The Kiss I Never Should Have Asked For - Chapter 49 – Graduation

52Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGqUEwrnng

Winter arrived quietly.

Before I realized it...

My final semester had come to an end.

The day I had been waiting for...

And fearing...

Was finally here.

Graduation.

The school was filled with flowers and cameras.

Parents proudly stood beside their children.

Teachers smiled as they congratulated graduating students.

Everyone was celebrating.

But in my heart...

There was also sadness.

Today...

I would be leaving this school.

Leaving the classrooms where I met Narin.

Leaving the tree where Korn became my closest friend.

Leaving behind a chapter of my life that had changed me forever.

After the ceremony ended...

I wandered through the nearly empty campus one last time.

The corridor where I had first noticed Korn.

The library where I had waited for Narin.

The sports field where we had cheered for our classmates.

Every place held a memory.

Some happy.

Some painful.

All unforgettable.

"P'Phawin."

I turned around.

Korn was walking toward me, still wearing his school uniform.

He smiled.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

He handed me a small wrapped box.

"I wanted to give this to you after the ceremony."

I accepted it carefully.

"When did you buy it?"

"A few weeks ago."

"I've been hiding it in my room."

I laughed.

"You've been planning this for weeks?"

He nodded proudly.

"I wanted today to be perfect."

I slowly opened the gift.

Inside...

Was a beautiful fountain pen.

Engraved on its side were the words:

For every chapter you'll write from now on.

I looked up at him.

"Korn..."

"I know you like writing."

He said softly.

"And I know you'll keep writing your story."

"I wanted to give you something..."

"...for the next chapter."

I couldn't stop smiling.

It wasn't an expensive gift.

But it meant more than anything else I had ever received.

Without thinking...

I hugged him tightly.

"Thank you."

He hugged me back.

"I'll miss seeing you every morning."

He whispered.

I smiled.

"I'm not moving to another country."

"I know."

"But school won't be the same without you."

We walked together to our tree.

The place where everything had begun.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the branches above us.

Almost exactly like the day we first studied there together.

Korn gently placed his hand on the rough bark.

"This tree..."

"...watched us become friends."

"It watched us fall in love."

I smiled.

"And it'll still be here after we're gone."

He nodded.

"So will our memories."

As I prepared to leave...

Korn suddenly called my name.

"P'Phawin."

"Hm?"

He looked at me with determined eyes.

"Next year..."

"When I graduate..."

"I'll catch up to you."

"And after that..."

"I'll never let you walk alone again."

I smiled.

"I'll be waiting."

He laughed.

"I know."

I took one last look at my school.

The place where I experienced my first heartbreak.

The place where I found love again.

Then I turned toward the future.

This time...

I wasn't walking away from something.

I was walking toward someone.

And waiting for me...

Just one year behind...

Was the boy who had promised to walk beside me for the rest of our lives.52Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmkCl8SLz5

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