Dino and Lee were inseparable. At least, that's what they hoped to be.
Ever since they met each other, college students Dino and Lee formed a connection that they never had with anyone else. And in the midst of their flourishing friendship, they eve...
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J U L Y 2 9 2 0 1 9
THE SOUND of birds chirping freed Dino from the shackles of a bad dream, and in his liberation, he woke up with a pounding heart, breathless after his continuous search for freedom.
When he opened his eyes, the first thing that caught his attention was his surroundings, and for a split second, he almost forgot that he was inside his (used to be their) room. The sunlight bled through the curtains, painting the room in shades of golden glamour, which felt different since he often woke up to dark and gloomy mornings. Unable to withstand the morning glory, he turned to the other side and saw the empty side of the room, which were the remnants of the raven-haired boy who was once his roommate, and the cruel reminder of their broken friendship.
It's settling in again.
He remembered him.
The morning desperately called for his name, but instead of getting up, Dino decided to drown under the comforts of his blanket. The weight on his chest that bothered him since Sunday came back to haunt him, and instead of brushing it aside, he welcomed it with open arms. Chains fell, and locks opened; he released his inner feelings, and he unraveled. He allowed himself to feel, and the longer he did, the heavier his chest got.
It was July 29 today.
And July 29 meant a lot of things.
When Dino closed his eyes, he remembered blurred images of his warm smile, muffled sounds of his joyous laughter, and a faint picture of that one Japanese restaurant they once visited in the city. He remembered his presence, the late-night jamming sessions, the smell of fresh, home-made banana cake that he'd wake up to, the classic tear-jerking conversations, and dreams and promises of a friendship that would last forever. That was how they celebrated on July 29, a day that marked another year of their flourishing friendship.
He's supposed to celebrate today, but it's not worth celebrating if he's not here with him.
All these memories were vivid - so vivid that he felt like he was reliving those moments. It all felt tangible, and Dino couldn't deny that a big smile would grace his face every now and then whenever he thought about him. But despite the warmth and the joy it gave him, he remembered the bad memories that came after and found it painful that the only thing he can do was dwell on it now.
