FAR BUT NEAR

In the class, she sat next to me and I am so attracted to her. I don't know why. For me, she is so special and unique although we never speak to each other. No matter during recess time or whenever the teacher are not in, I will stay sit in my place. So that I sit closer to her. And she also rarely left her place.

Her name is Hyomin. Park Hyomin. We never speak to each other neither look at each other's eyes. Nothing else between us except this distance. One day, she absent, she never came to school again. Since that day, our distance become further and further away. At that time, I thought we never se each other again, but… A year pass, we met at a Hospital.

"sunny?" I spun around to a familiar face was staring at me.

"Huh? Hyomin? No way ! why are you here?"

"ha ! ha ! it is you ! thank God ! thank Mom ! I finally met her." She suddenly hugged me.

"hey, Hyomin ah… please let go of me, people are watching us." I said as she still clinging at my petite body as obviously people are watching.

"sunny ah ! do you still remember me? I used to sit next to when high school." I saw a big smile on her face. A smile that she never showed to me before.

Maybe it just we missing each other so badly, we become closer than ever . starting that day, I always visit Hyomin. She was different. Different from Hyomin back when high school. Now, She more friendly, playful and cheerful. There are so many things we talked about. I never realized talking to her was so fun!. Hyomin has a diseased. A serious diseased that until now she had to stayed in the hospital for her treatment. Other than that, I never asked or more accurately, I'm afraid to know.

Even though we sit next to each other, somethimes I saw her face. A face that showed loneliness. That time, my heart shattered into millions pieces. I feel like she so far away from me.

"ahhh~~ it's so bored ! we always talked about the hyomin ah~ can you tell me what is disease? " I put some aegyo in it. Finally, I put my courage to asked her.

Silence. I turned slightly around to see her. Weird she not answering my question. Suddenly, I felt her finger slide trough and interwines with mine's. my face started to blushed. How I wish the time stopped.

" um… I just know that my heart would stop beating anytime and anywhere. The doctor said I got a weak heart. My mom also died because of this diseased."

My heart felt like it stop beating. I slump down in astonishment as I recollect what she had told me.

" that mean.. u gonna die anytime from now.." crystal are forming in my eyes. I started to sobbed. I can't handle the truth.

"yah ! don't cry. It not bad as you think!" she try to comfort me as her hand covering my teary eyes.

" I got a present for you sunny, but if you cry, then it will vanish"

"hyomin, please let go of your hand" I pleaded her. Her hand still cover my eyes.

"sure.. but you must promise me that you won't cry anymore or shed any tears for me."

" I promise" as if I can fulfiil that promise.

She let go her hand and smiling dorkily at me.

"well then, where my present?"

Still smiling. She show me her hand. There a drawing on her palm. Written `hello' and ( :P) face .

"you lucky the drawing didn't vanish because of your tears."

I laughed out loud. Not only she is friendly. She also a jokester. I realized now, that I fallen for her. Our hand are holding closer. Not leaving an air pass trough.

Hyomin said it not bad as I think.

She lied.

That night, Hyomin looked tired. I started to worry. But she said, that normal and she forbidden me to called the doctors.

"before mom left, she said that when someone died, he will be a star" why is she started on that topic.

"sunny ah~ can you come with? I want to go somewhere" a smile formed on her face.

"hyomin ah, what we doing on the rooftop?" my arm were around her waist,while her arm are around my neck. try to support her.

"the news said there will be a shooting stars" we found a comfortable spot and sat down.

I don't know why. My heart started to ache. I started to worried. Should I call the doctor?

"you know.. after mom left, I check in to this hospital. And I once wish upon a wishing star. I wish that I get to see you." Her voice getting softer.

"when we met, I was so happy, I really thought that my mom bring you to me." Her head now lean on my shoulder.

"I don't believe you, you lied to me hyomin" my voice started to trembling. I feel like hyomin is fetting further away from me.

"haha! Yup. I just joking sunny. Please smile." I barely hear what she said.

"no ! I can't. I can't smile. Please hyomin ah~~"

"I got present for you sunny.. don't cry or it will disappeared ." again she cover my eyes. I got scared. I felt like I'm losing her.

" I … I … I don't want any present anymore, hyomin. " I paused.

"hyomin ah . I love….." before I completed my sentences, she cut meoff by cover my mouth.

"please… no…no.. don't say it now." Her head was buried on my shoulder. I can feel her tears damping on my shirt.

"hyomin?"

"aahh~ I'm so tired. Sunny ah.. let me rest for awhile before the shooting stars fall. Company me while we waiting. Don't say anything. Just be right here with me…"

"hyomin…" More tears are rolling down my cheeks than before.

A second pass.

A minute pass.

Hyomin body started to fall down slowly to my lap.

"hyomin ah. I really like you.. no.. I love you … please wake up." I lean myself and our lips met for the first and the last time. Not a warm, loving kiss but yet a cold, loneliness kiss. That was not I imagined my first kiss was.

Hyomin are asleep and I bet she never woke up again. On her palm, there are some words that shed disappeared because of my tears. How I wished the time would rolled over where I can talked to her at high school.

I never forget that day, under the shooting stars, it is the most closer distance between me and hyomin. And also the farest distance- forever.