On days like this

He.

November morning dawned cloudily. Manjiro Sano just hated cloudy days with hints of rain.

All because it made him remember things he didn't want to remember. Something that happened on a rainy night. There was still a connection between him and those days. In the old days, he would have a certain company in his house. He would probably come without a second thought.

Manjiro lost count of how many times he called Ken to spend the day at his place when the streets were too dangerous for them to risk-taking their motorcycles and drive around Tokyo. Risk has always been present in their lives, but on days like this, Manjiro liked to stay by Ken's side while they just listened to the rain and ate snacks.

No other gang member or close friend knew this but, on days like this, Manjiro liked to look out the window at the rain and tell about his feelings, pains, and hurts. And Ken was there to listen to every word Manjiro said. The two boys promised they would never tell their secrets to other people, even if it was another friend. No other person in this world could replace what they had. What they once had. Manjiro could get a new friend, but this new friend would never be like Ken. No one could replace Ken for Manjiro. And no one could replace Manjiro for Ken. It was as if the two completed each other.

Even years later, he would like to do it all over again. And ironically, years ago, Manjiro could not imagine what this life would be like without Ken. What he would become without Ken by his side. But he was all alone now.

He didn't have Ken by his side to yell at him when he spent too much time in the rain and ended up in bed with a cold. Now, if Manjiro caught a cold, Ken would not be by his side to take care of him.

He keeps waking up every day thinking about how they used to be. He only wishes that he could go back in time, but he didn't have that power. So he just keeps waking up day after day with regrets that no one will ever be able to understand. He continues to wake up day after day with pain that no one will ever be able to withdraw from his chest. He doesn't even have a heart. This had been taken from him, as had his light and his reason, the one who guided him, the one who was one of his last pillars. Manjiro wakes up day after day, experiencing the same pain once again. He would always be attached to the memories of the past; even if someone didn't understand it, it was simply impossible to forget. Forgetting someone who was so important and who would keep appearing in his dreams.

On a day like this, Manjiro just says to the cold wind:

"I hope that we meet again, Kenchin. We'll meet again in another life. We would keep all our promises and it would be us against the world again. And after that, we can spend more days like this together."