As Time Goes By

Prologue

"Daniel, you're ready?" his mom peaked her head into his room. A motherly smile was plastered on her wrinkled-but-still-beautiful face.

Daniel lifted his head up to the door to look at where his mom standing.

"Yes," he answered back and smiled.

"Okay, we'll be waiting downstairs."

He nodded. Once the door in front of him closed and made a sound of 'click', he wandered his eyes around the room he had been staying for the last seven years. Truth be told, he didn't know what he felt right now.

Moving out.

That was not the main problem. Yes, he was moving out, but he really couldn't care less about it, because the seven years of life he'd been spending in Brisbane actually meant nothing for him. The one he was dreading was about the fact that he was getting back. To his hometown.

To Indonesia.

And that what made him crawl back to whatever he was thinking a couple of minutes ago.

Should he be happy about that? Or should it be the opposite?

A lot of things happened back when he was still in that homeland of his. Some of them were good things, some of the rest was not really good ones. Even horrible. Dreading. Painful. That was why he didn't know what he should feel right now.

He let out a big sigh. Then his eyes landed on a photograph on the desk that was located across the room. His eyes almost bulged out of their place.

How could he forget about this one? Just right before he left this place forever?

With abrupt steps he came towards his desk and grabbed the photo as if he didn't get it on time, he would lose it forever. With longing eyes he stared at the photograph in his hand. His long slender finger brushed along the surface.

Where are you?

I miss you.

Do you miss me?

How are you now?

Will I ever see you again?

If so, will you recognize me?

A lot of things. A lot of questions. A lot of freaking words running in his head that he desperately wanted them to get out.

Seven years. Seven years of misery living without her, without knowing where she was right now. Seven years of regret. Regret of that day.

If only he came right on time that day. If only he had the chance to say his last goodbye. If only he had a chance to tell her how much he cared about her.

 He laughed bitterly. Yeah, if only will stay if only. No matter how gigantic the regret that burried in his chest, he couldn't change the past. He would never be able to turn back time. Never.

"Daniel?" his Mom shouted from downstairs. "Hurry up, honey. Our flight is about two hours to go."

"A second, Mom!"

Once again, Daniel wandered his eyes around his room. He didn't know what moving out would bring him into. But for once in his life, he wished everything would go alright. He didn't ask for perfection. He just wanted his life to be happy. He wanted to be happy.

Was that too much to ask from a guy?