Usually moral comes at the end of the story. But this time I would like to put it in the beginning: sometimes you realise how precious someone was, after he's already gone. That's what happened to me this week.
On Monday, I still saw him. In unusual way. He came sitting in my class, the one he was not registered to. Only half of the lecture, then he left. I didn't expect anything at that time. Until Wednesday, when he didn't attend our terrorism class. Long story short, I found out that he was going back home. He wouldn't come back here to finish his programme. He got a job that would be good for his future. Without saying a proper goodbye to his friends here. To me. He didn't say goodbye in person because he didn't feel comfortable to do it.
Everything happened very sudden. I was blank for a moment. Couldn't think straight. At that very point, I realised how precious he was. At first, I thought of him as a little crush. I was not in love with him, not yet. But he was definitely more than just a crush. And I knew it by the time I found that he already left.
I've known him for six months, but we became closer earlier this year. Why did I have to know him better right before he left? Now Selly Oak doesn't feel the same anymore without him. When I shop in the supermarket, I remember how he used to shop there. When I open my window in the morning, I look at his former flat. The route from Uni to home reminds me of him. I still remember all the things he said during his time here.
"We call it Boku Doraemon, as in Boko Haram"
"Why do people keep thinking I'm a Chinese?"
"I hate the voice of my iPhone when it takes pictures"
And all random conversations we had. Not to mention all memes we shared. Now I have to let myself down whenever I hear Eric Clapton's songs. His favourite musician. Smile but sad at the same time. It was short time to be closer with him. But every minute of it was precious. I don't know if one day we'll see each other again. I hope we will.
Wherever he is, I hope the best for him. He regained my faith that good guys still exist. The guy who loves political stuff and cute memes at the same time. Probably there was no proper goodbye for us because it was not a goodbye. We'll see each other again. Under the cherry blossom, maybe?
