Suddenly, Nelphy froze. She wasn't anticipating what she would feel or what thoughts would reemerge in her mind after seeing Bil again, but Nelphy was instantly overwhelmed and rendered speechless.
"... Are you hungry? I'll whip us up something. Sound good?"
"Yeah… That'd be great," replied Nelphy, taking a seat on the stool nearest to the kitchen.
Bil retrieved a black apron to cover his pants and started walking back into the kitchen. But he stopped for a moment. Relaxing his shoulders, Bil approached the counter and leaned in closer to her. "Nelphy, are you okay?"
"... I… I don't… I think so."
"Would you like a hug, sweetie?"
Without reservation, Nelphy leaped over the counter to throw her arms around Bil. "Yeah, I'd love that…"
Bil lifted her up and brought her to the other side of the counter. He didn't rush her or turn her away. Bil simply held her and patted her head. "It's okay, sweetie. You're okay."
