Fifteen years had passed. He had been sculpting her likeness based on his imagination, but upon seeing Youyou today, he realized that a girl changes significantly over time. Perhaps the way she looks now is nothing like he imagined.
He reached out his hand and repeatedly caressed the wooden sculpture in front of him. Even the one he had just finished carving had already been smoothed by his touch.
Waiting is particularly trying, especially when there is no end in sight.
He had told himself countless times to stay calm, believing she would eventually return. Yet every time he picked up the carving knife and had to rely on imagination to carve her image, he couldn't suppress his longing inside.
He participated in international competitions, winning championship after championship, just so that no matter where she was in the world, she could see him on TV and the internet.
He wanted her to remember that there was someone in her life waiting for her to come back.
