After finishing his club practice, Hikaru would always ride his bicycle to a small café tucked away in an alley near the station. The café, named Earl Grey, stood quietly with its old wooden door. When he pushed it open and the bell chimed softly, the familiar aroma of tea drifted through the air, marking the end of yet another day.
“The usual?”
The owner’s wife behind the counter greeted him with a smile.
“Yes, please.”
Hikaru took his seat, noticing a few magazines scattered on the table. Among them, as always, was an open book belonging to someone he often saw here—Ren. A university student and a regular at the café, Ren always sat by the window, absorbed in his reading. Their first conversation had begun when Ren curiously asked Hikaru about his drink.
“Hey, do you have a special preference for tea?”
“Uh, not really… but this milk tea just makes me feel at ease.”
Since that day, Ren started talking to Hikaru more often, and before they knew it, they had become “after-school café buddies.” Ren, who majored in philosophy, would sometimes share passages from his books with Hikaru.
“I really like this line,” Ren said one day, showing him a page.
“The future is nothing but a collection of moments built upon the present.”
Hikaru repeated the words aloud, feeling their weight. The word future seemed both distant and close at the same time.
“What do you want to be in the future, Hikaru?” Ren asked, his gaze steady.
Caught off guard, Hikaru thought for a moment before answering.
“I’m not sure yet… but I’d like to create something. Something meaningful.”
“That’s great. If that’s what you want, then there’s a lot to look forward to.”
From that day on, their conversations at the café nudged Hikaru to start thinking about his dreams. The milk tea he drank there wasn’t just a drink—it felt like a daily reset, a small key unlocking the door to his future.
One evening, Ren spoke up unexpectedly.
“I’m leaving for overseas next month. It’ll be a bit far, but let’s meet again someday.”
“You’re going abroad? That’s amazing!”
Hikaru was surprised but felt something stir within him—an excitement he couldn’t quite name.
A few weeks later, on the day of Ren’s departure, their final conversation at the café became a treasured memory for Hikaru. Sipping his milk tea, Ren smiled and said,
“Talking about your dreams isn’t embarrassing. It means believing in your future.”
Even after Ren left, Hikaru continued to visit the café after school. Sitting in his usual spot, he would sip his milk tea and reflect on Ren’s words, determined to shape his dreams into reality.
