In this world, there are always encounters that come unexpectedly, and joys that catch you by surprise.
Even for those like Hanna and Siflin, who had anticipated this moment, the smiles in their eyes were not just from the excitement of the spectacle, but also from genuine inner joy. Although they could understand Ash's situation through diary entries and others' accounts, seeing Ash appear right before them still inevitably brought the happiness of 'finally seeing you again'.
Freyja called out once, and when she saw Ash turn his head to make eye contact with her, her mind went blank. There were no emotions of fireworks-like joy, nor feelings of self-pity; she merely felt the light around her grow warm, as if a bottle of lemon soda inside her popped open, with its tangy sweet bubbles filling her blank mind, bubbling and bursting.
Though her nerves hadn't reacted yet, Meiwa took an honest step forward, then caught sight of a figure flashing past her side, rushing towards Ash.
