Araki was always your closest friend. Ever since you were kids, you'd tell each other everything. All your secrets and everything-- all of it. So why are you surprised that he wants to leave, and move on to greater things now? He's always wanted to be something, someone great. You always told him he was, but that wasn't enough. He kept trying, and you kept helping him. His goals were always bigger than everything, always the important piece of his life that could never be replaced. He only ever looked ahead, and not around. You once studied together at the library for the final exam of all of middle school. It went as normal, you read books, don't get it, he explains it in a way you'd understand, and repeat. But towards the end, both you and Araki were stumped with one particular book. You both look around for different variations of the book-- and what it's trying to say, until you both realized that the book had an illustration at the back, to assist with the instructions. It was the first time you'd seen him flustered, and without thinking-- you laughed, and he laughed along with you.

But now, it seemed rare that anything you two did together... mattered. Araki would give you the attention, because you're best friends-- but he would hardly seem interested. It wasn't his fault, but his mind was slowly drifting to the far shore of the vast ocean. You'd hang out in his bedroom with him, laying next to him as you'd indulge in his dreams-- and his eyes would light up, just like they used to whenever he talked to you. That spark, it only ever appeared when he talked of going to Paris, where he could play in the big pits of an orchestra. Then the opportunity came, and he took it. "I'm gonna be away for a while, in France." Araki said, not looking at you as he cleaned out his dresser. You were on his bed, meekly sitting on its edge. Maybe he didn't know how much you were hurting-- I mean, he didn't know how much your friendship meant to him or you in this universe, did he? Maybe in another lifetime, he did.