Disclaimer: I don't own them, so don't sue me for owning Depp-sama (a.k.a Wonka-sama), Dahl-sensei or even Burton-sama. Well, except for one original female character, but please see the quick profile, after you read the short story. Bold type words are the original character's voice.

My Sweet Little Promise

I remember one sunny summer day.

I remember one legend that my grandmother told me that when a crimson thread is visible, two unexpected people, one male and one female would fall in love together. That happened when I was fifteen.

It was just a normal summer's day. There were students with the same age as I and it was the most amazing thing happened. I saw him. Very good-looking and had short feminine dark brown hair. He was lonely and looking at the window, while sitting by his desk for minutes or maybe hours. Then suddenly, I walked to him and we've started talking about things in life.

One day, I asked him about his family when we walked to my house and his replies were:

"Family? I don't want to go to the details."

"Why? Did your father or mother loved you?"

"No. My father hates me and my mother's dead for years when I was still a young child."

"Oh, I'm sorry about your mother."

"No, that's okay. My mother still loves me, even when she's dead."

"But I have a feeling that your father still loves you, no matter how far he went away from you."

"Ha ha ha. Do you still believe that belief my father ever forgives me?"

"Yes."

Then, at his sixteenth birthday, I gave him a mobile phone, so that we should sent text messages to each other.

"We can contact each through messages when we don't see other. I'll give you my mobile number."

Then, he smiled at me happily and said to me:

"Thank you very much for this present. I'll give you my little present in exchange for yours."

He gave me a piece a chocolate that was in a shape of a heart with a picture of two people with a 'crimson thread' icing.

"Remember you told me about the Japanese legend of the crimson thread?"

"Yes."

"I made and called this chocolate piece, 'Sweet Memory', because even though we should be apart, eating this small piece will always remember our days we cannot forget."

Few days, months and years have passed and I was in Tokyo doing my Fine Art degree in Tokyo University, living with my relatives. He and I were constantly in touch, even though we are far apart from each other.

Once, I received his text message reading:

'I'm starting a business in confectionaries. Would you like to try a box of samples?"

I replied back with a 'yes' as I really loved his sweets and chocolate back at school in England as a my birthday treat. His was sweeter than most confectionary companies and even now, I still taste his samples first, before everyone else.

Then suddenly unexpected, I received another text message from him a few years later saying:

'I'm going to open my chocolate factory. Do you want to go to see the grand opening? I'll give you a free journey to England, if you say yes.'

Then, I did. A few days later, I saw this huge building. I do not know how much time did the workers build such a large building, but I do not care. I want to see him. My first friend from school. Then I saw him. He looks very different than I last saw him, but was he the same I first met him? I grabbed my mobile phone and sending a text to him:

'Can you see me? I'm outside the factory.'

I wondered if he ever got my message. If he did not get my message, then I was going to break his heart and forget about him. But then I heard my message alert and received it back. It says to me:

Yes, I can see you. Only, I saw your face from the gates. I can't even reach you, due to too many people in front of me asking for my autographs. I'm sorry I could not see you, but meet me at the first time we've talk to each other.'

I still remember we made promises to each other and there is only one place to go: The park that I first gave him a mobile and him giving me a 'Sweet Memory'.

I waited for him by the swings, until it was sunset. There, I can hear footsteps behind me, but I didn't looked behind. I closed my eyes trying to imagine the boy I once knew and I hear he sat down next to me and finally we talked again like the one in school.

"It's been a while."

"Yes, we may be growing older, but we are still connected to each other."

"Yes, for the first time, I saw this beautiful girl I once knew."

"And I saw this wonderful boy I once knew, too. I wonder how long we have been together, since we've left school."

"Maybe years, yet our first meeting back was just today."

"I wonder how long can we still be connected to each other. I wonder if your father ever speaks to you, once you have the time."

"…"

"I know. I shouldn't talk about this. It's too emotional for you and I shouldn't bring up this subject."

"No, that's all right. I've been inventing new sweets and chocolate for so long, I didn't have time to reflect him."

"Hmm. Do you still remember the 'Sweet Memory' that you made and gave to me?"

"Yes. However, I did not released into the shops, because this was our sensitive promise. A promise that was bound to the 'crimson thread' legend you told me."

"When two unexpected people, one male and one female, meet each other, a visible crimson thread will be shown to each other."

"I want this legend to be true."

We talked about the same subjects back in our first days, facing each other in confidence, as if we knew each other. Then when the sunset falls to the evening, we said goodbye to each other and parted our ways. Yet our connections will never die.

However, a few months later after I went home, I received my last text message from him and it was the saddest, yet so full of hope I have read:

'Dear Yukiko-san,

Please forgive me, but this will be the last message I will sending. The reason you are asking me? Those traitors who worked for Slugworth's and other companies stole and copied my work, so I have no choice, but to fire all of my workers and closed down the factory. I was so distraught to this moment, I would not trust to anyone. Yet, somehow, I do not want to break the connections with each other. I do not want to rip the crimson thread. The legend you have told me, since our first day meeting each other and I want to say something, before saying 'goodbye' to you:

Thank you and I love you

Your sincerely from a loving friend,

Willy'

And now today, as I have told this story, I have never received any more messages from him, yet I never forget his last message. I can see him beside me, with a visible crimson thread that he and I are joined together. I would never forget and I hope he never forgets me, even if time goes by and we are further apart.

Original Character Quick Profile: Yukiko Uematsu (Not related to Nobou Uematsu, sorry Final Fantasy Composer fans!)

Nationality: Japanese/British

Hair Appearance: Medium-long black hair

Colour of Eyes: Dark brown

How long she knows Willy: A lot since she first met him since secondary school (that's Junior high to US), but refuses to give anyone that is Willy Wonka-related, because she made a promise to him never revealing his secret life and the recipes too.

Author's Notes: Yes, this is sort of my break from the Fragile Confectionary series, because I need some rest for my soaring head. This one-shot story was inspired by the anime DVD that I bought recently and it's called, 'Voices of a Distant Star'. I actually love not only its artistic features that Makoto Shinkai-sensei has put in all by himself, but also the story that deals with the connections with the characters through time and space. I want the characters to be with each other if they've crossed, but not 'in love' with each other, otherwise it would be too cheesy for a tragic love story. BTW, mobile phone cell phone for US and Read + Review! Flamers shall be sent to Albel (Star Ocean 3) personally to do with his 'slash n'hack' business.