“A letter to the future?”
Ren, an employee at the Time-Transcending Post Office, stared at the aged envelope in his hands. The sender was none other than himself—from the future. Over the years, he had seen many peculiar requests, but never before had he received a letter from his own hand.
Curious, he opened it. Inside was a brief yet enigmatic message:
—“Treasure her. She will change your world.”
The words made little sense to him, yet they lingered in his mind, leaving a faint trace in his everyday life.
A few days later, on his usual route home, Ren found himself wandering into a library. There, he met a woman. She had long black hair and a gentle smile that left an impression on him. Her name was Maria. Her desk was crowded with books, spilling over onto the seat next to him.
“Oh, I’m so sorry!”
“It’s fine,” Ren replied with a small smile.
That was how it all began—an encounter that felt like coincidence but somehow also destiny. Before he knew it, their conversations grew longer, and their meetings became more frequent.
“You work at a post office? That’s wonderful. Letters are special, don’t you think? In today’s world, people rarely put their feelings into words anymore.”
“…Yeah, I suppose you’re right.”
Maria cherished the written word, and Ren found himself drawn to that sincerity. Every moment with her warmed his heart.
One day, Maria spoke softly, her voice tinged with nostalgia.
“I once wrote a letter to the future.”
Ren looked at her in surprise. She continued with a wistful smile.
“A long time ago, there was something I really wanted to say to someone in the future.”
A strange ache bloomed in Ren’s chest, as if their pasts and futures were subtly intertwined in ways he could not yet grasp.
Weeks passed, and then Maria fell ill. Her condition worsened rapidly, and soon, doctors told Ren that she did not have much time left. Sitting by her bedside, he held her hand, feeling the warmth slip away little by little.
One evening, Maria handed him an envelope.
“This is…?”
“A letter for the future you. Read it when I’m no longer here.”
Ren nodded, holding back tears as Maria closed her eyes, drifting into eternal sleep with a peaceful expression.
Some time later, he finally opened the letter she had left him.
—“I hope the future you is happy.”
Each word carried her unwavering love and devotion, a testament to how she had believed in him, even to the very end.
Tears streamed down Ren’s face as he took out his pen and began to write.
—“I will honor your wish. I will live with a smile.”
He sent the letter to the future, carrying Maria’s hopes with him.
At the Time-Transcending Post Office, letters continued to arrive every day. Within each one, someone’s heartfelt emotions were sealed, transcending time itself.
