The Pen That Changed My Life - Chapter 31 – A Small Change

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uh9W6OvMQ

The class photograph arrived two weeks later.

As soon as our teacher placed the envelope on the desk, everyone rushed forward.

"Don't push!"

"There's one for everyone!"

The classroom buzzed with excitement.

Students laughed at their expressions.

Some complained they had blinked.

Others proudly showed their photos to friends.

I waited until the crowd became smaller before collecting mine.

When I looked at it, I smiled.

There we were.

An ordinary class.

An ordinary school.

Yet somehow...

It didn't feel ordinary anymore.

"You finally got yours."

I looked up.

Narin was standing beside me, already holding his photograph.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"It turned out well."

He looked closely at my copy.

"See?"

"You actually smiled."

"I told you I did."

"Barely."

I shook my head.

"You'll never admit you're wrong."

"Not when I have proof."

He pointed at the picture.

"I told you to smile."

"And I did."

He laughed.

"Fine."

"I'll let you win this one."

After school, I stayed behind to help our class teacher carry some books to the library.

When I finished, the hallways were almost empty.

As I walked toward the gate, I noticed someone sitting alone on the bench near the entrance.

Narin.

"You haven't gone home yet?"

He stood up immediately.

"I was waiting."

"For me?"

He nodded.

"You said you were helping the teacher."

"So you waited all this time?"

"It wasn't that long."

"It was almost half an hour."

He smiled.

"I didn't mind."

For a moment, I didn't know what to say.

No one had ever waited for me like that before.

We began walking home together.

The streets were quieter than usual.

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the road.

After a few minutes, Narin spoke.

"Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"If one day..."

He hesitated.

"...we end up in different classes..."

"...do you think we'd still be friends?"

I looked at him.

It was a strange question.

"I think so."

"You do?"

"Friendship isn't decided by classrooms."

He smiled.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

"What made you ask?"

He shrugged.

"I don't know."

"I just..."

He looked down at the road.

"...don't want things to change."

I quietly nodded.

Neither did I.

When we reached the corner where our paths separated, Narin stopped.

"See you tomorrow?"

"As always."

He smiled.

"As always."

We waved goodbye and walked in opposite directions.

As I continued toward home, I found myself thinking about his question.

What if we ended up in different classes?

Until that moment...

I had never imagined school without him.

And that realization surprised me more than anything else.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NrGK3VHQd

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