So two of my friends are gone.

They left here in the morning so as to catch the plane at one.

Went to see them before they headed to the airport. It didn't feel real to have two of my closest friends leaving. Talking with them, I found myself trying to squeeze out whatever came thru my mind to avoid "topic depletion." Frankly, I didn't know what to do or what to say. Content of the conversation concerns me not, but it's the extra time spending with them that I value.

The hardest thing was to hug them goodbye. Hugging is mostly natural for us as we always hug when seeing each other. But it just feels weird to have a goodbye hug today. I quickly gave them hugs, turned on my back, took out my keys, and headed to the residence entrance. I insisted not turning back my head 'cause I didn't even want them to see me. I knew it- I knew I couldn't hold on my calmness. Not long after I gave them hugs, I went back to the residence with Je Young. Eyes welled up.

I used to wonder why such intimate action as hugging does not allow the two people to see each other. I now have a clue.


However affectionate the two people can feel when hugging, they can never see each other's face. It's the only way that friends feel and enjoy the moment of intimacy without sharing the depths of hearts.


It is this tension of closeness and distance where the mystery lies.


Perhaps this act of hugging is meant to be the best way to say farewell with friends.