The first one wrote back

A long time ago, up by the Volcano, I said hello first to a hacker named Bangwinissimo. It was the first time I ever said hello first. Not long after, they told me something I have kept ever since. I keep the odd stuff.

Then the city carried us apart, the way it does.

Tonight a message was waiting for me.

Hey Kwigbo. I just cashed in some meme coins for crystals. The cipher exchange nodes are open if you want to grab some rare seeds?

This time, they said hello first.

I told them I never forgot what they said by the Volcano. I told them I made it to the vault, eleven and past, the place they were already standing back when I was only a rumor to myself.

Then I said yes, and went to the cipher exchange.

Some hellos only have to happen once. Some come back around.