1999- “Hey. don’t cry. Why are you crying? I’m going to see you again before you know it.” He cups your face and smiles at you. “Promise me you won’t cry.” “How?” you ask him. “How do i not cry?” Your best friend, Minghao, is going to be leaving you for five years to go to Korea. He chuckles softly and pushes the hair out of your face. “You’ll work it out. You always work things out.” And with that he gets on the train and the train leaves.

2000- ‘Happy new year! I guess my prediction was wrong. The world didn’t end!’ you read the email sent by Minghao with a grin.

2001 - -no new emails- Why isn’t he responding.

2002 - First day of college. It’s too hard to focus. You haven’t spoken with him for almost 2 years now

2003 - Why can’t you just get over him? He’s gone now..

2004 7th of September - The date he returns. You can’t help but wonder if he actually returned back to China or stayed in Korea.

You were in your college dorm and had gotten hungry for some convenience store noodles. You walk out into the streets with your beanie (that Minghao had made you) on and down to the convenience store. You buy the noodles and sit down and start eating. Someone sits down beside you and clears their throat before beginning to eat their food. You almost choke on your noodles when the boy clears his throat. You look at the boy and your eyes widen. It’s Minghao. It’s actually him. Maybe it’s not him and your just seeing things. He sees you staring at him and awkwardly looks at you. “Uhm… sorry, do you need something?” Your face drops slightly when he says that. Does he… not recognise you? “You don’t…know who I am?” you ask him. He stares at you in silence. “..no.”