Chapter 9

One sunny day, Miyuki was walking home from the department store. Her mom asked her to buy some ingredients she’ll need to cook for their dinner. Miyuki noticed Ken in a convenience store. At the store, while Ken was about to buy something, a little girl accompanied by her mother started to cry. “Mom, please buy me that,” cried the little girl. “No, your Dad will be mad at me if I buy you that,” replied the mother. Ken noticed the crying little girl, he bought a lollipop and said to the little girl, “Here, little girl. I’ll give this lollipop to you if you promise me that you’ll stop insisting to your Mom and stop crying.” The girl grabbed the lollipop. The mother of the little girl was surprised on what the stranger Ken had done for her daughter. “Ma’am, I hope you wouldn’t mind it that I gave your daughter a lollipop. I knew it, kids are always taught by their parents not to talk to strangers. I just don’t want to see her crying. That’s all.” Ken said to the little girl’s mother. “Oh thanks, young man,” replied the mother of the little girl. “It’s no big deal, Ma’am,” said Ken. “Have a nice day little girl, be sure to listen to what your Mom says.”

Miyuki called Ken, “You’re so nice Ken. You gave the crying little girl a piece of sweet lollipop. It reminds me of Aoi-chan’s story of about a boy who gave her a lollipop 10 years ago.” “Yeah. That little girl in the convenience store also reminds me of the crying young Aoi-chan 10 years ago,” said Ken. Miyuki stopped, “Wait… you’re the boy who gave Aoi-chan a lollipop back then?” “Yeah. I thought Aoi-chan already forgot about me,” replied Ken. “Nope. She can still remember the boy. But she said she wasn’t able to hear you name ‘cause a big cargo truck horned while the boy was saying it and she said she can’t remember how you look because her eyes were filled with tears,” answered Miyuki. “I see,” said Ken. “You? How were you able to remember that it was Aoi?” asked Miyuki. “She told me her name, Aoi. And her eyes always reminds me,” answered Ken. “Why didn’t you tell her? She’ll be glad to know that you are the boy from her childhood,” said Miyuki. “I’m planning to tell it to her, but I don’t know how,” answered Ken. “I see. Well, do your best. Don’t worry, she’ll be very happy that you’re the boy anyway you tell her. By the way, got to go now. See yah,” said Miyuki.