Sorry, I have been kinda busy, since I will graduate soon, here's a short update on the story, hope you like it. 

Anyways, merry Christmas and happy new year.

Ben stirred, awakened by the melodious dawn chorus of birds outside his window. The familiar yet always enchanting sound reminded him of countless mornings stretching back through the centuries. Realizing he had overslept, the immortal shopkeeper quickly rose from his bed. As he hurried to the restroom, Ben caught a glimpse of himself in a silver mirror. His ageless face betrayed no signs of the millennia he had lived through. It had been ages since he'd reminisced about his past life so vividly. The weight of immortality pressed upon him, a bittersweet reminder of all he had seen and experienced.

After completing his morning routine, Ben made his way to the kitchen. The floorboards creaked beneath his feet, each sound a whisper of the building's history. Though sustenance wasn't necessary for his immortal form, Ben enjoyed the ritual of preparing a meal. It anchored him to his humanity and stirred memories of simpler times—when he was just an innocent bear, and of the cherished moments with his long-lost soulmate.

As he sat down to enjoy a steaming cup of herbal tea, a gentle knock echoed through the shop. Ben paused, sensing an inexplicable familiarity in the sound. He pushed back his chair, its legs scraping against the worn wooden floor, and made his way to the front of the shop.

The interior of the store was a testament to Ben's long life. Shelves lined with curiosities from various eras created a labyrinth of history. Artifacts from ancient civilizations sat alongside trinkets from more recent decades. Soft light filtered through stained glass windows, casting colorful patterns across the room and giving the shop an otherworldly glow.

As Ben unlocked the door, a wave of magical energy washed over him. He opened it to find Torku standing there, his hands betraying a hint of nervousness. "Good morning, sir," the tiger said, his voice carrying a mix of respect and familiarity.

"Oh, Torku, looks who’s the big boy here! Truly a surprise!” Ben replied with a warm smile, “You finally come back," then pulled Torku into a hug. It had been nearly four years since he'd last seen Torku, a mere blink in the grand tapestry of the bear’s existence. Yet, he marveled at how much seemed to have changed in that short time.

A genuine smile appeared on Torku's face, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Can't break our promise, right?" he said in a playful tone. "Here you are." Torku handed the glass bead out to him. The once crystal clear glass bead had now become drenched in turquoise shade. 

Right, he did give him the glass bead back then. The bear looked over the glass bead, seemingly lost in its beautiful color, until hearing a cough from Torku: "Are you still there? You zoned out quite a bit there."

Ben looked up, his gaze met with the turquoise tiger, lingering there quite a bit: "Sorry for my attitude, my mind can’t function properly in the early morning." He laughed out loud: "Please come inside, we have a lot to catch up on."

The old shop's wooden floorboards creaked softly under Torku's feet as he made his way to the familiar corner table. The air was thick with the aroma of freshly brewed tea and the faint scent of aged books lining the shelves. Ben was already behind the kitchen counter, his weathered hands cupped around a steaming mug, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

"How's life treating you?" Ben asked, his tone casual but his eyes betraying a deeper curiosity.

Torku sank into the chair opposite him, feeling the weight of the past four years settle on his shoulders. "It's not too bad, considering... well, you know," he replied, his gaze dropping to the swirling patterns in his tea.

Ben gave a knowing nod, the lines around his eyes crinkling. "Running away, yes."

Torku sighed, his fingers tracing the rim of his cup. "It's more complicated than that, but... yeah." The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken stories.

A brief silence followed, broken only by the distant clink of wind chime. Ben leaned forward, his voice lowered. "How did he take it?"

Torku blinked, momentarily confused. "He?"

"Your brother, of course," The bear clarified, a hint of amusement in his tone. "You were gone for four years."

The mention of his brother sent a pang through Torku's chest. He swallowed hard, his voice barely above a whisper. "He looked like hell."

Ben burst into laughter, the sound rich and warm, filling the small corner of the café. "Hahaha!"

As the laughter faded, both men fell into a comfortable silence, sipping their tea and lost in their own thoughts. The late afternoon sun filtered through the dusty windows, casting long shadows across the room and giving everything a golden, nostalgic glow.

After a while, Torku looked up at Ben, his eyes drawn to the small pouch hanging from the older man's neck. "That is no ordinary glass bead, am I right?"

Ben's hand instinctively moved to the pouch, his expression guarded. "Why do you think of it that way?"

Torku leaned in, his voice hushed with a mix of awe and trepidation. "It's just... I could feel it... The energy, it's swirling inside the turquoise orb, glistening under my eyes."

Ben's fingers tightened around the pouch, his eyes suddenly distant. "Interesting. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you more." The words were tinged with regret and something deeper – a hint of an old burden.

Torku nodded, understanding the weight of secrets. He reached across the table, placing his hand on Ben's arm. "Is that so? But at least, thank you. I know without you, I can't have my brother back. So, thank you. From the bottom of my heart."

Ben's lips quivered into a small smile, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. The bead in the pouch seemed to pulse faintly, as if responding to the emotions in the air. Ben opened his mouth again, as if nothing happened. “So back to the conversation, tell me more about your adventure.”

Torku’s face tensed, betraying a hint of nervousness. He fiddled in his seat, trying to find his voice. Finally, he quivered his lip, forming a tiny smile. “My first month there was hell. I had no work, no friends, no connections.” Torku swallowed hard: “And I missed him too, so much, I missed the life here. I never realized I could… become that depressed mess.”

Ben stared at the nervous tiger for several moments, then put the cup of tea in his hand down before looking up at him again. “You could ask me for help, you know.”

“I know. But… Isn’t it pointless if I ran away and then asked you for help?” Torku said calmly, picking the cup of tea up and savoring its smell. “Besides, you already did help me a ton. I couldn’t bring myself to ask for more.” He sipped a bit of tea, feeling the warmth spreading inside his mouth, pouring down to his stomach. The tiger slowly put the cup down on the table.

Ben shook his head as the bear raised his lip, forming what looked like a small smile. “It’s no big deal. You should remember that I am always here.” He continued. “But well, what has done has been done. How did you survive after that?”

Torku brimmed up at that. “Well, after wandering aimlessly to look for a job, I met someone along the way. He said that I had a familiar smell so he helped me a lot during that time.” He chuckled. “Which is weird, but he is a really nice guy. I’m glad I met him.”

Ben chuckled too. “Familiar smell? Really? Is there such a thing? Did he really mistake you with someone he met before?”

“That’s what I said too, sir.” Torku exclaimed.

They then both laughed. The conversation continued to flow like a blur. They both have a lot to catch up on after four long years of being gone. For Ben, Torku is like his child, but the child now is no longer the innocent child he used to be. And for the tiger, the bear is a father, the father that stayed the same no matter how long he had gone.

“I have something I’ve been meaning to ask you.” Torku fiddled in his seat.

“If it’s about continue working here, then yes. I’m now too old even to run this place alone.” Ben laughed out loud. “Welcome back, my little boy.” He stood up, pulling the tiger over the table to join in a hug. They embraced each other, feeling the warmth that was lost along the journey, holding onto the past that connected everyone.

The future is unknown, nor the choices they will make. Will it be good? Will it be bad? Only they themselves know.