It had been two years since they graduated.

Spring made the city blush with soft pink colors as cherry blossoms danced in the streets. The students rushed from one campus to another holding their books, coffee and dreams which had not yet taken any certain shape.

Kurogane Kuro gradually adjusted to his university life.

Psychology studies were completely different from high school.

They were deep.

They were serious.

They had no correct answers.

It was exactly what he enjoyed.

The human mind couldn’t be solved by a formula.

It couldn’t have a certain correct answer.

Everybody had their own story.

Every story needed to be heard.

Even now, he recalled the words of Minami.

"Listening is sometimes the biggest kindness we can offer."

These words quietly became the basis of his life.

---

In the other part of the city...

Another dream came true.

Saionji Rika went to study at one of the top Japanese art universities.

Her friends admired her imagination.

Her professors admired her expressive characters.

Her flat...

Lived an unsuccessful war with paper.

The sketchbooks lay on the floor.

The books for references were dangerously leaning on the shelves.

The pens, the rulers, the bottles of ink and the sticky notes filled every available surface.

The only thing which was arranged...

Was the coffee machine.

She looked proudly at it.

"At least, one of us knows how to arrange things."

The coffee machine, of course, didn’t say anything.

---

One week before her first big assignment...

Inspiration was suddenly gone.

She stared at the white page of her storyboard.

"...Come on."

She knocked the tip of her pencil.

"I know you’re hiding somewhere."

Nothing happened.

She sighed dramatically.

"My protagonist has abandoned me."

After another twenty minutes of absolute lack of progress...

She stood up.

"Emergency coffee."

---

The cozy cafe situated between the psychology university and the art university became her favorite place.

The gentle sounds of piano filled the rooms.

The warm sunshine poured through the big windows.

The delicious aroma of fresh coffee greeted every guest.

The waitress smiled seeing her.

"Your usual table?"

"You know me too well."

"And your usual iced latte?"

"...You know me too well."

---

In several minutes, her corner table was completely covered with her sketchbooks, pencils, manuscript pages and photo references.

She dramatically cracked her knuckles.

"Okay."

"Let’s make some history."

In five minutes...

She drew exactly one speech bubble.

"...The history is taking its time."

---

The light sound of bell rang in the cafe.

Another client entered.

Automatically, Rika turned her head towards the entrance.

And froze.

"...Kuro?"

At the entrance, holding a few psychology textbooks under one arm, stood Kurogane Kuro.

He seemed a bit older.

He was a bit more serious now.

More mature.

But his gentle smile was completely the same.

He noticed her right away.

"...Rika."

Her face lit up.

"Kuro!"

She waved both hands enthusiastically.

"Over here!"

---

Kuro walked to her table but stopped.

He looked down.

Then around.

Then at her.

"...Where can I put my coffee?"

She looked at the mountain of paper.

"...This is..."

"...A good question."

After quickly stacking a few sketchbooks, she managed to free a little space.

"There."

"Perfect."

"Maybe."

---

He sat down while the waitress approached.

"As usual, your black coffee?"

He nodded.

"Yes, please."

She smiled.

"You still drink your coffee without sugar?"

"I got used to it."

"I will never understand such people as you."

"You drink enough sugar for both of us."

"I call it artistic fuel."

---

During the next thirty minutes, conversation came naturally.

They discussed their university life.

Unlimited messages in the group chat by Akari.

Researches of Aoi.

Teaching internship of Mina.

Sometimes they even talked about Minami.

It seemed strange but comfortable.

As if graduation hadn’t torn them apart.

---

Finally, Kuro noticed the story board lying in front of her.

"May I take a look?"

She became suddenly flustered.

"W-Wait!"

"It’s not ready yet."

"So?"

"It’s embarrassing."

"You’ve never minded it before."

"...This is because you haven’t read it yet."

She reluctantly pushed the pages towards him.

"...Be gentle."

"I will try."

---

Kuro silently started reading.

Unlike most of people, he didn’t rush.

He read every panel attentively.

The pacing.

The dialogues.

The faces.

Even the gaps between the scenes.

Almost fifteen minutes passed.

She nervously watched his face all the time.

Finally...

He closed the pages.

"So?"

she asked cautiously.

"...Is it terrible?"

Kuro shook his head.

"No."

"It’s interesting."

Her shoulders relaxed.

"...Really?"

"But."

She groaned instantly.

"I knew there would be a ’but’."

He apologetically smiled.

"I don’t think that your story is about the adventure."

"It isn’t?"

"No."

"It’s about loneliness."

Rika blinked.

"What do you mean?"

Kuro pointed at her protagonist.

"He says he’s looking for treasure."

"But each scene important for your story takes place when he talks with people."

"He smiles more often in dialogues than during his discoveries."

"I think..."

He looked at her.

"...he isn’t looking for treasure."

"He’s looking for somebody who will understand him."

Silence.

She stared at him.

Then quickly picked up her storyboard.

And reread several pages.

"...You’re right."

"I..."

She smiled in disbelief.

