As Koemi closes the door to the restaurant, locking it with a key. I stand outside, taking in the cool breeze, as a gentle rustling of the leaves as we step onto the quiet street. Tetsu, who’s eager for his outing, tugs slightly on the leash, his tail wagging in anticipation.

“Ready for the park, Tetsu?” Koemi asks Tetsu, with a smile.

Tetsu barks in response, his enthusiasm contagious. We begin walking side by side, the streets gradually giving way to the greenery of the park. The sounds of the city fade into the background as the peaceful atmosphere of the park surrounds us. 

As we reach the park, Koemi bends down and unclips Tetsu’s leash, letting him go. He darts off immediately, his nose to the ground, sniffing out every interesting scent. He zigzags across the grass, his excitement boundless.

I raise an eyebrow, watching Tetsu mindlessly explore the park. “Shouldn’t you be worried that he might get lost?” I ask, my tone half-teasing, half-concerned. 

Koemi chuckles softly, shaking her head. “Nope! Tetsu always comes back with something interesting. It’s his thing when we come to the park!” 

I tilt my head, intrigued. “Really? Like what?”

She glances at me, her smile growing wider, as if she’s telling me. “Every time we come here, he finds something and brings it back. Once, he returned with a small toy, another time it was a beautiful feather.” 

My eyes widened in surprise. “Wait, really?” 

Koemi nods, her expression turning more serious. “Yeah. It’s like he has this instinct. Every stuff he finds— tells a story.”

I blink. “A story?” 

Seeing the amusement in her eyes shows something deeper, something almost wistful. “Tetsu knows that the smallest things can hold meaning. He always finds a way to bring a piece of the world back with him. Sometimes, I think he’s reminding me that there’s more out there— more to life than what we see every day.” 

As I sink in her words, I find myself lost finding how to respond. I never expect Tetsu’s playful antics to carry such significance. My heart tightens, realizing that Koemi has been finding meaning in these little moments, perhaps as a way to cope with everything that happened.

“Wow… I didn’t know that…” I finally tell her, my voice softer, touched by her perspective.

She looks back at Tetsu, who’s now sniffing at something in the distance. “Yeah. It’s just one of those things that makes you think, you know?” 

I nod slightly, absorbing her words. “Yeah, you’re right. Maybe there’s more to this life than we give it credit for.” 

As we sit on the park bench, watching Tetsu search. The park is peaceful, the distant laughter of children playing as the afternoon wind breeze. Tetsu is still wandering, nose to the ground, in his world.

I took a glance at Koemi, noticing that she's still staring off into the distance, her expression thoughtful. The playful energy she has earlier seems to have given way to something more introspective.

“Hey Koemi?” I start, trying out a conversation. “You seem… Different today. I mean, you’re always cheerful, but there is something else on your mind, isn’t there?”

She turns to me, her smile softer now, almost bitter-sweet. “I guess so. Lately, I’ve been thinking about life—just everything.” 

Her words hang in the air, the unspoken worries. I can see the tension in her shoulders, the way she’s trying to keep it all together. It hits me then how much responsibility she’s been shouldering. 

As I lean back on the bench, staring up at the sky as I try to find the right words. “It’s hard to think about, isn’t it? I mean. Sometimes it feels like we’re just going through the motions, trying to keep up with everything, and we don’t have time to figure out what we really want.” 

Koemi nods, her gaze dropping to her hands, which are fidgeting slightly in her lap. “Yeah… It’s scary, you know? Thinking that maybe one day everything could change, not being prepared for it.”

There’s a pause, the kind that's filled with thoughts too deep to put into words. I want to say something that still comforts her, to take away that negative feeling, but I know I can’t.

Koemi’s eyes drift back to mine, a mixture of curiosity and concern in her gaze. She hesitates for a moment, as if weighing whether to ask a question on her mind. Finally, she speaks, her voice soft. “Kazuki… What is it like to be alone?” 

This question that I’ve asked myself so many times, but hearing it from Koemi makes it feel different— more real, somehow. I take a deep breath, gathering my thoughts.

“It’s complicated,” I start, my voice barely above a whisper. “Being alone isn’t just about not having people around you. It’s like… Being outside, looking at everyone else… While you’re just stuck.”

“There are days when I’d wake up doing the same thing and I wonder to myself what the point of doing this is. Going to school, going home, sleeping… It is like living in a loop, without any real connection to anyone or anything. I guess I just got good at pretending I was okay…” 

Koemi’s eyes are full of a deep sadness as she listens to my words. When I finish, she’s quiet for a moment, clearly processing everything I’ve said. She begins speaking, her voice trembling slightly. 

“Kazuki….” She tells me, softly. “I wish I was in her shoes. But… I understand. I really do.” 

I look at her, surprised. “You do?”

She nods, her gaze dropping to her hands, which she fidgets with in her lap. “Yeah… I’ve had my own struggles, too. There were times when I felt so… Lost. Like I was trying to live up to everyone’s expectations, but no matter what I did, it never felt like enough. I kept thinking, ‘What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I just be like them?’” 

“Koemi…”

She rubs her hand absently, her eyes distant. “You know, I’ve gotten really good at pretending everything’s okay. Smiling, nodding, doing what everyone expects. But sometimes... I just feel like I’m running on empty.”

A tear slips down her cheek, as she quickly wipes it away, as if embarrassed by her own vulnerability. But I can see how much she’s hurting, how much she’s been holding inside. 

Without thinking, I gently place my hand over hers, just as she did for me. “Koemi… I’m here for you, too…” 

She looks at me, her eyes filled with gratitude and hope. “Thanks. It’s just… Sometimes it feels like—I’ll never really be happy…” 

I nod, understanding her. “I understand, Koemi… You’re always carrying this burden to yourself and… You don’t have to carry it alone anymore.”

Koemi’s grip on my hand tightens, she smiles through her tears. “Maybe you’re right…” 

The thought of not facing this darkness alone, of having someone who truly understands, fills me with a sense of relief I didn’t know I needed. “Yes, we can…” 

We sit there in silence, as our conversation still hangs in the air, I notice Tetsu trotting back towards us, something clutched in his mouth. His tail is wagging furiously, a clear sign that he found something that has excited him.

Koemi notices him too and tilts her head curiously. “What do you think he found this time?” She asks, her tone lighter than before, the tension from our talk slowly dissipating. 

“I don’t know, but it looks… Weird.” Squinting, trying to make out the object as Tetsu gets closer. 

Tetsu finally reaches us, proudly dropping his find on the floor. It’s an old, dusty street shoe, one that looks like it’s been through years of wear and tear. The laces are fray, and there’s even a small hole in the toe. 

Koemi bursts out laughing, the sound so unexpected that I can’t help but join in. “Of all the things he could’ve brought back,” she says between giggles, “a shoe!” 

Shaking my head, as I laugh. “A shoe! Really?” 

Tetsu barks happily, clearly pleased with his find, as if he’s just brought us the most valuable treasure in the world. His excitement and our laughter fill the park, pushing away the rough conversation from earlier. 

Koemi wipes a tear from the corner of her eye, still chuckling. “See, Kazuki! Tetsu did bring back something special!” 

“He sure did…” as I began to smile.

As Tetsu plops down beside us, chewing on his new prize, I realize moments like this— silly, simple, and unexpected— are what make everything worth it. No matter what life will throw at us, as long as we share moments and enjoy ourselves. I think we will be alright.