“You see, I really don't know how I'll be able to not get lost without you”, I said.

“Come on, think of it as a new start! You'll be able to learn new things, make new friends…”

“Well yeah, that's the worst part.”

Ribbon-chan and I have been together for as long as I can remember. It was really hard for me to think that we would have to part ways when going to University, but I guess this is something that happens to everyone here…

“I mean, would you rather have stayed a high-schooler forever?”, retorted Ribbon-chan.

“No, absolutely not!” I replied, “Especially not at our old school. I swear, sometimes it's like I saw demons in the halls…”

“It wasn't all that bad! Although… I guess it wasn't all too great either. Thinking back on it, we weren't even together a lot these past few years.”

What she said really shook me, as she had never brought it up before. But it was true, I knew that for sure, as in contrary to her, I had thought about it a lot. Throughout all of high-school, we only seemed to be drifting more and more apart. Not only were we in rival clubs (The literature club really did not mix well with the manga club…), but Ribbon-chan, while probably not intentionally, continued to put me aside. Still, knowing she was relatively close to me, even if just physically, gave a sense of familiarity to school, and even with the distance she was still my greatest friend, so I was fine with giving her some space for herself for once. And it is not like we never talked, we would call each other from time to time. As for me, I have never been the luckiest with making friends, so I kind of just watched from afar. I am probably more suited for a solitary lifestyle, or at least that's what I tell myself.

“Hello? Heeelloooo? Are you daydreaming again? Did you spend all night writing an essay about a random thing that picked your interest again?”

I let out a weird sound as Ribbon-chan brought me back to reality. “Fwegh?! I-I mean, it's not like I do this THAT often…”

“Come on, what was it last time… Something about ghosts?”

“T-That was three years ago! I've grown out of that since then!” I quickly answered, while flipping around a big pile of research papers. “E-Either way, I guess you're right, we should probably go rest now. I don't want to be out of it on our first big day.”

“Alrighty! Though be sure to send me what you wrote, it's always interesting to read~ Goodnight!”

“KH, I TOLD YOU I- Nevermind, goodnight Ribbon-chan, take care.” I mumbled right before rapidly clicking the Hang-Up button.

Ribbon-chan still really knows me well does she not… Maybe I was the coward who started begrudgingly avoiding her…

Tomorrow was our first day in University, different ones at that. But I will try to make the most of it.

A new place, a new life, a new story.
Yet, I still find my heart tied in a knot.
The past cannot change, but that does not mean the future will not.

I hoped this poem born from my spontaneous midnight motivation would carry me through the day.