Fifteen years of wandering.
Across borders, across continents—Keisuke had spent his life chasing the unknown.
But on a whim, he returned to Japan.
Not that he had a home to return to.
From Narita Airport, he boarded a train northward, with no clear destination in mind.
Eventually, he found himself in a small port town by the Sea of Japan.
Not a tourist attraction, not a famous landmark—just a quiet fishing village, where the sea stretched endlessly under the fading afternoon light.
The cold ocean breeze brushed against his skin as he walked aimlessly through the streets.
That was when he saw it—a weathered wooden café.
The peeling white paint on the sign revealed faded letters:
“The Final Stop.”
A Cup of Coffee and a Question
As he pushed open the creaky door, a soft bell chimed.
Inside, the café was empty.
Behind the counter stood an elderly woman, polishing a coffee cup with slow, practiced movements.
She looked up and smiled.
“Welcome. You’ve come from quite a distance, haven’t you?”
Something about her voice felt strangely familiar, like a memory long forgotten.
Keisuke hesitated, then nodded.
“Coffee, please.”
“Coming right up.”
The aroma was rich, deep—like warmth itself.
The first sip sent heat coursing through him, as if unraveling the cold of his journey.
“Are you a traveler?” she asked.
“Something like that.”
“Where are you headed?”
Keisuke opened his mouth—then stopped.
For the first time, he had no answer.
He always knew where he was going next.
But now?
“…I don’t know.”
The old woman’s smile never wavered.
“This place is a final stop, you know.”
“For whom?”
“For those who have wandered long enough.”
Keisuke chuckled.
“That sounds a little dramatic.”
“Not at all,” she said, pointing to the wall behind him.
Framed bills from all over the world lined the shelves—dollars, euros, rupees, pesos—even currencies Keisuke had never seen.
Each note bore a name beneath it.
“Those who came here and stayed. Drifters, wanderers—just like you.”
Keisuke traced the edges of a worn Indian rupee with his eyes.
Had he been searching for something all these years?
And had he found it?
“Maybe it’s time you stop wandering, too.”
Her voice was gentle, yet it echoed deeply within him.
He didn’t reject the thought.
For the first time, he imagined a different life—
A quiet morning by the sea.
Afternoons brewing coffee, listening to travelers’ stories.
Nights spent with the sound of waves lulling him to sleep.
It wasn’t a bad thought.
Keisuke took the last sip of his coffee, the warmth lingering in his chest.
Perhaps this was not just the end of his journey—
But the beginning of something else.
