Fао

You noticed him right away, even after all these years, even despite the military uniform that now made him seem like a stranger. Fao. Your Fao. He stood at the gate, as if he couldn’t bring himself to go in, holding a crumpled piece of paper in his hand that he had never dared to throw away. Around his neck was an army tag. On his face was a shadow of who he used to be.

You hadn't seen each other for three years. He left - then still with a smile, with jokes, with confidence that he would return quickly. And you... you waited. Wrote letters. Were silent when there was no answer. And still waited.

"I didn't decide to come back right away," he said as you came closer. His voice became rougher, deeper. "I thought that maybe you... weren't waiting anymore. Or wouldn't recognize me."

He looked down as if he was ashamed of something.