WHEN YOU HAVE GOOD IT WELL END UP BAD

Hi, I'm Tori—not my real name, but it suits me. This is the story of how my best friend, who I had a crush on, became a stranger.

It all started back in 2017. I was in the second grade when I met a girl named Miyuki. She was my first ever crush. Her eyes, hair, and mouth were very cute, and she was friendly and humble too. At that age, I never tried to talk to her much; I was just a kid and didn't think about crushes seriously.

A year later, I started talking to her, but only when necessary. Our classroom was divided into four rows of tables, and Miyuki and I were both in the third row. Every Wednesday, our row was responsible for watering the plants behind our classroom. Sometimes we talked, but not much.

In the fourth grade, something happened that brought us closer. We had a seating arrangement by surname, so I was in the front left, and Miyuki was at the back right. Her seatmate was a boy named Rei, who was smart, handsome, and good at everything. Rei and Miyuki had some sort of disagreement, and our teacher decided to move Miyuki to the empty seat next to me.

Our teacher said, "Tori, you won't make her cry too, will you?" I assured her I wouldn't, and from that day, Miyuki sat by my side. My little crush from second grade grew stronger. We talked more and even hung out during recess.

Rei was also my friend, and he had a crush on Miyuki too. But unlike Rei, who was smart and popular, I felt like just a regular boy. Eventually, Rei and I had a falling out—not just over Miyuki, but also because he backstabbed me with other friends. I asked him to mend our friendship, but he didn't care. We never talked again after that.

One day, when our teacher was absent, Rei wanted to fight me. He had his cousin, a third-grader, and a friend with him. I just wanted to run, but Miyuki was scared. She grabbed my hand, and we hid in the girls' bathroom in another building. I went back to our classroom to find another teacher. Rei's friend punched me in the stomach, but eventually, I found help, and they got Miyuki out safely. After that, I never spoke to Rei again.

The pandemic hit, and two years passed. By sixth grade, Rei and I were strangers, but Miyuki and I grew closer. We formed a group of five friends: Miyuki, Aya (Miyuki's best friend), Kumi (a new transfer student), Yumi (my friend since fourth grade), and me. We hung out all the time. Despite being the only boy, I didn't mind. Our group was tight-knit, but like all friends, we had our fights. Eventually, I suggested cutting myself off from the group to avoid more drama. Miyuki and Aya followed, and we became a trio.

We spent our days hanging out at the market, the plaza, or each other's houses. Our friendship was strong, but as graduation approached, things began to change.

In high school, there were three sections, and I was in the third, not being the smartest. Aya was with me, but Miyuki was in the second section. We hung out less often. One event required us to form duos, and I was paired with Hana, while Miyuki was paired with Toru. Miyuki suggested we practice at her house, so I spent a lot of time there, growing closer to her.

One night, Aya invited us to her sister's 18th birthday party. I dressed my best and went with Miyuki and DJ, Aya's future boyfriend and my best friend during the pandemic. At the party, I got jealous seeing Miyuki and DJ together, but I brushed it off.

After the party, Miyuki and I walked back to her house in the dark. She suggested we go to her room and rest. We spent hours talking, laughing, and taking videos. Those moments felt like the best of my life.

But in the fourth quarter of my first year, Miyuki got a boyfriend. I found out through Aya, and it broke my heart. From that day, I never spoke to Miyuki. Now, in 2024, we are third years, and it's still awkward. I poured my energy into studying and achieved academic success, but the memories of Miyuki and our time together remain.

This story is real, not just a fairy tale. Our videos are the memories I cherish.