Pain to Happiness

January 1994

Jack: At least you let me in. John was kind of pissed cos’ you insisted not to let him in yesterday.
Joe: … … I wasn’t ready yesterday.
Jack: Wasn’t ready?
Joe: … …
Jack: Sigh~~~ Forget it. How’s everything today? Going to school tomorrow?
Joe: … …
Jack: Everyone wanna see you. They want to know how you’re doing now.
Joe: School… … Sigh~~~ I don’t like it when they start to ask how have I been, where have I been.
Jack: Ha! That’s becos’ they care about you man, you should be happy for that.
Joe: … … But not she… …
Jack: … … I don’t know man, but she must be a very great person cos’ you’re still remembering her by this hour.
Joe: … … She’s the only best thing ever happen to me.
Jack: But not anymore…
Joe: … …
Jack: You have to stop lying on your bed all the time or staring at the sky for no reason.
Joe: I know! But I’m seriously in pain now! It’s very painful… …
Jack: Tell me, out of 10 times going out with her, how many time do you think that you were able to make her really happy? I mean “really” happy.
Joe: … … I don’t know… 5 times? ...
Jack: Great, now you finally know that you’re not good enough for her. At least that’s the reason why you’re in pain now. Next time, when you’re dating another girl, try to make 9 or 10.
Joe: … …
Jack: Come to school, you have a lotta frens waiting to ease your pain. At least that I can promise of. And I’m sure you’ll find your happiness sooner or later, cos’ the trick is that you have to be happy first.
Joe: … … Sigh~~~ why must pain’s the only way to happiness?
Jack: … …

Jack didn’t answer that question. 2 days later, Joe was seen in the school again. But Jack was still thinking in his heart, “why must pain’s the only way to happiness?”

(Joe is now having a relationship with the same girl again, after a year of separation. Perhaps he has already found out the meaning of the question he asked that day.)