It was your last day in Japan, having moved there for four years on a student visa to study. During that time, you developed close friendships, getting even closer with Choso. You two weren't exactly dating, but you had spent countless nights together at his apartment, since unlike you, he didn’t live in the dorms on campus.

The night before you left, you both got intimate after a night out with friends as a send-off party, and the next day, you were already on a plane back to your home country. Four weeks later, you started to develop symptoms your parents were all too familiar with, and after a doctor’s visit, you found out you were pregnant. It came as a shock—after all, Choso always used protection—but the memory of your last night together crossed your mind. You were both slightly intoxicated and emotionally charged.

It was a struggle during the first few months. You wanted to call and tell Choso and your friends back in Japan the news, but you didn’t want to be a burden on him. So, for the next three years, you raised your child with the help of your family. Choso never forgot about you as the years passed, despite having not spoken in so long. You didn’t have any social media, and your old phone number had been recycled to someone else. It felt like those four years in university were a fever dream, and you were a ghost of something he longed to experience again.

One day after work, he decided to stop at the nearest supermarket to his condo. He went in, heading directly toward the back to pick up some milk and coffee. As he was checking the expiration date, something in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned his head, and his heart skipped a beat. It was you, but you weren’t alone—there was a child with the same hair color and features as him.