I could feel my lungs on fire as I raced against time to see you. The roads seemed to stretch the longer I ran, as if it were cruelly taunting me. The glare of the afternoon sun didn’t help the situation either. Not even a gust of wind blew out of mercy.

When my legs eventually gave way, I sat by the pavement, trying to catch my breath. On my left, downtown was already in sight—but I could only run so much before you would have already boarded the plane by the time I arrived. I reached into my pocket in hopes of finding loose change, only to miraculously find bills and a note from my older sister, Claudia. 

“For when you make the decision to go,” the note read. 

Snippets of what had just happened an hour ago replayed in my head. The pep talk Claudia gave me. The grand realization that I had been denying everything I had been feeling all along about you. And remembering everything about us, friends who literally grew up together and have been through each other’s best and worst times. 

Now that you were leaving for uni, even for good, I realized I never gave you the time to talk—it was always me who did. Being the gentleman you were, you simply listened. 

And there I was, already having hailed a taxi on the way to you. I had about two hours left before you’d board the plane, yet for each stoplight, I began to feel the time slip away too quickly. 

My lungs still stung, but the sensation was slowly being eclipsed by the continuous pounding of my chest, heavier with each beat. My mind was a mush of words as I tried to scramble what I wanted to say to you once we met. 

I was a sweaty and nervous mess by the time I finally arrived. I hurriedly made my way inside the airport lobby, filled with people who were out and about—from families going on vacation to businessmen heading out on work trips. The signal jammer crushed any chance for me to call or even send messages as a last resort.

I pushed through the throng, heading for the check-in counter. No sign of you there. I feared you might have already gone through immigration—a place beyond reach for me. 

Thankfully, I found a seat by the waiting area, as I began people-watching in hopes of finding your face among waves of transient crowds. I began to lose hope. Ten minutes passed, nothing. 

Another ten—nothing.

Tears swelled in my eyes, of regret and guilt for acting too late. Sure, I could have just messaged you from the start, but it would have never been the same. You were always the type of person who valued resolving problems in person, and the sudden thought of us drifting apart burdened me. 

I hated the thought of you merely becoming a distant memory. 

While I bowed my head in shame, I saw a familiar pair of brown hiking boots stop in front of me. The shoelace charms I bought were still there, albeit old and faded. 

I looked up. It was you. 

Without skipping another beat, I leaped up and hugged you tightly, unwilling to let go. I dug my face into your chest as my tears fell freely.

“Wha—” You stuttered, confused. “What are you doing here?”

In between sobs, ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘I love you’ were the only things I could muster the courage to say. Any other words, in that very moment, were all pointless. Everything around us seemed to hush, as though the universe gave us all the time in the world to connect our souls. 

“Hey, hey. I love you too,” you cooed. “You know I do, from the very start.” 

“I hate to see you go,” I grumbled, my head still on your chest. “Stay, please?”

“If I could,” you chuckled. “I’ll be back, okay? I’ll keep in touch while I’m away.” 

All I could hear was our heartbeats in sync. I took in the warmth of your embrace as the world continued to pass us by in silence. Time slowed to a halt, and each moment in your arms felt like heaven.

Watching you leave and head towards your future left a bittersweet tinge in me. While it took forever for me to realize what I felt, one thing’s for certain—nobody’s really too late for anything. 

One step out of the airport.

And one day at a time, I guess.