You can of course write and ask. Most likely the reply will be that the domain is for sale. You may be able to negotiate a price where you and he agree of a mu

You can of course write and ask. Most likely the reply will be that the domain is for sale. You may be able to negotiate a price where you and he agree of a mutual value. However given that this is a 3 letter domain, and it's a vanity project (ie presumably not commercial) I expect you'll find the price too high. Alas there is no "right to ownership" - domains are served on a fist-come, first-served basis (with a few exceptions for registered trade marks.) The solution is creativity, not cash. Something like drewashere.au