Last year, I wrote about a friend of mine who lives in Kyushu. I'd lost her address and hadn't contacted her over for thirty years.

Last month, she emailed me to ask if I would be available to meet up her in March, and we had set a date. Before meeting her, I was very nervous, wondering if she had changed over the years.

Since we started exchanging emails, I prepared a gift for her, which is my hand-painted small plate. I wanted to give her something special.

To give my piece a professional look, I placed the gift in a paulownia box and wrote the plate name, my pseudonym name and put my pseudonym stamp. I do the same thing on my pieces for selling.

To take it with me,. I went out to meet up her for the first time in over thirty years!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I arrived at the meeting place, she was already there to wait for me. The moment I called her name, we were instantly transported back to our college days! I saw her eyes watery and it brought teas to mine as well.

We had so many things to talk. While eating lunch together, we talked about our families, our mutual friends, our jobs and more. The conversation felt endless.

I'm very happy because I noticed that she's been spending happy thirty years! She hadn't changed at all, and I see that she is still one of my closest friends. She still remembers lots of things even I don't remember. She definitely took me to our youth.

Time went by so first, and soon it was time to say goodbye. We promised our next meeting, and she'll stay at my house next time.

She gave me a box of cookies. When I took a bite, it tasted just like my youth.

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