It Should Have Been Like This (The Revised Version)

Chapter 35: Redemption

A wistful smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I gazed up at the night sky, feeling the cool breeze caress my skin. Ferris had brought me to our special place, a secluded corner of the park that had become a sanctuary for our group of friends.

This was where Ferris and I had first discovered the spot, and we had later shared it with the rest of the guys, transforming it into our own private haven. The memories of the countless hours we had spent here, laughing and sharing our dreams, welled up within me, causing a prickling sensation behind my eyes.

"Here, I found it in my car!" Ferris exclaimed excitedly, stretching out a can of soda towards me. I quirked a brow at him, a hint of amusement playing on my features.

"What? How long has that been in your car?" I asked, unable to resist the urge to tease him.

Ferris bit his lip, his gaze shifting upward as he pensively counted on his fingers. "Erm... yes! That time Link and I went to a basketball game!" he declared, his eyes lighting up with the excitement.

I couldn't help but facepalm at his response. "And when was that?" I pressed, watching as he continued his mental calculations.

"I don't remember... four months! That's it!" Ferris proclaimed, a proud grin spreading across his face.

I eyed the can in Ferris's hand with a skeptical gaze. "There's no way I'm drinking that. You left it in your car for four months, and now you want me to drink it?" I asked, my lips curling in distaste.

Ferris furrowed his brow, seemingly perplexed by my reaction. "What's wrong with drinking it?" he inquired, his tone laced with innocence.

Stroking my chin in a feign contemplative gesture, I responded, "Let's see-you probably found it under your car seat, it's warm, and it's covered in bacteria. Sorry, honey, but there's no way I'm drinking that... that disease!" I emphasized, shuddering slightly. "I'll stick to swallowing my own saliva, thank you very much," I added, rolling my eyes.

Ferris let out a good-natured chuckle and plopped down beside me on the weathered park bench, nestled under the sprawling branches of a towering tree whose species I couldn't quite recall. "Still a clean freak, I see," he remarked, shrugging nonchalantly before taking a long, loud gulp of the questionable beverage.

I shifted away from him, wrinkling my nose in disgust. As much as I adored Ferris and his endearing eccentricities, his carefree attitude towards cleanliness could be, at times, quite exasperating.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep, steadying breath, allowing the soothing sounds of the park to envelop me. The melodic chirping of birds mingled with the gentle rustling of leaves and the whisper of the breeze, and I felt a sense of peace wash over me - a rare respite from the relentless turmoil that had consumed my mind and heart since that fateful, hideous day.

Just as I was beginning to slip into a serene state of tranquility, Ferris's loud gulping shattered the idyllic moment, and I couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Perhaps there was no escaping his vibrant, often disruptive presence, I mused, as I steeled myself to re-engage with my dear, if somewhat unconventional, friend.

I slowly opened my eyes and turned my head to face Ferris. He was leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees, the two drinks in his hands dangling between his widely parted legs.

"We searched for you," Ferris said, his voice heavy with regret.

I furrowed my brow, my gaze searching his face. "Huh?"

Ferris sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging with the weight of his words. "The guys and I, we searched for you. We knew it would happen, we waited for it to happen so we could get you away from him. I don't know how we didn't see it on time, but by the time we did, it was too late and you were gone." His eyes glistened with unshed tears. "We looked everywhere until we found out you... you killed yourself because you had no one. It hurts us so much that we couldn't get to you on time to protect you. Lavender, I'm sorry, I'm sorry we failed you-"