The pavement shimmered under the soft glow of the streetlights as Lily and Yuki walked side by side. The city, quiet in the late evening, seemed to hum gently beneath their steps. Water from an earlier drizzle collected in shallow puddles, reflecting their silhouettes as they made their way to the bus station.
Yuki didn't say much at first. His posture was relaxed, but there was a weight behind his silence. Lily could feel it — a tension just beneath the surface.
He finally broke the quiet. "You said his name was Ethan, right?"
She looked at him and nodded. "Yeah."
Yuki exhaled through his nose. "It sounds familiar, but… I can't place him. I keep trying, but it's like… the memory isn't mine anymore."
Lily glanced down at the ground. She knew the feeling too well — that helpless sense of losing someone not because of time, but because of something unnatural. Something intentional.
"He talked about you," she said softly. "You were close."
Yuki gave a quiet, almost bitter laugh. "Then it's worse. If that's true, why can't I remember?"
Lily didn't answer right away. Her fingers clutched the edge of her bag. She could still hear Ethan's voice in her head — his concern, his pride, his longing for things that had slipped beyond his reach.
"Some memories don't come back the normal way," she said gently. "Sometimes they wait for the right moment."
Yuki looked at her then. Really looked.
There was something in Lily's eyes. A calmness that felt unnatural for someone her age. A sadness too.
"You talk like you knew him personally," he said.
"I did," Lily replied, her voice low. "Better than anyone."
Yuki held her gaze for a moment, confused… but also quietly drawn to her.
They arrived at the station just as the next bus appeared in the distance.
"Well…" Yuki looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. "This is your stop."
Lily nodded.
He hesitated.
"Hey, uh," he said, "if you ever want to talk again… maybe we could hang out sometime."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound like you."
He chuckled. "Guess you're rubbing off on me."
She offered her phone, and he typed in his number quickly, texting himself before handing it back.
"I'll see you around, Lily," he said, stepping away from the station.
As he walked off into the flickering streetlight haze, Lily stood at the curb, watching him fade into the distance.
She didn't press him to remember.
She just let the quiet speak for itself.
And somewhere deep within her, the part of Ethan still alive in her chest sighed… waiting.