Everywhere With You

Archive description

Chapter 5: The Decision

♥ 0

Chapter 5: The Decision

"Sometimes letting go doesn't mean you've stopped loving someone. Sometimes it simply means believing they deserve to move forward."
Night had settled quietly over Bangkok. Boom returned to his apartment after a long day filled with interviews, photoshoots, and meetings. The moment he closed the door, silence welcomed him once again.
He took off his shoes, placed his keys on the table, and stood there for several seconds. The apartment had never felt so quiet. Or perhaps... for the first time, he had stopped expecting to hear a voice that was no longer there.
He walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. His phone vibrated—a work notification. He ignored it. Almost instinctively, he opened another conversation: Smart.

The last time they had spoken was six months ago. They hadn't ended things with an argument; no harsh words had been exchanged. They had simply... stopped talking.

Boom rested his phone on the counter. He typed a sentence, deleted it. Typed another, deleted that one too. After several attempts, he took a deep breath and finally wrote:
I've been thinking about putting the apartment up for sale.

He stared at the screen for a few more seconds, then added another line:
Legally, the decision is mine to make... but it was your home too. I didn't want to do it without letting you know first.

He read the message one last time before pressing send. As soon as it disappeared from the screen, an emptiness settled inside his chest, as though, somehow... he had just said goodbye all over again.

Across the city, Smart had just walked out of a meeting. A folder still rested on the conference table; inside was an offer for an international project—two months working overseas, an opportunity that could change his career.

"We'll need your answer within the next few days," the director had said. Smart nodded politely. "I'll think about it."

As he walked down the hallway, his phone vibrated. He looked at the screen: Boom.
Without realizing it, he smiled. He opened the message immediately, read it once, then again. The smile slowly faded. For several long moments, he didn't move.

Maybe... this was Boom's way of telling him he was finally ready to move on. And perhaps... he had no right to stand in his way.

He unlocked his phone. There were so many things he wanted to say. He wanted to ask how Boom had been, tell him he still remembered every corner of that apartment, and admit that, even after moving out, it was still the only place that had ever truly felt like home.

But he deleted every word. In the end, he simply replied:
Thank you for telling me.
A moment later, he added:
If you believe it's for the best... then go ahead.

Boom read the reply only a few minutes later. A sad smile appeared on his face.
"So..." he whispered. "You're ready to let it go too."
Then he locked his phone. Neither of them knew... that the other still felt exactly the same.
That same night, Smart made his decision. He called the number the company had given him after the meeting.

"This is Smart."
"Have you made a decision about the project?"
Smart looked out the window. Bangkok's lights shimmered beneath the night sky. He took a slow breath. "...Yes. I'll take it."

The weeks passed quietly. Smart left Thailand to begin the overseas project, while Boom buried himself in work—interviews, rehearsals, flights—trying to fill the silence with an increasingly crowded schedule. Two weeks later, Boom received a call from the real estate agency.

"Mr. Boom, I'm happy to let you know that we've found a buyer for the apartment."
Boom remained silent for a few seconds. The moment had finally arrived. "Perfect."
"The buyer has only one request. You may take a few days to remove anything that's still inside." "Thank you."

As soon as he ended the call, he reopened his conversation with Smart. He typed:
We found a buyer. There are still a few things left in the apartment. I thought maybe we could go pack them together whenever you have time.

He pressed send. He waited. No reply. He tried calling; the call went unanswered. He assumed Smart was busy. The next day, he tried again, but the result was exactly the same.

After hesitating for a few minutes, Boom opened another conversation—with a mutual friend they both remained close to.

Hey... have you talked to Smart recently? I've been trying to reach him, but he hasn't answered. The reply came a few minutes later: Wait... you didn't know?
Boom frowned: Know what?

He left the country a few days ago for a project. He'll be overseas for a while.
Boom read the message twice. He didn't ask which country, nor how long Smart would be gone. He simply replied: Thanks... I didn't know.

He slowly put his phone away. And for the first time... he realized he would have to walk back into the apartment alone.

He had no idea... that when he crossed that doorway one last time... he wouldn't just be packing away a chapter of his life.

Something was still waiting for him. Something that had been quietly waiting... all this time.

End of Chapter Five