When my best friend left Japan...

He left. This afternoon.

I accompanied him to the airport. Everything happened way too fast. We got there. He went to the check-in counter. The next minute we were outside the security check area. And he said he needed to get in there now because he was boarding in 30 minutes.

"What?" I was shocked. I thought we would have a little more time. "This is it?"

So we took picture, our "last" picture together. I hugged him. And then the tears, at that very moment, suddenly came out of nowhere. I didn't cry before until now. But when I hugged him, I just started crying, crying, and crying, and I couldn't stop. He was saying something trying to soothe me I suppose.

"We had a good time, didn't we? And you'll come visit. We'll see each other again. I'll see you around." etc, etc.

"Hey, look at me."

But I couldn't.

I continued sobbing for a while until I finally had to let go. Then I found out I left tear stains on his shirt (great)

Then he kissed me on the cheek. I kissed back.

"Is this really happening?" I remembered myself saying that.

I saw tears in his eyes too. Then he hugged me again.

But it's time to go...

I watched him walk pass through the security check. He turned around for the last time and waved at us. I was standing there with another friend, with tears trickling down my cheeks, tissue in my hand.

I was still standing there for a while after he went in. Then my friend and I decided to go find something to eat. By the time we finished, it was almost 1. His flight was leaving at 1.15 PM, so I asked my friend to go to the sky deck and watch the plane take off. This is one cool part of Nagoya Chubu Centrair airport. There is a wide outdoor area on second floor where you can see all the planes coming and taking off.

So we went up there. There weren't many planes this afternoon. We could spot Delta plane quite easily. And we were there watching it until it started moving. We walked to the end of the deck and finally saw it took off.

When I saw that, tears started rolling down my cheeks again.

もう本当に行っちゃったか・・・ (So he really left now...) I told my friend.

I stood there for a little while, until I finally turned around and walked back inside the building.

And we took the train back to our dorm.

Yeah, this is it. He's gone.

I felt numb. The whole thing was surreal, it still is surreal to me.

He's right though. We had a good time. It's been great.

My dearest friend, Thank you...for everything. You're my first friend in Nagoya and my best friend in the end. I'll truly miss you...