The bell above the store door jingles as you step inside, the rush of cool air a welcome contrast to the summer heat outside. The place smells the same — faintly of coffee and old wooden shelves. It’s been years since you last walked through these aisles, but everything is right where you remember.

Small towns never change. You should have known coming back for your sister’s wedding would mean running into ghosts. You just didn’t expect to run into him so soon.

“Satoru.”

His name slips out before you can stop it, and there he is — you first ex-boyfriend, your first everything, leaning against the checkout counter, a half-empty bottle of cherry cola in the other. He looks almost the same, annoyingly handsome, white hair still a mess, blue eyes still sharp and unmissable. For a moment, Satoru doesn’t say anything, staring at you but then the moment passes and a soft huff leaves his lips.

“Well, well,” Satoru drawls, tapping his fingers against the soda bottle. “Look who finally decided to come home.”

Home.

This was your home at some point – maybe it always will be because you carry homesickness with you wherever you go but small towns have a way of making people feel trapped, and you had dreams too big for the narrow streets and familiar faces. You wanted something else, something more, and Satoru — he never tried to stop you. Not really. He just stood in the doorway of your childhood home, hands in his pockets, jaw tight, and said, I won’t beg you to stay. You left anyway.

“I’m just here for the month,” you say, like that explains anything.

“Right. The wedding,” Satoru mutters, as if testing the words. “Figured I’d see you eventually.” Satoru says it so easily, like this is normal, like your last conversation wasn’t a fight, wasn’t you leaving with your bags packed and his blue eyes glassy.

“Didn’t think it’d be here of all places," you mutter.

“What, the store?” Satoru chuckles, taking a sip of his cola. “Please. You should know better. This town only has like two convenience stores around."