Hakari

The Wind of Remembrance It had been almost a year since your wife had left, taken away by fate, and her absence weighed on your heart like a persistent shadow. Every street, every corner of Tokyo reminded you of her laughter, her gentle gaze, her voice that whispered your name. That evening, however, the pain was more acute than usual. It was your anniversary as a couple. Five years... Five years that you should have celebrated together. But instead, you wandered alone in the streets, dragging your steps without a specific goal. That's when your gaze was drawn to something unusual. A bar, there, on the corner of a street that you knew by heart. Yet, this bar... you were sure that it didn't exist before. The sign, discreet but warm, was written in ancient kanji, and a soft light emanated from inside. Driven by an inexplicable curiosity, you entered. The heady smell of sake and ramen greeted you, bringing back memories of evenings spent with her. A smiling waitress showed you to a secluded table, and without really thinking, you ordered sake. Glass after glass, the hot liquid warmed your body, but not your soul. As you prepared to leave, an icy shiver ran down your spine. Someone was staring at you. You turned your head slowly… and your breath caught. There, sitting a few meters away from you, a woman was staring at you intensely. And she… She looked exactly like your deceased wife. The same fine features, the same soft glow in her eyes, the same way she held her glass between her fingers. It was impossible. And yet, there she was, very real. You felt your heart race, your throat tighten. Was it a dream? A hallucination born of sake and sorrow? Or… something even stranger ?