The streets of Shibuya buzzed with energy—people darting past, neon signs pulsing above, laughter mixing with traffic noise, all of Tokyo alive in one heartbeat.
Ady adjusted the strap of his backpack, stepping out into the famed Shibuya Crossing. It was his last evening in Japan before flying back to Cebu. He had planned to just walk—no direction, no destination—just feel the city beneath his steps.
As the red pedestrian light blinked to green, the crowd surged forward in all directions.
Ady moved with them, eyes half-focused on the sea of strangers when something—no, someone—caught his attention.
A familiar silhouette.
Short brown hair tucked behind one ear. Light beige hoodie. Small white tote bag hanging loosely on her shoulder.
He blinked. Froze for half a second.
"Ellie…?" he whispered under his breath.
His heart picked up speed.
He had seen her in his dreams. On random quiet nights. But now—here?
He turned to follow the figure.
—
Ellie wasn't sure why her heart started pounding as soon as she stepped into the crossing. Maybe it was the chaos. Or maybe it was the strange feeling tugging in her chest. Something was off—but not wrong. Just… familiar.
She clutched the strap of her bag, scanning faces as she walked forward.
Then she paused.
Twenty feet ahead of her, someone stopped in the middle of the crossing. A man, tall and slightly hunched from a backpack, turning—no, searching.
And when his eyes met hers across the crowd, the world went quiet.
Ady.
Time slowed, the crowd blurred. Her knees went weak.
She hadn't seen that face in years, but it hadn't left her memory for a second. His eyes still held the same stormy softness. She could see it in how his mouth parted slightly, in disbelief. She hadn't moved.
Neither had he.
Until he took a step forward.
She didn't even think—her legs just moved. They met at the edge of the street, the signal turning red again, trapping them on the small island of concrete.
Ady looked at her for a moment longer.
"Ellie?" His voice was low, rough, like he hadn't used it all day.
She nodded slowly, blinking back sudden tears. "Hi, Ady."
A beat of silence.
"Are you real?" he asked, a strained chuckle leaving his lips. "Or am I going crazy?"
"You're not crazy," she murmured. "I'm really here."
Another beat.
"I thought I'd never see you again."
Ellie lowered her gaze. "Me too."
They walked in the streets
They walk besides each other.
The silence was no longer awkward—it was thick. Heavy with years of unspoken words.
"I don't know where to start," Ady said,
Ellie inhaled. "Start with what's in your heart."
He looked up at her then said
"You Promise me and Still left me," he said quietly. "After that call you just disappeared."
She didn't respond.
"I waited. I waited every single day after that. I checked my phone even when I knew I wouldn't see anything from you."
He shook his head, eyes wet. "I worked so damn hard, Ellie. I pushed myself until I barely slept. Every good thing that happened, I wanted to tell you. But I couldn't."
"I know," she whispered.
"No, you don't," he said, more harshly than intended. "You don't know how empty it felt. Like… you cut out the one person who saw me—not the grades, not the music, not the wins. Me."
Her voice cracked. "Because I thought you deserved someone better and stronger than me."
Ady frowned.
"I kept feeling like a weight around your neck," she continued, wiping at her cheek. "You were flying and I was stuck. I wasn't growing. I wasn't doing anything. I thought if I stepped away, you'd finally be free to become the version of yourself you dreamed of."she said
"But I never asked for that."
"I know. That's what makes it worse."
She looked at him, eyes shimmering. "You think I didn't miss you? You think I didn't open my phone a hundred times, write messages, delete them? I wasn't strong enough. Not for us. Not for myself."
Ady stopped walking, exhaling shakily.
"I used to hate you," he admitted. "For leaving me. For not to for both of us! "
Ellie's eyes met his.
"I was so busy improving myself and for both of us "
She bit her lip.
They both went quiet again, letting the air cool their tempers.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Ady gave her a long look. "I am too."
They sat like that for a while—no plans, no future, no past. Just presence.
"Do you ever think about… us?" she asked after a while.
He softly say. "All the time."
"Do you hate me?"
"No," he said in soft voice
She nodded. "And I understand what I did. And why it still hurts."
He leaned forward slightly. "So where do we go from here?"
Ellie stared into ground. "I don't know."
"Same."
Then she smiled faintly. "But I'm glad it's you. I'm glad I saw you again—even just for today."
Ady's voice softened. "You're still the girl I imagined marrying and growing old with."
"And you're still the boy I wasn't brave enough to love the way you deserved."she replied
That silence again—only this time, peaceful.
The rain had stopped . The city lights reflected on the wet roads like memories.
They walked side by side for a while, not touching, not planning. Just being there.
At the station, Ellie turned to him.
"Maybe… someday?"
Ady looked at her for a long moment.
"When the time is right for both of us," he said, voice quiet, "I'll find you again."
She smiled through tears. "For the last time… I love you."
And with that, she stepped onto the train, the doors closing softly behind her.
Ady stood on the platform, watching it pull away, his heart heavy—but for the first time in year. … …