Until We See Each Other Again

“Have you packed your things already, Mark? Make sure to bring extra jackets so you won’t catch a cold when December comes. Did you call Johnny?”

“Yes, mom. I’m still here until three days, okay? Don’t worry at all, I’ll be fine,” Mark answered, reassuring his mother with a warm smile.

“I don’t know, Mark. Do you really have to go abroad? You know it was hard for me to let your older brother go, and now here you are,” she started, taking a look at him from head to toe and vice versa, as if it’s the last day she will ever see her son again, “all grown up and already going to college.”

Mark can’t help but genuinely smile at his mom. As a single mom who raised two kids, he felt nothing but respect and admiration for his mother. Not a single moment did their mother complained about being tired or wanting to give up, but instead, used her loving sons as a motivation to work hard for them.

After his older brother, Johnny, went to college three years ago, it has always been Mark and his mother. It has always been his mom who cooks food for him; it has always been his mom who helps him with his homeworks; it has always been Mark who assists his mom when the water faucet leaks, it has always been Mark who accompanies his mom for grocery shopping. It has always been the two of them together.

And now, three years later after Johnny left, it is now Mark’s turn to leave. To be a foreigner in another country just to attain the quality education Mark wants is hard enough for him, but leaving everything in his hometown: his bedroom; his high school; his late-night sneak-outs with his childhood best friend, Sunny; his rooftop which he always climbs just to stargaze; and most importantly, his mother, is even harder for Mark.

Leaving may be a hard-to-swallow pill for both Mark and his mother, but they know it’s for the best.

***

It was a bright sunny Wednesday afternoon when Mark was just lying down on his bed, staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars at his ceiling that he and his best friend hung up when they were still toddlers, they can barely even touch the high ceiling back then, when he heard someone barging loudly in his room and closing the door with so much force.

“What are you doing all moping around in your room?! Stand up, Mark!” Sunny announced with so much volume that even the neighbors can hear what he’s saying.

“What do you want? It’s too hot to even do something,” Mark replied to his best friend.

“At least spend your last summer days with your best friend.” Sunny pouted and made a kicked-puppy look at Mark then he knows Mark can’t resist.

“Sorry, but thirteen years of friendship made me immune to your wicked ways of persuading me,” Mark threw a nearby pillow at Sunny, “let me be at peace.”

Sunny caught the pillow and threw it back at Mark, at which Mark just discarded back from where he got it from. “I’ll give you five minutes to mope.”

“Thank you for being considerate, my liege,” Mark says with a dramatic hand gesture.

“Of course, that’s what kings like me do.”

A heavy silence filled Mark’s room, but never awkward. Sunny has been a huge part of Mark and his family’s life. Sunny was the one who made Mark go out of his shell, who made Mark be confident with his skills and talents, who helped shape Mark into who he is today, and for that, Mark was always grateful for him. He sometimes helps Mark’s mom with household chores and cook dinner whenever Mark is late from school, which automatically made Sunny an honorary member of Mark’s family.

Sunny sat on Mark’s gaming chair while, like Mark, also staring at the stars at the ceiling. “That’s one strong of an adhesive, huh.”

“Huh?” Confusion evident in Mark’s voice.

“The stars. Didn’t we hang those up when I was six and you were seven? That’s like… ten years ago.” Sunny reminisced.

“And not even one star fell, considering that we can barely touch the ceiling before.” Mark chuckled as he remembered that Sunny climbed on his shoulders because Johnny refused to help two kids hang up glow-in-the-dark star stickers.

“Just like our friendship,” Sunny says, diverting his gaze from the ceiling to Mark, “strong.”

“Dude!” Mark threw another pillow again, “never knew you were sappy!”

Sunny caught the pillow again and just laughed loudly at Mark’s secondhand embarrassment. “But seriously though, are you done moping? Summer won’t be here for long, let’s have fun!”

Mark slowly got up from his bed, groaning, but Sunny was fast to grab a hold of his arm and pulled him away from the bed, and eventually went to the door’s direction.

“Wait! Let me change first,” Mark said as he was trying to free himself from the other’s hold.

“Faster, old man! I’ll wait for you downstairs,” was all what Sunny replied and exited the room.

***

It was fifteen minutes past three when they left Mark’s house. The heat was prickling through their skin yet Sunny looks unbothered and rather enjoying the summer afternoon heat, the rays of the sun reflect on his bronze tan skin that complimented his chestnut brown hair, which made him glow even brighter under the unmerciful dog days of summer. Lucky for Sunny though, his name literally means the sun. While Mark, on the other hand, is visibly annoyed by it and expressed his frustration through series of grunts and grumbles just to get his best friend’s attention.

“Can you stop it?” Sunny can’t hold it any longer.

“Stop what?”

“Whatever you’re doing!” he extended and flailed his arms up and down in front of Mark, gesturing Mark’s whole being, “I know you’re annoyed.”

“It’s just the heat.”

“At least show some enthusiasm to me, Mark. You only have three days left till you leave, I’m tryi-“

“I’m sorry.” Mark cut him off. “Yeah, you’re right, I’m sorry. I’m such a wuss for letting the heat get into my mind.”

Between the two of them, Mark is never the vocal one. Sunny is always the one who initiates conversation, the first one to ask the other what’s wrong, the first one to talk about his day and Mark just listens, replying only occasionally. Mark never minds it though, he appreciates that Sunny understands Mark’s lack of interest to engage in a conversation, yet never once did Mark find Sunny annoying or loud. Maybe sometimes, but not really, he got used to it.

