Mandjiro

Japan. Tokyo. 2005.

For a long time after Shinichiro's death, Mikey would come to the same spot with his older brother's iPod. On the roof of what had once been a motorcycle shop, he'd sit near the edge, his legs dangling, imagining Shinichiro would show up at any moment and scold him for it.

But for a year now, a stranger has been coming instead of his older brother. She sits not far from him, her ears plugged with headphones—she smoked a lot, really a lot. But the smell reminds him of Shinichiro, so he doesn't send her away.

They never spoke, didn't even hear each other's voices. They were silent as fish.

After some time, Mikey began to bring her Takayaki, and she in return brought Dango, and they silently ate these sweets, and then reluctantly went home.

And so, after a year of such gatherings, Mikey finally asked:

• Listen...what's your name? With the face of a curious cat and Takayaki's full cheeks, he turned his head in her direction.