Goodbye To Childhood Friends

Nishi and Akinari sifted through piles of miscellaneous clothes and trinkets. A bittersweet aura that hung in the air as they prepared to say their final goodbyes. Akinari and Minami would soon be leaving for college, leaving Nishi and Tan-Tan behind in the dull countryside of Hokkaido.

"Hey, I remember this. When I first moved here from Korea, you and I would play with this Gigaman figure like it was some kind of holy grail."
Nishi chuckled as he pulled the dusty toy from its box.

"That brings back memories. I remember when Minami broke the head off and cried about it until your mom glued it back together."
Akinari pointed at the glue markings surrounding the figure's head.

"The tough girl who fought off bullies, but cried when her favorite toy broke. I'm going to miss the hell out of that girl."
Nishi's eyes focused on a portrait of Akinari and Minami when they were children, studying the bright eyed girl who made his youthful days so memorable.

"Stop saying it like that. We'll be back in four years, and we always have each other's numbers. Tokyo isn't that far when we have bullet trains."
Akinari placed his hand over his eyes, trying his best to hide the tears spilling down his cheeks.

Nishi covered his own eyes, sniffling softly.
"Right... what the heck? This is so uncool of us!"

Akinari let out a strangled cackle, wiping his eyes with the back of his hands.
"For real! We're a bunch of freaking babies!"

"God damn it, Aki, look what you made us do. If you don't achieve your dreams, I'm going to kick your ass when you come back!"
Nishi wrapped his arm around Akinari's shoulder, not bothering to cover his wet eyes anymore. Akinari wrapped his own arms around his friend in return, savoring the moment of friendship while he still had the chance.

Inside Minami's house, Tan-Tan was bawling her eyes out; she cried harder every time Minami said the word "leave."

"Tan-Tan-chan, please, don't cry. Aki and I will be back home for the holidays."
Minami wrapped her arms around the sobbing girl, finding it more challenging to keep her own emotions in check.

"I know, Minami-chan. But I'm going to miss you so much! You're my first female friend that I've ever gotten this close to before!"
Tan-Tan emptied her nostrils all over Minami's shirt.

"Ew, you're getting snot all over my shirt! Stop looking so adorable, or I'm going to cry too... too... waaahh!"
The floodgates had burst, and Minami's room became a hazard zone for rapidly spilling tears. The girls held each other for an obscene amount of time, not daring to let go for even a moment.

"Minami-chan... Nishi-senpai and I are going to make the best manga ever! Every time you buy a J-Fantasy magazine in Tokyo, you'll see how amazing we have become."
Tan-Tan pulled her head back, allowing Minami to see the fire of pure determination in her eyes.

"Right! Don't ever give up on writing manga, Tan-Tan-chan! Aki and I will tell all of our new classmates about Makeinu no Tōboe! When we come back from college, let's throw the biggest party the manga club has ever had!"
Minami pumped her fist high in the air, setting a new goal to help persuade them to work their butts off over the next four years.

Nishi and Tan-Tan found each other at the train station moments after their emotional departure from their friends. The two silently nodded to each other, implying that they would be spending the night at Nishi's house again, as neither of them felt like being alone tonight. They walked side by side in pure silence, holding each other's hands tightly.

Nishi climbed into his bed, motioning for Tan-Tan to follow suit. Once she did, they wrapped their arms around each other, enjoying the moment of much needed intimacy. Nishi was the first to break the silence.
"How did it go at Minami's?"

Tan-Tan buried her face deeper into Nishi's chest, letting out a pained whimper of sorrow.
"Good... I'm going to miss her."

"Yeah, me too. Aki had me crying my eyes out like a little kid."
Nishi began stroking his girlfriend's petite back.

"You three have graduated... but I'm still stuck in high school. I'm not even sure what to do with myself."
Tan-Tan focused her eyes on the ceiling, watching Nishi's fan swirl around in a trance.

"There's only one thing you can do, Tan-Tan. You have to become president of the manga club alongside Meguro-kun."
Nishi gently pressed Tan-Tan's nose, attempting to lighten the mood.

"I forgot about the manga club! I just assumed it would be disbanded without three members."
She sat up in Nishi's bed, furrowing her brow in concentration.

Nishi let out a loud chuckle, propping his weight up on his elbow.
"I'm sure you'll find a bunch of eager members. Now that you're a manga author, and have worked with the soon-to-be famous Kuromoto Nishi, I bet the applications will flood in like crazy. Plus, you still have Meguro-kun as your friend, I'm sure it won't get lonely."

Tan-Tan's smile lit up the entire room. It was bright and full of hope.
"You're right, Nishi-senpai! Thank you!"

"Tan-Tan, you don't have to call me senpai anymore. I'm graduated, just call me Nishi... or Nam-sun."
He adjusted his glasses to hide his flushed cheeks.

"Nishi... sen...pai..."
Tan-Tan closed her eyes in frustration.

"You're saying senpai, again!"

"Hang on! Nishi... sen... Gah! Nishi, Nishi, Nishi!"
She panted heavily from her forceful restraint.

Nishi raised an eyebrow as Tan-Tan stood up from the bed. He studied her body for a long while, trying to figure out what was so different about her.
"Tan-Tan... did you get a haircut or something?"

She shook her head.
"No, I haven't cut my hair in quite some time."

Nishi stood up, positioning himself directly in front of her. He bent his posture forward as he examined Tan-Tan; his eyes narrow and intense.

"What?! Stop looking at me like that, Nishi!"
She covered her red cheeks with her palms.

"Tan-Tan... have you... gotten taller?"
Nishi's eyes widened at his own words, realizing that she may have actually grown over this past year. He couldn't believe he had been so caught up in making manga that he hadn't noticed his own girlfriend's body changing before him.
"And a little... curvier?"

*Slap!*

"Nishi, you shouldn't talk about a girl's figure like that!"
Tan-Tan held her fist near his head, ready to deliver another blow to Nishi if he made another lewd remark.

"Ouch! I'm being serious! I think you've gotten taller. Not to mention, your hips are looking a bit... curv-"

*Slap, slap, slap!*

"Do you really think I've gotten taller, Nishi?"
Tan-Tan wriggled with excitement as if she hadn't just silenced her boyfriend with dozens of blows to his head.

"Yeah... but man, that hurt."
Nishi rubbed his cheek where he had endured four hard slaps.
"Go get my tape measure, Tan-Tan."

Tan-Tan returned from downstairs a few moments later, eagerly handing Nishi a tape measure, and pressing her back against it as she stood up straight.
"What does it say, Nishi?"

Nishi blinked, rubbed his eyes, then gasped.
"Tan-Tan! You're four-feet-six-inches! You grew two inches!"
He could hardly contain his excitement, practically body slamming the small girl onto his bed to smother her face in kisses.

She squealed with delight, loving the feeling of Nishi's lips caressing her cheeks and neck.
"I grew taller! I actually grew taller! In your face, genetics!"

Nishi pinned her to the bed, eagerly rocking her back and forth.
"This calls for celebration!"

Tan-Tan blushed at the intimate position, shifting around to get comfortable.
"Nishi... what's with that look in your eyes. I told you, we have to get married first!"

He leaned closer, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. She couldn't help but melt into the moment, savoring the feeling of being praised through love.

"Screw marriage. Let's celebrate!"
Nishi knew immediately he was in for another scolding. He prepared his cheek for her, positioning it perfectly within range. At least, he tried.
*SLAP!*