Monkey Jobi had never felt loneliness until the day he learned his best friend, Puppy, would be leaving the forest. Jobi and Puppy had grown up together—chasing butterflies in the meadow, splashing in the river, and sharing snacks under the wide banana trees. They were an unlikely pair, but everyone who watched them play understood that their bond was something special. Their laughter echoed through the forest every day, and wherever one went, the other followed.
But that morning, the forest felt different. The breeze was too quiet, the sunlight too soft, and Jobi’s little monkey heart felt heavier than ever. Puppy sat beside him, tail still, ears slightly drooped. Puppy didn’t want to leave either, but his family had decided it was time to move to another valley far away. Jobi tried to stay brave, but every time he looked at Puppy’s big brown eyes, the tears came rushing back.
“Puppy, please don’t go,” Jobi whispered as he wrapped his tiny arms around his friend’s neck. Puppy nuzzled him gently, letting out a small whimper. They sat like that for a long moment, not wanting to let go, hoping time would stop for just a little while.
Jobi remembered the first time they met—how Puppy had wandered into the forest lost and scared, and how Jobi had offered him a banana to cheer him up. Ever since that day, they had been inseparable. They had protected each other, learned from each other, and even argued like siblings sometimes. But they always made up, because nothing could break the friendship they shared.
As the sun began to set, Puppy’s family called for him. Jobi’s heart tightened. He tried smiling, but it trembled on his face. “Will you come back someday?” he asked.
Puppy barked softly and gave Jobi one last lick on the cheek, as if promising he would return. Jobi watched him walk away, each step feeling like a small crack in his chest. And when Puppy finally disappeared from sight, Jobi climbed onto the highest tree branch and whispered to the wind, “Puppy… please don’t go.”
Though Jobi felt sad, he also knew something important: true friendship doesn’t disappear just because friends are far apart. Somewhere out there, Puppy was thinking of him too. And one day, Jobi believed, they would run through the forest together again.
