A tall, blonde girl places her heavy backpack on her desk as her best friend walks into the room and slumps down in her seat next to her. The classroom remains quiet, filling with a gloomy tension. Today is a sad day for both of them, filled with raw emotions.

After moments of uncomfortable silence, she finally speaks up, "Is today really your last day here?"

She continues to stand tall in front of her desk, refusing to look over at her friend. She already knows the answer to the question, but she has no clue what else to say at the moment. Unlike her normal, bubbly self, today she is apathetic and not looking forward to the end of the school day. Her friend releases a sigh as she lays her head in the crease of her folded arms. Her long, black hair falls forward, shining indigo as in the early morning sunlight creeps into the classroom through the cracked window. She stares down aimlessly at the dark shadow on her desk, unable to accept her own answer to the question she was asked.

"Unfortunately," she says muffled by her arms. "I don't want to leave but my mom won't let me stay here. She got offered a job all the way in Domino City so I have no choice but to go." Her voice wavers as tears filled with mixed emotions trickle down her face, landing on the unsuspecting desk. "If my father would have stayed here instead of wandering off to South Korea, I wouldn't be in this stupid predicament. I understand that it's his birth place, but why couldn't he let my uncle take care of the company stuff? This whole situation is stupid, Michelle."

Michelle continues to stand in silence, holding back her tears creeping up on her. She blinks rapidly to stop them from falling but a couple still manage to pass through her eyelid dam. They roll down her cheek filled with sadness and heartache. She doesn't want to see her friend of ten years leave so suddenly. The whole situation was dropped on both of them only a few weeks ago, and they really didn't get the chance to do everything they wanted to accomplish before she left.

Using the back of her hand, she wipes her tears from her cheeks and puts on a fake smile to hide her true feelings from the students filing into the classroom. "At least you'll be able to go back to your hometown," she says, attempting to make light of the situation for both of their sakes.

"This is my hometown," the dark haired girl responds, sniffling.

Oh, Kinu...Please don't cry anymore. The more you cry, the more I'll cry."

Struggling to hold back more tears, Michelle opens her backpack and pulls out a box wrapped in shimmering blue paper. Atop the box, stands a single silver bow almost large enough to encompass the entire lid. She taps Kinu softly on the shoulder causing the girl to stir and lift her head from its resting place on her arms. Her red puffy eyes peers out at her friend with cloudy vision. Sitting up straight in her seat, she rubs her tear streaked face with her shirt.

"What's this?" She accepts the box from Michelle and shakes it lightly as she presses her ear to it.

"It's a gift, silly. I packed some things that I wanted you to have so you wouldn't forget about me and all of the fun times we have shared over the years."

Kinu reassures Michelle that there is no way she could ever forget her as she sets the box on her desk and pulls the top off. A genuine smile forms across her face as she reaches into the box, removing assorted items from its hold. A white book calls out to her at the very bottom. She pulls the book out of her gift box and places it on the small empty space left on her desk. On the cover, in the indented slot, a picture she recognizes immediately jumps out at her. Two, small, kindergarten students making faces in the mall photo booth graces the cover.

She cracks open the book, viewing the pages filled with pictures taken throughout the many years of their friendship. Tears form in her eyes once again and begin their assault down her already red, stained cheeks. Closing the book, she leans over and wraps her arms tightly around Michelle's waist. This is the greatest gift she has ever received in her entire life. It is so thoughtful that it is sure to help her cope with the move better.

"Thank you, Michelle. You mean so much to me. Hopefully, after today, we can see each other again soon," she says, crying into her friend's skirt.

Michelle squeezes Kinu tightly and says, "Don't worry, Kinu. I'll do the best that I can to visit you soon."