"Missing Five Years"

"I LOVE YOU"

As soon as Ellin arrived home. She shut herself on her room. She was sitting on the back of the door. She throw her bag on the floor and embrace her legs. She was crying, she don't know what to do. Finally she found out what happened to Jin but she didn't expect that he was already not around .

She looked at the things that were scattered from her bag on the floor. There she saw Jin's notebook. She crawled towards it and picked it up. She intend to read the contents while sitting on the floor, but her hands are trembling. Finally she got the strength to open the first page.

The first page contains the personal information of Jin. That time, he wrote it when he was 10. Ellin flipped the next page and saw few sentences. Just as she thought, it was Jin's diary. She started to read few sentences on the first entry.

"Dear Jin's diary, today I saw a girl. She was such a crybaby so I let her play with me in my palace. Her name is Ellin and she is cute."

Ellin remembered that it was that day where she met Jin in the playground. She read the previous pages until she reached the date before Jin left.

"Dear Jin's diary, tomorrow I will go on school with Ellin. I am very excited it feels like a date. I hope time passes quickly. Though I'm not quite feeling well this night. Still I wanna meet her."

After that page, Jin started writing five days after.

"Dear Jin's diary, its been five days. I just found out that I was unconscious and rushed on the hospital. I didn't get the chance to go on date with Ellin. Next time I will say sorry and make up on her."

"Dear Jin's diary, this is bad. I found out that we already moved out. How can I see Ellin again? I wish I can go out in this hospital."

Ellin was silent,but she still continued reading until she reached the date where Jin met Nick, moments when Jin played outside and met patients with the same age. Suddenly she caught the date during of her birthday.

"Dear Jin's diary, today is my best friend's birthday. She will turn 13. I hope I can see her. I made a bracelet for her."

Ellin noticed a small envelope below the last sentence. She opened it and saw a handmade bracelet. It was made from colorful yarn and her named was tagged on it. She took it out and tie it on her wrist. Then she begin flipping the pages.

"Dear Jin's diary, its Christmas and soon new year. I think I can't go out and greet Ellin. I really want to see her but my conditions won't allow me. I wish to watch fireworks with her on New year's eve."

Ellin stopped for the moment. She wants to stop it to prevent herself from getting to know her best friend's condition. But she continue reading the entries for past years but all she can read is that Jin wants get better and go out in the hospital.

Soon she reached the last part of the diary. She prepared herself to read the last words of Jin.

"Dear Jin's diary, its been four years. I wonder how Ellin is. The truth is I found out how serious my disease is. It's so funny, now i know why i often forgot things.Tomorrow I will have the operation. If it will be successful, I will finally get the chance to meet Ellin and do the things I missed doing with her. I'm quite nervous though but I can say  these words to her…"

"I love you Ellin …"

Ellin close the notebook as soon as she finished reading the last words. She hugged it tightly and said,

"I love you too."

It's been sunny  during the next day but Ellin didn't have the initiative to enter to her school. She knows that this day will be the last day for Nick. Tomorrow his family will be leaving and move to the country side.

"Ellin?"

She heard a knock and saw her mother peeked in to her room.

"Honey, are you OK? "

"I'm feeling better but not ok mom."

Ellin's mom came closer to her and kissed her forehead.

"Rest up then, but no matter what's troubling you, don't hesitate to talk with me."

Ellin did not answer until her mom went outside her room.

"I'm not fine mom. Not at all." She whispered.

Ellin is having a headache that time because she stayed late night reading Jin's diary but she knows that it can be toleratable. She just chose to stay at home because she can't take her grieving heart outside her comfort zone.

Meanwhile, Aila and Mirai throw a farewell party for Nick after the class.

"I called Ellin but her mom answered it, she said that Ellin is having headache so she can't come to school." Aila said.

Mirai took a sip of her soda before she commented.

"Geez that girl. I know she's smart so she doesn't need to bother herself catching missed lectures but why today of all the days ? Are you OK with that Nick?"

Nick chuckled and looked at Mirai.

"Its OK. I can't blame her anyway."

"Whatever, I just hope we can still spend time together, I mean the four of us."

"Why don't we go to steak house? My treat!", Aila said.

Mirai jumped out and hugged Aila. Nick was happy but not as happy without seeing Ellin on his last day on school. He stared at the floor. He wants to go and see Ellin but he knows she will refuse to see him after knowing the fact about Jin.

-End of chapter