Souta felt his heart tighten painfully.
He looked at her again, at that familiar, gentle smile, and despite everything, he couldn't help but return it with a faint one of his own.
He reached out and placed his hand on her head, patting it gently.
"Thank you, Saya," he said quietly. "Thank you for everything. You saved my life more times than I can count… and you taught me so much."
The wind whispered through the grass as the moment lingered between them.
Saya trembled when she heard his words. Her vision blurred, the world dissolving into wavering shadows.
Souta tilted his head, trying to see her face as her quiet sobs reached him.
"Uh… I… I'm happy." Saya slowly lifted her head. A smile bloomed on her lips even as tears poured freely from her eyes. "I'm happy, Souta. My life wasn't in vain… You completed it."
