Months turned into seasons, and spring returned, carrying with it a breeze of renewal and hope. The sakura trees blossomed once more, their delicate petals dancing through the air, a vivid reminder of the fleeting yet beautiful nature of life. Aimi sat by the window of her childhood home, watching the pink and white blooms sway in the wind. Her father's condition had finally stabilized, the looming cloud of worry that had dominated her life beginning to lift.
Still, her heart felt incomplete. Thoughts of Raito and the life she had left behind began to surface more frequently, each memory tugging at her soul. One evening, she found herself opening her old sketchbook, its pages filled with drawings from her happiest days—pictures of the lake, the shrine, and countless sketches of Raito. Each line and curve seemed to echo with laughter, warmth, and a longing she could no longer ignore.
Her chest tightened as she stared at the sketches. The ache of missing him grew unbearable, and she knew what she had to do. Grabbing her phone, she hesitated for a moment, her fingers trembling before typing out a simple message: "I need to see you." It was short, but it carried the weight of everything she wanted to say.
Raito received the message as he stood beneath a canopy of blooming sakura trees, their petals falling like soft whispers around him. The past months had been a blur of quiet desperation and unanswered questions, but this—this small message was the first light he'd seen in the darkness. His heart raced, a mix of anticipation and disbelief coursing through him. For the first time in what felt like forever, he allowed himself to hope.
He spent the next day preparing, though there wasn't much he could do except wait. When the time came, he stood at the same station where they had said goodbye, his hands shoved deep into his pockets to hide their trembling. The platform was alive with the sounds of trains arriving and departing, but for Raito, the world seemed to hold its breath.
Then he saw her.
Aimi stepped off the train, her figure framed by the soft glow of the setting sun. She looked different—thinner, paler, and visibly worn from the months of struggle—but her eyes held a determination that struck Raito to his core. She stopped, her gaze locking onto his, and for a moment, neither moved.
Without thinking, Raito closed the distance between them. He reached out, hesitating just briefly before pulling her into his arms. "You're here," he whispered, his voice breaking. "You're really here."
Aimi buried her face in his chest, her fingers clutching the fabric of his jacket. "I couldn't stay away anymore," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "I missed you, Raito. I missed you so much."
They stayed like that for a long time, the world around them fading away as the cherry blossoms continued to fall. In that moment, nothing else mattered. They were together again, and for both of them, it felt like spring had finally returned to their hearts.