other during the summer before school started again but volleyball tryouts were coming up soon which didn't give us much time. His parents had decided to send him off immediately so he could get use to living within the area also which I hated since it meant I didn't get to spend any time with him.
"Thank you for everything, Iwa-Chan." He flinched in surprise by my sudden retort but returned it with a smile. 
"Thank you for all the trouble trashy-kawa." He chuckled.
"Hey! Why do you have to ruin the moment like that!" He continued to laugh till the rim of his eyes were filled with tears. They were tears full of sadness. 
"No really, thank you Oikawa." He took a step closer and carefully tore of the first button to my jacket that I had saved specifically for him. He then reached out for my hand and squeezed it with little force. "Thank you..," he whispered once again before slowly letting his hand slip away. He looked at me with a tearful grin and walked out of sight before I knew it. All that was left was our memories and the button to his jacket that I held onto for dear life.

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Bokuaka story coming soon!)