Kayden, from now on, you will be with us, my father and me, although you probably won't remember me since I only met you when you were a baby, between one and two years old, Anri said, dressed in black, with sadness visible in her eyes. They had returned from Kayden's father's funeral, and the atmosphere in the Teieri house was silent, almost as if the very air itself were mourning the loss.
Kayden, with a melancholic expression, observed the interior of the house before responding. His voice, despite his youth, sounded serious and mature."I remember you, Anri. My mother always ordered a chocolate cake in advance for you whenever you visited us. She said it was your favorite." Kayden smiled faintly, his eyes lost in a corner of the room, as if searching for the image of his mother in every corner.
Anri fell silent for a moment, surprised by the clarity and precision of his memory. Despite the time that had passed since those days, the way Kayden remembered his mother and those small details deeply moved her. Her father, who was beside her, also looked at Kayden in awe, unsure of what to say.
"I knew you were very smart," Anri said, trying to hide the surprise and emotion she felt. "But remembering that... Well, it doesn't matter, this isn't the time to talk about that. Your father wanted you to stay with us, and of course, I'm not going to refuse. I'd like to know what you think."
Kayden looked her directly in the eye without hesitation, as if his entire life had led him to this moment."I don't have a problem with that," he replied with a disconcerting calmness. He didn't seem affected, but deep down, the change surprised him in some way.
Anri let out a sigh of relief at his response. She smiled, a little more at ease."I'm glad you're so mature. But since we live a bit far, we'll need to pack your things quickly. If we want to leave as soon as possible, it's better to do it now. I heard there's going to be a storm in the afternoon, and I don't want to get stuck on the way."
Kayden nodded, without showing any discomfort or stress."Okay. My things are upstairs. Will you help me pack, Anri?" he asked, his tone relaxed and calm.
Anri smiled kindly, gently touching Kayden's long hair, as if trying to offer him a little comfort without words."Of course." Her smile softened as they began to climb the stairs.
As they packed, the silence between them was filled with words Kayden didn't usually share. Somehow, something inside him told him he should speak, that he should share a part of himself with Anri. He was no longer willing to keep his thoughts to himself.
"I've spent a lot of time at the park," Kayden started, breaking the silence. Anri stopped for a moment, looking at him attentively. "There was an old man I used to see often. He was always there, sitting on the bench, and he would tell me stories. I liked listening to him, even though his stories were always the same. He didn't mind. It was his way of sharing life, you know?" Kayden paused, absently touching his belongings as his thoughts drifted away from reality and back to the park.
Anri listened in silence, not interrupting him. For some reason, the fact that Kayden was speaking so sincerely touched her more than anything else.
"And there's someone else..." Kayden looked down, as if a somewhat sad emotion invaded his chest. "Sakurako. She... is like a sister to me. Well, she is, at least to me. Every time we saw each other, she made me feel like I had a home, even in the middle of everything. It hurts so much not being able to say goodbye to her..."
Anri looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and empathy, realizing that even though Kayden appeared calm, there was something deeply affecting him."Kayden, do you want us to do something for her? Maybe send her a message or...?"
Kayden shook his head, gently interrupting."I don't like the idea of sending her a message by phone. I think written words carry more weight, more sincerity. I'd rather she hear it from my own voice, even if it's through a letter." With that conviction, he began to write quickly, not realizing that each word he put on the paper carried a goodbye he never imagined he'd have to make.
After a few minutes, he finished his letter to Sakurako and left it on the table. Without saying more, he looked toward the window of the room, watching how the clouds darkened in the distance, foreshadowing the storm approaching.
With a faint smile, he looked at Anri and said, as if speaking to himself:"I hope we meet again someday... I'd really like that."
Anri nodded silently, with the feeling that there was much more to Kayden than he was letting on.
...
Letter to Sakurako:
Dear Sakurako,
Hello! The first thing I want to say is that I'm really sorry I couldn't say goodbye in person. I left suddenly and couldn't give you a hug or a "see you later" like I'd like to. But I want you to know something very important: I wish you the best birthday in the world! Even though I won't be there to celebrate it with you, I hope you have a great time. Eat lots of cake and play as much as you can!
You are a very special friend to me, Sakurako. You always made me laugh with your craziness, and those things aren't forgotten. I wish I could stay to keep playing and telling you more funny stories. But, even though we can't see each other right now, I won't forget you, and I know you won't forget me! I promise.
I hope one day we can meet again. And when that happens, we'll play so much that we'll never get tired! I love you very much, so take care and don't stop smiling!
With much affection,
Kayden.
...
Letter to the Old Man:
Dear Hiroshi-san,
I'm really sorry I couldn't say goodbye properly. Things changed quickly, and I had to leave sooner than I expected. I feel bad for not being able to see you one last time before I left. But I want you to know that I'll never forget all the stories you told me, every anecdote you shared, and all those moments we spent together. Your tales, although just stories to many, were life lessons to me. Each of your words taught me something valuable, something I'll always carry with me.
Sometimes, silence feels heavier, and not hearing your stories will leave a void. But I want you to know that, even though I'm far away, I'll keep thinking of everything you told me. And I promise I'll always be looking for more stories, more adventures, like you asked me to, to share with you one day. You will always remain in my memory.
Thank you, Hiroshi-san, for being such a unique person to me. You made me feel like every moment was important. I don't know when, but I hope we can see each other again. In the meantime, I want you to keep telling your stories, because they are valuable, not only to me but to everyone who's lucky enough to hear them.
With all my affection,
Kayden....
But what Kayden didn't know was that those letters never reached their destination.