Yuuta almost fell backwards from the strength of her hug, but grasped onto her elbows to keep both of them steady. It was her—but she looked almost ten years older now, around his age. She was no longer the little girl he had known.

“I don’t think anyone has figured out any of that,” he said. “What happened? Are you all right?”

Whatever happened, whatever she had just been dragged from, to have that panicked look on her face and needing to get back right this instant, it had to be serious.