This is inspired by real events.

Three years ago, my best friend and I went to a ghost city.

It was post-pandemic, but reminders were still everywhere to be cautious in public, or to avoid going out unless absolutely necessary.

Still, my college best friends and I were eager to see each other again.

After years of being cooped up at home, we decided to meet at the mall for a small get-together to catch up and talk about the upcoming bar exam.

I was younger then, unsure if I was doing the right thing, still trying to understand myself.

A lot had changed in how we looked—some of us had darker skin, others had lost weight, while a few had gained some.

But I remained the same.

The way we greeted each other hadn’t changed...