Reflecting on Childhood Friendships and Memories

Unforgettable memories of the week before I was going to study for a masters degree overseas brought back childhood friendships. Having graduated from elementary school, I later moved to another city for college, while my friends stayed in their hometown and completed high school. We didnt have many chances to meet up, only seeing each other during holidays or the year before departure. They suggested that I visit our hometown town before leaving, as they promised we wouldnt be returning soon. So they took me around by car, trying different snacks from local eateries, visiting parks and bookstores, paying a visit to my elementary school, and exploring places where we used to play together.
After being away for so long, many of the familiar locations now seem strange or unfamiliar. However, with lights illuminating the streets, I could still recall countless moments from my youth. Whether good or bad, they existed in time, as I had lived through them while growing up here. Back then, walking across the soil with my feet felt immense, but on my e-bike, I quickly circled all of my past life. The passage of time sped up along with my biking pace. In a flash, familiar events from my past seemed to arrive at this very moment. Though they were vivid and real, I no longer could touch them or hold onto memories.
They also took me to their junior high and senior high schoolson the other side of the town, somewhere I had passed by but never enteredI talked about our shared experiences there, their extracurricular activities, and funny moments from their relationships. Closed my eyes and imagined the lives they had lived here, feeling so far away. A pang of loss ran through me because I wasnt familiar with my own hometown. However, even though these memories were from several years ago, we lost touch after that. Just a few minutes into my lunch break, this random thought popped into my head: everything was gone already.