A Heartfelt Message to My Best Friend, Dayana!

For Dayana, with love.

 

My dearest Dayana,

Meeting you in 2019 feels just like yesterday.

I still remember the first time I saw you—

in our dressmaking class, wearing that light blue striped polo dress,

your short hair, your quiet, shy presence.

Something in me said, “I want her to be my friend.”

I befriended your friends (our classmates) first to get closer to you.

And when we finally clicked, it felt so easy.

Milk tea dates after class—though I didn’t even like milk tea at first.

(It hurt my tummy, remember?)

It was you who introduced it to me.

We were in sync,

sometimes even unknowingly twinning our outfits—

like some kind of telepathy in styles.

Then the pandemic hit, and life stretched the distance.

Four years apart.

But when we finally saw each other again,

nothing had changed.

We travelled, and besides Hermann, you are my best travel buddy.

Sometimes we had weird trips that fit each other's souls.

swam in the shallow waters of Lapu-Lapu,

partied in Cebu City, and came home at 5:00 am,

and found joy in the simplicity of just being us.

Life, as it always does, happened.

I thought we would conquer Europe together.

And maybe we still will. Or maybe we won’t.

But just you know, I will be here.

I know it might take time before we travel together again.

Or maybe we never will.

But know this, Dayana:

I’m here.

Not to judge, just to listen.

Not to advise (because let’s be real—you don’t follow them anyway, haha),

but simply to be the friend who stays.

I’m gonna miss you.

But no matter how far or how long,

you’ll always have a home in me.

With love, always. _kenny🖤