The next day.
I sat next to him, in front of a desk in the art room.
On the desk was the envelope we found yesterday.
"Open it on the day we meet again"
After many long years, it was finally opened.
When I slowly broke the seal, a sheet of letter paper appeared.
It was in my grandfather's handwriting.
"Dear friend,
if you're reading this letter, then perhaps we failed to fulfill our promise.
Even so, please don't be sad.
Meeting you was the greatest treasure of my life.
I have never forgotten a single day—not the days we laughed in the classroom, not the days we drew with the children, not the days we talked about our dreams after school.
Even if I can't return to this place, I have a feeling that someday, someone dear to us will meet again at this school.
When that time comes, please smile and shake hands.
Because the promise we couldn't keep will come true in that moment.
Thank you.
See you again, at this school."
Before I knew it, tears had soaked the letter paper.
When I looked to my side, he had quietly lowered his eyes too.
"Just like Grandpa."
He murmured that, and smiled a little.
Inside the envelope was one more sheet.
It was a half-finished sketch.
A banyan tree in the schoolyard.
Two teachers facing each other beneath it.
But one corner had been left white.
"It's not finished...."
When I murmured that, he took an old pencil from the desk drawer.
"My grandfather apparently never drew this continuation."
I took the pencil.
And on the white space, I drew a girl and a young man.
The two of them smiling at each other beneath the banyan tree.
He also added a small line beside them.
It was the future our grandfathers hadn't been able to draw.
The day I returned home.
Inside the bus heading to the airport, the streets of Taiwan gradually faded into the distance.
I felt lonely.
But strangely, I didn't think, "goodbye."
In front of the boarding gate.
He looked a little embarrassed as he
held out a small box.
Inside was one pencil that had been used in the art room.
"It's something my grandfather treasured."
"Huh, but..."
"If it were my grandfather, I think he'd want to give it to you."
I held it close to my chest, carefully.
The boarding announcement came over the speaker.
"...I should get going soon."
"Yeah."
A brief silence fell.
He smiled and said,
"See you at school."
I nodded with a smile.
"Yeah. See you at school."
The promise our grandfathers couldn't exchange,
today,
we inherited it.
The airplane soared up into the blue sky.
Staring at Taiwan spread out beyond the window,
I softly murmured,
"It's a promise, okay."
