Wish

It's been twelve years since we met and finally, we're parting our separate ways. I won't say anything beautiful, because in reality, I really want to cry. The two of us fell apart over something so simple. Whether it was idiocy or just human sensitivity, I never wanted it to end that way. Sitting there in the uncomfortable seats with the sun that shined on us, waiting for them to call our names, wearing our caps and gown in all our glory - that was the day we had waited for. When we were in our freshman year, we made a promise that we'll get through everything together. When remembering those days, I would laugh and smile; such empty promises reminded me of bittersweet memories.

I walked up there and shook the teacher's hand. I was not especially proud, happy, nor sad. I only had one thing on my mind. How would I do it - the present which I wanted to give you that I prepared since the end of our junior year? Do you remember how we just broke it off so suddenly? Nobody knew about it. I guess you didn't want to talk about it as much as I did. Even though it's been days and months since we spoke, I still believed in you.

The graduation gift - a thousand cranes made with an array of colors that would bring the person happiness and to the person who folded it, a wish. I had a lot of things that I wanted, but I only had one wish. That wish has never changed.

After the graduation ceremony, I'm the only one lost in the crowd while everyone else is running to greet their family and friends, taking pictures, making the night as memorable as possible. I walked towards the back in order to pick up my diploma, still holding the gift that I wanted to give to you.

When I turned around, I ran into one of our friends, whom you were with. In the large group, she spoke excitedly, while hugging me.

She proposed, "We should all take a group picture together!" A few other girls were agreed. Thinking that we were still friends, they put the two of us in the middle. Everybody handed their cameras to the person who would take the photo; I also willingly gave up my camera. After that photo, the group exchanged several excited remarks while the two of us just listened in. At that time, I really wanted to say something, but instead of saying anything, I merely handed you the stringed cranes with a letter attached. You took it without saying anything, our eyes still not meeting.

After the graduation ceremony, I wonder what you thought about the letter. Everything in it was an explanation for the misunderstanding that caused us to fall apart. In that letter, I said the things that I wanted to say the most, but couldn't voice out:

Two winters ago, I remember you told me that you wanted me to explain myself, but rather than doing that, I gave up. It's a bit too late to change anything with my explanation and I'm not sure if you really want to hear it, but I want to be able to say it properly now. In reality, it was a simple misunderstanding that he didn't hear everything I said. It's true that I heard from someone that she thought he and I were dating, but I never said that it was from you. I don't know where he got that, and whether you want to believe me or not will be up to you. I'm not asking for a change, so I'm not hoping for a lot.

Do you know the story of Sadako and the Thousand Cranes? She was ill with cancer after World War II and she was sat in the hospital waiting to die. The doctors didn't have a cure for her. Her best friend and her family visited her very often and brought her paper so she could fold paper cranes to cast a wish for a miracle; a miracle for her to get better and stay alive. Due to the lack of paper, though, she only folded approximately seven hundred cranes. She died with her wish never being fulfilled. In the modern day, one thousand cranes are said to bring a person peace and happiness and for a person who folds it, a wish. I don't know whether you will find happiness or not, but I hope that happiness finds you. On every single crane that I folded, I recalled the different memories that we had together - good or bad. The different colors represent our time spent together - times that I know won't be replaced by any other. I made a wish on these cranes, but only time will tell whether or not it is granted.

In the next ten years, I want to become a wonderful person who is worthy of your friendship. One day, I want to be able to see you again and show you the new person I became. Perhaps we can even become friends again. In another time, another life, maybe we would have been better friends together. If I run into you in the streets three times by coincidence, I want to believe it is destiny. In the future, no matter how far off, I want to be able to see you again.

This is the last thing I'm going to do for your sake...is that ok?

Looking back now, it felt like it was only yesterday that we graduated. Today in the evening will be our high school reunion. I pick up my keys right next to that photo that we took ten years ago at the graduation - I haven't forgotten you, not even for a day. I have never forgotten that wish I made upon the thousand cranes and sometimes when I'm not thinking about the bills or the stress of work, I would remember it and wonder how you are doing. As I drove to the reunion to see everybody from ten years ago, I recalled how we spoke about it in our freshman year.

When I arrived at the reception desk, I saw you far away in the middle of the room with a group of our old friends. At that moment, I knew that the wish I had caste had been granted. There was no doubt that there was happiness in your life, whether you had found it or it found you. To me, it doesn't matter as long as you're happy, even if I'm not apart of it. And that was the wish that I made upon the thousand cranes: I wished for your happiness always.