"I didn’t notice this before."

He shrugged.

"Sometimes writers understand their characters after their readers."

She looked at him with shining eyes.

"You know..."

"What?"

"You would be a surprisingly good editor."

He blinked.

"I never edited anything in my life."

"You edited my whole first Chapter just now."

"I said only the things I noticed."

She brightly smiled.

"Exactly."

---

During the next three hours, they remained in the cafe.

Rika sketched while Kuro silently read every revised page.

Occasionally, he offered a few suggestions.

"What if this dialogue was shorter?"

"This face looks more sincere."

"Maybe it’s better to make this page silent."

Rika eagerly accepted every advice.

Not because he claimed to know everything about storytelling.

Because he always understood what she wanted to say.

Even when she couldn’t explain it herself.

As the evening sun filled the rooms of the cafe, Rika happily stretched.

"I actually finished."

She looked at the completed storyboard with a proud smile.

Then turned to Kuro.

"...Thank you."

He smiled gently.

"I did nothing."

"You did."

She carefully closed her sketchbook.

"For the first time..."

"I feel like somebody read my story."

Kuro looked at the windows of the cafe where cherry blossoms were floating.

"I’ll read the next one."

Her smile softened.

"So..."

She extended her hand to him.

"...Will you be my first editor?"

Kuro chuckled.

"I’m only a psychology student."

"And you’re only an art student."

She grinned.

"So we will chase our dreams together."

For the first time since they entered the university...

Neither of them noticed this.

But that cozy cafe...

Full of coffee, ink and silent conversations...

Just became the place where a new story quietly started.

The café had gotten quiet already.

Most students had long since gone back to their universities and colleges; now there were just a couple of customers enjoying the evening in peace.

Rika neatly tucked away her storyboard pages, each one of them as carefully as possible.

She paused in front of the last page before putting it in her folder.

"...I like it now."

Kuro smiled.

"That’s good."

"No."

She shook her head.

"That’s great."

He looked puzzled.

"I spent less than three hours with you."

"And still..."

"...my story somehow seems closer to the one I want to write."

Kuro looked modestly down at his feet.

"You already knew what story you want to tell."

"I just asked a few questions."

Rika laughed.

"See?"

"That’s exactly why you’re so dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

"You make people realize the answers they already knew about."

He gave a somewhat awkward smile.

"I don’t think I’ve ever been described as dangerous before."

"Well, get used to it, Mr. Future Psychologist."

---

When they stepped outside, the night sky already glowed with its orange color.

Petals of cherry blossoms flew freely in the breeze.

For a bit, they simply walked in silence next to each other.

There was no need to speak, no reason to say anything.

Silence had never been an issue between Kuro and her.

She looked around at the streets full of people and smiled.

"You know..."

"I once thought that growing up would be different."

"How?"

"I expected the grownups to know what they’re doing."

Kuro chuckled.

"Now I think we’re just guessing."

She pointed at him dramatically.

"See!"

"We’re all just making it up!"

She looked up at the sky.

"I still wonder if I’ll become a manga artist."

Kuro replied calmly.

"I’m sure you will."

She blinked.

"...You’re awfully confident."

"I see how hard you work."

"Talent doesn’t go unnoticed."

"But hard work keeps the people going."

"You have both of those."

Rika couldn’t think of any response for a minute.

So she just smiled to herself.

Getting praises from Kuro always felt different.

He never lied about anything, never complimented people just because of their mood.

But if he believed in someone...

That belief was genuine.

---

When they came to a pedestrian bridge, Rika stopped walking.

Below them the river reflected the colors of the sky.

She leant on the railing and turned to Kuro.

"Kuro."

"Hm?"

"If..."

She hesitated.

"If my first manga ever gets published..."

"I want you to read it before anyone else."

He looked surprised.

"Before your professor?"

"Yes."

"Before your editor?"

"Definitely."

"Before your readers?"

She smiled at him.

"Because..."

"You’ve been my first reader."

"The one who looked at my work..."

"...and saw the story I was trying to tell."

His expression softened.

"It would be my honor."

She smiled brightly at him.

"Good."

"Then it’s settled."

She stretched out her little finger to him.

"A promise."

He stared at it for a moment and then smiled.

"You still make such promises?"

"Of course."

"Promises mean something."

Quietly laughing, he wrapped his little finger around hers.

"I promise."

Pleased with that, Rika nodded.

"There."

"Now you can’t run away anymore."

"I wasn’t planning to."

They kept walking under the streetlights that started lighting the streets.

Neither of them realized that what seemed like an ordinary meeting of old friends had just become something important.

They didn’t notice it, but...

Kuro became the first person Rika wanted to share every new story with.

And Rika became the person Kuro looked forward to seeing every single week.

Neither could call it love yet.

Not yet.

For now...

It was just two people trying to achieve their own goals and support each other along the way.

Sometimes, the best parts of life don’t start with any declarations.

Sometimes...

They just start with a cup of coffee, a stack of storyboards, and someone who will read each page.