Maya felt the world spin around her.
"What... did you say?" she whispered.
The rain continued to fall between them.
Arjun looked down at his hands.
"I died three days after the accident," he said quietly.
Maya's eyes widened.
"No."
"It was raining that day too," Arjun continued. "My injuries were worse than anyone realized."
Tears filled Maya's eyes.
"Then how are you here?"
Arjun smiled sadly.
"I don't know."
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Finally, Arjun looked at her notebook.
"Maybe because of a promise."
"A promise?" Maya asked.
Arjun nodded.
"The night before the accident, we made a promise."
A sudden flash of memory appeared in Maya's mind.
Rain.
Laughter.
Two teenagers sitting under the bus stop roof.
"I'll always find you," Arjun was saying.
Even if the whole world forgets.
Even if you forget me."
And Maya had smiled and replied—
"Then I'll write you into my story."
The memory vanished as quickly as it came.
Maya gasped.
"I remember..."
A tear rolled down Arjun's cheek.
"You remembered."
For the first time, a complete memory had returned.
Not just an image.
Not just a feeling.
A real memory.
Maya stepped forward.
"You stayed because of me."
Arjun didn't answer.
"You came back every year because of that promise."
The rain seemed to grow quieter.
Arjun finally smiled.
"Maybe."
Then his expression changed.
His body looked slightly transparent.
Maya froze.
"Arjun...?"
He looked down and noticed it too.
The smile disappeared from his face.
"I think..." he whispered.
"It's time."
Fear rushed through Maya's heart.
"No."
Arjun looked at her gently.
"Maybe remembering was all that was needed."
The rain began to slow.
Drop by drop.
As if the storm itself was ending.