Two years had passed since graduation.

Time had quietly slipped away.

The exciting world of high school had become an everyday adult reality.

Uniforms were replaced with casual clothing and university coats.

Entrance exams were substituted with research papers and internships.

Lives of everyone had changed.

Including the life of Kuro Kurogane.

---

The psychology department was located in one of the oldest university buildings.

Unlike new engineering or medical ones, it was peaceful.

Wooden shelves covered the walls of the corridors.

Warm rays of sunshine shone through the large windows.

People spoke in soft tones.

Perfect place for Kuro.

He closed his notebook while Professor Hayashi finished the lesson.

"As always, I have to remind you," professor said with a smile, "that psychology isn’t about finding answers. It’s about asking the right questions."

These words reminded him of someone.

Minami.

She once said almost the same thing to him.

A slight smile appeared on Kuro’s face.

Maybe this was what made him choose this particular course.

Not because he wanted to heal people.

But because he wanted to understand them.

---

His phone started vibrating.

Akari: I’m skipping classes today. University is totally overrated.

Then another message appeared.

Aoi: Don’t encourage her.

Rika: Already done. Now I’m drawing Akari getting chased by professors.

Kuro chuckled.

Some things never changed.

Even though they studied in different universities, their group chat was as noisy as before.

And then another notification popped up.

Yui: My lunch break is going to start in thirty minutes. Are you busy?

Kuro answered.

Kuro: Classes just ended.

A few seconds passed.

Yui: You’re lucky.

He smiled.

Medical studies.

Just seeing her messages made him tired.

---

Across the city...

Yui sighed while taking off her white laboratory coat.

Anatomy practical class had taken almost four hours.

Her notebook was full of drawings.

And even after several times of washing her hands, they still had a slight smell of disinfectants.

Medical school was not like she used to think.

Difficult.

Very difficult.

Every day she got new information to learn.

Another practical class.

Another sleepless night.

She checked the clock.

Less than an hour until the next lecture.

Not enough time to go home.

Not enough time to have a rest.

She grabbed her bag.

"...I guess I’ll drink some coffee."

---

In between these two universities...

Was a small coffee shop.

Not popular.

Not cool.

It just happened to be located half-way between these universities.

Students of nearby universities liked to stop here without knowing that there were so many of them.

---

The bell over the door of the café rang.

Kuro was the first who entered.

He looked around.

Almost all tables were occupied.

Midday rush.

Not surprising.

He ordered an iced coffee and waited.

---

A couple of minutes later...

The bell rang again.

Yui entered.

She looked exhausted.

Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail.

Dark circles under her eyes.

White medical coat over casual clothes.

She looked around the café...

And froze.

"...Kuro?"

He turned around.

"...Yui?"

For a second...

They didn’t move.

Then they both laughed.

---

"What are you doing here?"

they asked at exactly the same time.

Silence.

Then laughter again.

---

"I have some classes near here," Kuro explained.

Yui nodded.

"So do I."

"...Apparently."

They hadn’t known that the other one often came here.

Just coincidence.

---

"There are no empty tables," Yui said.

Kuro pointed to the only table which was still available.

"A small one."

"It’ll do."

---

They sat opposite each other.

For a moment...

It seemed like high school again.

---

"So..."

Kuro looked at her thoughtfully.

"You look tired."

Yui sighed theatrically.

"I am."

"That bad?"

"Worse."

She laughed.

"I knew that the medical school will be difficult."

"I didn’t know that it would be like trying to drink an ocean with a straw."

Kuro chuckled.

"That’s... surprisingly poetic."

"I’m surviving on three hours of sleep."

"That explains everything."

---

"What about you?"

she asked.

"Psychology."

"So?"

"So far, I like it."

He looked around the silent café.

"I spend most of my day reading."

Yui smiled.

"That sounds like your dream."

"It is."

---

Their drinks appeared.

For a few minutes...

They just talked.

About nothing important.

Classes.

Professors.

Funny classmates.

University life.

It all flowed naturally.

With no awkwardness.

With no forced topics.

---

Kuro noticed something.

Although exhausted...

Yui was smiling more often than she did in her text messages.

Maybe...

Real talking was really different from messaging.

---

Yui noticed something too.

After two years...

Talking to Kuro was still easy.

There was no pressure.

No uncomfortable silences.

Just...

Peace.

---

She rested her chin in her palm.

"...You haven’t changed much."

Kuro blinked.

"Is it good?"

"I think so."

"You still listen more than you talk."

"...Professional habit."

"You’re not a psychologist yet."

"I’m practicing."

She laughed.

---

Then she looked through the window of the cafe.

Students ran past.

Someone laughed loudly.

Other ones hurried to the next lecture.

Life was moving.

"...Strange."

"What is?"

"We’ve been graduated two years ago."

"...Yeah."

"But somehow..."

She smiled.

"It doesn’t feel like we’ve been apart for long."

Kuro looked at her.

She was right.

Different universities.

Different schedules.

Different futures.

But sitting here...

It seemed like everything was the same.

---

Yui suddenly checked the time.

"...Ah."

Her smile disappeared.

"I have classes in ten minutes."

"So do I."

Neither of them got up immediately.

Almost like both of them wanted to stay longer.

---

Then Kuro said.

"What days do you have lunch breaks?"

She tilted her head.

"Usually on Tuesdays."

"The same as mine."

"...Really?"

He nodded.

For a short moment...

silence.

Then...

"We could..."

Yui hesitated.

"...Have lunch together?"

Kuro smiled.

"Once a week?"

She smiled back.

"I would like it."

---

It was not a promise written in some official document.

It was not something dramatic.