“Treat me to ice cream, at least,” Sunny replied, with a sly smirk on his face.

“This was your plan all along,” Mark rolled his eyes, “to make me go out of my room just to treat you to ice cream.” But he got a smile plastered on his face.

“Of course, you’re my bank account, college boy.”

“What did I do in my past life to have someone like you?”

“Good things, I believe, Mark.”

***

Orange and pink tones painted the skies by the time they arrived at their favorite hangout place when they were kids, the playground. The heat is no longer searing off their skin but instead replaced the afternoon air with cool breeze to chill their heads and skin off that made the hair on their arms stand up. After walking around town, letting their feet and instincts lead them to places they know they had been since they were kids, while eating the ice cream Mark bought for the both of them, it made them feel exhausted.

It made Mark feel refreshed. Albeit the heat was scorching them, he felt otherwise. To have someone to talk to, aimlessly strolling the streets where they grew up in, passing teenagers who, just like them, are making the best out of their summer, makes Mark appreciate the simplest joys in life. Sunny need not to throw Mark a farewell party, but to accompany him during his last days in their hometown is more than enough for Mark.

When they sat by the swings in the playground, comfortable silence filled the air between them once again. No words are needed to be exchanged, but the presence alone of the other is enough for the both of them.

“Take care of mom while I’m gone, will you?” Mark, for the first time in his life, initiated the first conversation.

Sunny was taken aback by the sudden initiation, yet replied, “Of course, she’s like my second mom already.”

“Don’t miss me too much when I’m gone, okay?” Mark quipped.

“As if.”

***

Darkness gradually swallowed the whole sky and replaced the colorful hues of twilight with a gloomy atmosphere, preparing the moon for its nightly appearance. They decided to head back home.

The trip back home was chilly. If the scorching heat earlier was brutal, the chilly evening atmosphere is just as brutal too. Mark should know better and brought a jacket for them, but seeing Sunny being unbothered by it all convinced Mark that he should loosen up a little and appreciate what life has got to offer.

Live as if it’s the last dog days of summer you will ever experience. Live as if it’s the last chilliest night you’re ever going to encounter.

When they arrived at Mark’s home, his mother was waiting in their living room. “I’ve already set up dinner, Mark. Sunny, come eat with us too.”

“Oh, you know I will, auntie,” Sunny replied, smiling, as Mark was greeting his mother with a hug.

***

The dinner was surprisingly packed with noise even with just the three of them. Mark’s mom was relentlessly reminding Mark with his luggage, Mark politely answered and reassured his mom for the nth time not to worry at all, with Sunny’s voice in the background dramatically accusing Mark that he will eventually forget his best friend back home.

“I will never do that, Sun. You know it.”

It’s been a while since Mark has called him “Sun”, and the mention of the nickname quickly shut Sunny up.

Mrs. Valdez, Mark’s mom, changed the topic. “So Sunny, do you have any plans for college yet?”

“I still have to think about it, auntie. Besides, I still have one more year till college, hopefully I can decide by the time comes,” he replied.

“You know damn well mom that he’s indecisive. He can’t decide for himself and make me do it instead.” Mark interfered, by which he received a hit from the other. Mark just laughed it off.

When the dinner was finished, Sunny had gone back home, leaving Mark and his mom alone in their house again. “Did you have fun?” his mom asked.

“Yes, I did. I will surely miss moments like these,” Mark replied, downheartedness can be heard in his voice.

“You still have few days left, right? Go and have fun, Mark. Spend your remaining days with your friends.”

Mark has a lot of friends in their friend circle though, but nothing hits close to home for him as much as Sunny does. “But I’m fine spending it with you and Sunny though.”

“Is that so?”

Mark nodded.

“Then you better spend it wisely from now on, Mark.”

***

Mark indeed spent his last days with Sunny. They went into every carnival and amusement parks in their town, never letting one stall remain untouched. They also drove to the nearest beach during Mark’s final day in his hometown, and always end their day with an ice cream while strolling around directionless, letting the waves of life take them wherever it wants them to take.

To Mark, Sunny is as sultry as the dog days of summer. The human metaphor of the sun itself.

When Mark’s departure came, his friends texted him greetings of good luck and blessings, but it was only Sunny and his mom who went with him to the airport.

The airport terminal was naturally busy, with many people, tourists, and strangers carrying their luggage and suitcases coming in and leaving, each having different stories as to why they’re taking off. Mark’s story begins with his courage to fly off across thousands of miles away from his home for more opportunities for young dreamers like him, and ends with him being successful.

Before boarding to his plane, Mark looked back at his mother and his best friend, saying their last farewells to each other.

“Be careful out there, Mark. Don’t forget to call me once you’ve landed, okay? Also call your brother,” Mrs. Valdez says as she caressed his younger son’s cheeks.

“Of course, mom. Of course,” replied Mark, kissing his mom on the head while hugging her, “I’ll never forget to call.” Mark’s mom retracted from his embrace and stood a good few distance away to give Mark and Sunny space to talk.

“Just don’t forget me, that’s all. Don’t forget me when you meet new friends and you attend college parties and meet cooler people than me,” was all Sunny had to say.

“You’re the coolest person I know, though.”

“You’re only saying that ‘cause you spent your whole life with me,” Sunny says while hitting Mark on his arm.

“But for real though, I won’t forget you, Sun. Thirteen years of friendship is a hard one to top off.”

“Until we see each other again, Mark.”

“Until we see each other again, my full sun.”