The last time I'm here, I was in middle school.

Remembering that brings me back to the time I spent in music room at school, the stained orange sky I grow to love, and the school bell. Memories have a way of making you smile, don't you think, Kaori?

I have just finished my four years bachelor degree in Darmstadt, Germany. I already signed a contract as a performer, and I thought I'd use the two weeks break to go back here, where I started.

I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you.

I think you already know, but I'm gonna tell you anyway.

I went abroad after I finish high school, and most of my summer vacation I spent at Hiroko-san's house, practicing. I bet you know the pattern already, practice, competition, practice, performance, and so on and so on. But I don't mind. It's just the sandwich I chose to eat.

You know everyone in life choose their own sandwich. Yours was practice and competition, even when you're scared. Not only that, you also decided to go on a surgery. Mine was leaving the comfort of this town to a land half the planet away to pursue my musical journey. It is lack of sleep, ruined body metabolism, and of course, hours of practice.

Sometimes I find myself clinging to the memory of you when you ate that cake in the pastry shop. That time after school when you and I walk along that road. It's funny, I always remember something falling in the background of our meeting. One time it's flower, then orange leaves, then the rain, and lastly the snow. Right now it's spring once again. Flowers are everywhere and crossing the bridge at sunset makes me remember your smile. I guess you'll never leave.

I'm fine with that tho.

Loving you through memory alone is easy, but insufficient. Usually on the first few weeks of autumn I find that German's sky has almost the perfect orange tint to it, and I would think of you. Of the time I'll spend with you eating cakes, listening to your rant and all else. It means less practice hours, less sleep than I have right now, and even more ruined body metabolism. You are time consuming and certainly not an energy saving girl.

But I would choose that sandwich over any sandwich available.

I would choose all that, you know?