The Pen That Changed My Life - Chapter 25 – The Waiting Bench

7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4te5gErhfD

The days grew colder.

Winter was slowly making its way into our city.

The mornings were wrapped in a thin layer of fog, and many students arrived at school rubbing their hands together to keep warm.

I reached my classroom a little later than usual.

Narin wasn't there.

That was unusual.

He was almost always one of the first to arrive.

I placed my bag on my chair and looked toward his desk.

Empty.

"He's absent today?" I quietly wondered.

The first bell rang.

Still no Narin.

Just as our teacher was about to begin the lesson, the classroom door opened.

"I'm sorry, sir."

Narin stood at the entrance, breathing heavily.

His hair was messy, and he looked as though he had run all the way to school.

The teacher looked at him over his glasses.

"Late again?"

"It won't happen again, sir."

"It always won't happen again."

The class laughed.

"Go to your seat."

"Yes, sir."

As he walked past my desk, he looked at me and smiled apologetically.

I gave him a small nod before returning my attention to the lesson.

During recess, I found him sitting alone on a bench near the old mango tree.

It was strange.

Usually he was surrounded by friends.

I walked over.

"Can I sit?"

He looked up, surprised.

"Of course."

For a few moments, neither of us spoke.

"You were late today."

He sighed.

"My alarm didn't ring."

"Or you turned it off."

He laughed.

"...Maybe."

I smiled.

"I knew it."

He leaned back against the bench.

"My mother had to wake me up."

"So that's why you were running."

"Exactly."

He looked at me curiously.

"You noticed I wasn't here this morning."

I blinked.

"I..."

"You looked at my desk."

I looked away.

"I was just wondering."

A grin slowly spread across his face.

"So you noticed."

"I notice when anyone is absent."

"Really?"

"...Mostly."

He laughed.

"I'll accept that answer."

The bell rang, signaling the end of recess.

Students began walking back toward their classrooms.

As we stood up, Narin suddenly stopped.

"Wait."

He bent down and picked something up from the ground.

A small silver keychain.

It had fallen from my school bag without me realizing it.

"You dropped this."

I looked at my bag.

"I didn't even notice."

"I know."

He handed it back to me.

"You should be more careful."

I smiled.

"And you should wake up on time."

"Fair enough."

We both laughed.

As we walked back toward the classroom, I realized something.

Without trying...

We had started looking out for each other.

He noticed the things I missed.

And somehow...

I had begun noticing the little things about him too.

Neither of us spoke about it.

We didn't have to.

Sometimes friendship wasn't built through grand moments.

Sometimes it grew quietly...

One ordinary day at a time.7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfpIO3pl4I

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