Just two friends who agreed to have lunch once a week.

But somehow...

It seemed very important.

---

Outside the café...

They came to the intersection where their ways were going to part.

"This way?"

Kuro asked.

Yui nodded.

"And your way is this one."

"Looks like it."

Neither of them moved immediately.

---

Eventually...

Yui smiled.

"I’ll see you next Tuesday."

Kuro smiled back.

"The same café?"

"The same café."

---

They went in different directions.

Neither of them looked back.

Neither of them needed to.

They somehow knew...

They would meet next Tuesday.

And after that.

And maybe...

Many Tuesdays after that.

---

As Kuro went through the gate of the university...

he found himself smiling.

It was a simple lunch meeting.

Nothing extraordinary.

No declarations.

No changes in their relationship.

But...

Some relationships don’t need such moments.

Some of them continue to exist quietly.

Naturally.

As if they were never interrupted.

For the first time since graduation...

Kuro understood something.

Even though their lives have changed completely...

Being with Yui was exactly the same.

Comfortable.

Easy.

Like coming home.

The following Tuesday came quicker than both of them anticipated.

Having finished his morning lesson of developmental psychology, Kuro glanced at the clock.

11:55 AM.

And without any thinking he packed his notebook and went to the café.

But halfway there he stopped.

"...I am early."

He couldn’t help himself to laugh.

Somehow, he had planned his whole morning around lunchtime.

---

The ringing bell welcomed him as he entered the café.

The owner instantly recognized him.

"Again?"

"Yes," Kuro said politely.

"The usual?"

"Yes."

---

A bell rang again in five minutes.

Yui rushed in, panting a bit.

"I made it..."

She held on her knees for a minute, then raised her head.

Only then she noticed Kuro waiting for her near the window.

An easy smile appeared on her face.

"I was afraid to be late."

"You are in time."

"Barely."

She flopped down on the chair facing him.

"Today’s practical work took longer than I’ve expected."

"You seem to be more energetic today."

"That’s because I have had sleep."

"How long?"

"...Five hours."

Kuro nodded.

"Congratulations."

"Thanks."

"You have done it really well."

"Yes, I have."

They both laughed.

---

While they were eating, Yui suddenly pulled out a thick textbook from her bag.

The book thudded on the table.

Kuro gaped at it.

"...How much does it weight?"

"I think... about three kilograms."

"You carry it every day?"

"I carry three of them."

He sounded quite worried.

"Your back doesn’t like you."

"It has filed several complaints already."

---

Wondering, Kuro glanced at one of the pages.

The detailed images of the body made him blink.

"...I suddenly appreciate the psychology textbooks."

Yui looked at his notes.

"And your notes are full of tiny handwriting."

"I like organizing information."

"I have noticed."

Every sheet of paper was colored.

Divided in sections.

Sticky notes.

Yui smiled.

"It can be done only by you."

"And you voluntarily memorize all muscles of the body."

"I didn’t voluntarily."

"You enrolled into medical faculty."

"...True."

---

After lunch, they decided to walk through the little park between the campuses.

There were many students everywhere.

Some of them played guitars under the trees.

Others studied sitting on the benches.

The atmosphere seemed to be relaxed but tranquil.

Yui stretched her arms up.

"I have almost forgotten that university could be relaxing."

"You spend too much time in the hospital."

"I know."

She looked up to the blue sky.

"Sometimes I forget how daylight looks like."

Kuro glanced at her.

"You should take some breaks."

"I know."

"You repeat it every time."

"Because everybody says it to me."

"And?"

"And I ignore it."

"Of course."

She laughed a bit shamefully.

"I am trying."

"I believe you."

---

They stopped near the pond.

The water reflected floating clouds.

For a while, nobody said anything.

But the silence wasn’t awkward.

It never had been.

Then Yui finally broke it.

"...Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why did you choose psychology?"

Kuro thought a bit.

"I have thought that helping people means solving their problems."

Yui listened attentively.

"But during my high school days..."

"I have understood that sometimes people need not answers."

"They need somebody who will stay."

Yui’s expression softened.

"...It seems to be like you."

"And what about you?"

"I have always wanted to become a doctor."

She smiled faintly.

"But now..."

"I have understood that medicine isn’t only treatment of diseases."

"Medicine also gives people hope."

Kuro nodded.

"Our jobs are different."

"But perhaps..."

"They aren’t that different."

Yui looked at him for a while and then smiled.

"You are right."

---

But a loud ringing distracted them from this peaceful moment.

Yui glanced at her mobile phone.

And instantly paled.

"...Oh no."

"What’s happened?"

"My next lecture starts in three minutes."

Kuro looked at the medical campus.

"...It means that you need to run there for ten minutes."

"I KNOW!"

Without saying anything else, Yui took her bag and started running.

After a few steps, she turned to him.

"Next Tuesday!"

Kuro smiled.

"I will wait."

And waving enthusiastically she disappeared among the crowd.

---

Kuro stood there watching her until she was out of sight.

Only then he started walking to his campus.

His phone vibrated.

The message from Yui.

Yui: I made it! The professor was late!

And another message instantly followed it.

Yui: I think that having lunch with you every Tuesday is the best part of my week.

Kuro looked at his mobile phone for a bit.

And then smiled.

He answered shortly.

Kuro: And mine.

Putting his phone back into the pocket, Kuro walked off to his campus.

They had different universities.

They had different dreams.

They had different destinies.

But somehow...

Every Tuesday at noon their paths crossed in a little café between two campuses.

It wasn’t a grand promise.

It wasn’t destiny.

It was just their weekly choice.

And they hadn’t understood yet that this insignificant tradition will become one of the most important parts of their life.