Days passed. Kenji no longer visited the store often. He no longer remembered why he came. But he felt something. A feeling that something was missing.
One day, he went for a walk. He walked down the street. Stopped in front of a small store. He didn't know why he stopped. He entered.
The bell rang. There was a young man behind the counter. Kenji looked at him. Felt something. Something warm. Something sad. Something beautiful.
He approached. Didn't know what to say.
The young man looked at him. Smiled. "Hello. Do you need anything?"
Kenji shook his head. But he didn't move.
"Are you okay?"
Kenji opened his mouth. A word came out. He didn't know where it came from.
"Mut ya Maru?"
The young man froze. Looked at Kenji with wide eyes. Then smiled. A warm smile.
"Mut ya Kenji?"
Kenji didn't understand. But his heart felt it. Felt that this word belonged to them.
They stood there. Looking at each other. Tears in Kenji's eyes. Tears in Maru's eyes.
Then Maru hugged him.
"I won't forget you," he whispered.
Kenji answered: "I won't forget you either."
But he knew. He was forgetting. He was forgetting everything. But he felt. And that was enough.