ALL NOVEL chapter 22
22 – The Departing Her
The elementary school level passed by in the blink of an eye, and every aspect of that life was deeply engraved in my heart.
I understand.
This, too, must be brainwashing.
Because the memories were beautiful and enjoyable. There were no shadows in the world, and I even thought, “Surely the future will be bright, and life will continue to be as lively and enjoyable as it is now.”
**Unprepared.**
**Then tragedy will come.**
**What brings about tragedy?**
**The specifics are unknown. But tragedy always approaches with the face of a close friend, embraces your shoulders like a childhood friend from birth, and leaves an unforgettable scratch on your heart with a sweet voice saying, “Your happiness was just an illusion.”**
**So, when I was suddenly summoned by Sheila, I was cautious.**
**It was the end of the sixth year of elementary school, and I was already 12 years old.**
**In the piercing cold, despite having devices as big as smartphones and exchanging contact information, I was ordered to come alone to an unpopular place using the “old-fashioned” method of a “letter.”**
**There was no reason not to be cautious.**
**Sheila. She’s the red-haired woman I’ve known since childhood.**
**Come to think of it, I’ve known her since kindergarten.**
**Although our friendship is newer than Anna and Milim from nursery school, considering the simple time comparison as classmates, she may have been the one I spent the most time with.**
**Moreover, in the elementary education curriculum, there were class changes every two years, yet I always ended up in the same class as her.**
**We also had quite a few conversations—Sheila always seems to compete with me.**
**She skillfully incited me, who lived by the motto of “not standing out,” and became a formidable opponent who made me stand out. In fact, I’ve thought more than once that she might be the vanguard of ‘the enemy that must exist in this world whose identity is still unknown.’**
**I had various imaginations about the summon from Sheila.**
**And I devised various strategies.**
**Because she told me to come alone, I thought of bringing friends with me—**
**I thought of going early to the meeting place to check the situation—**
**I anticipated various scenarios and devised various measures.**
**And I thought too much, stayed up all night, fell asleep, and when I realized it, it was already the time of the meeting.**
**I hurriedly changed, grabbed my coat, and ran out of the house, shouting that I’d be back for dinner with Mom while holding down my bed hair.**
**There are two nearby children’s parks for the meeting place, but since one of them is not very spacious with only one slide, it’s always empty.**
**I arrived at the meeting place before the designated time, and Sheila was waiting, leaning against the slide, illuminated by the red light of dusk.**
**She fiddled with her unruly red hair and looked awkward when she noticed me.**
**”What’s up, April born?” I asked.**
**Sheila laughed and told me something unexpected.**
“Hey, you know, I’m moving.”
**I only heard “moving,” but I understood the meaning.**
**The school I attend mainly follows an escalator-style progression.**
In short, just like me, those who had gone through the same elementary school curriculum would normally move on to the middle school curriculum within the same academy.
However, I was moving away.
In other words, it meant that I would not be advancing to the “same middle school curriculum.”
I was in shock. I couldn’t even say anything because the shock was too overwhelming and I couldn’t comprehend it myself.
After all, Sheila was always there in the place where I lived. An annoying, interfering redhead girl. She was tall, but I was gradually catching up to her, and I was supposed to surpass her once we entered the middle school, my childhood friend.
I had always thought that she would be there in the place where I lived.
But she was gone.
I should have been relieved—normally, that’s what I would have said. I wanted to say it even now. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t feel relieved at all. Due to the shock that was too big for me to understand, I could only stand there dumbfounded.
“So, um…”
Sheila seemed like she wanted to say something.
But she kept repeating “um” and “that” and didn’t say anything.
Finally, with a weak smile, she said,
“…bye-bye. See you later, Rex.”
I don’t even know how I responded myself.
I was terribly shaken. I felt like I said goodbye. I felt like I didn’t say anything. Before I knew it, I had returned home and locked myself in my room. I didn’t feel like eating dinner, and my mind was filled with jumbled thoughts.
I spent the whole night like that, and when my weak body couldn’t resist sleepiness anymore, I sent Sheila a single message on my mobile device.
“I’ll come visit when I have a day off.”
I don’t know why I sent such a message.
I guess my body and mind thought that’s what they should do.