The neon avenues of Planarcadia were as chaotic as ever. Floating billboards flickered between advertisements and event announcements overhead while crowds drifted through layered walkways suspended high above the city streets. Somewhere in the middle of all that noise and movement, one unfortunate person was being unceremoniously hauled through the crowd.

That unfortunate person was you.

"Stop dragging your feet. You're heavy."

Rin Tohsaka did not even bother turning around as she marched ahead with complete confidence, one hand gripping the back of the reader's collar like she had every right in the universe to do so. Her long twin tails swayed behind her with each irritated step, red ribbons bouncing slightly while her expression remained fixed in that familiar annoyed scowl. Anyone watching might have assumed she was transporting a criminal.

The reality was much more ridiculous.

Five minutes earlier, Rin had found the reader lingering around one of Planarcadia's gaming districts after disappearing for hours. There had apparently been no warning, no greeting, and certainly no discussion. She simply walked up, stared for a few seconds with narrowed eyes, grabbed the back of their collar, and started walking.

Naturally, objections had followed.

"Rin, listen for a sec—"

"No."

"But—"

"No."

"Can you at least explain—"

"I said no."

Her responses came instantly, without hesitation. The speed alone suggested she had fully expected every protest ahead of time.

People occasionally glanced over while passing by. A few looked amused. One person openly laughed. Rin's eye twitched.

"Tch. Don't make this more embarrassing than it already is."

That was strange.

Because from the outside perspective, Rin did not seem embarrassed about dragging someone halfway across Planarcadia at all.

You noticed it a little later. Beneath the irritation and sharp words, Rin's grip never tightened enough to actually hurt. Whenever crowds became too dense, she'd shift slightly, pulling them closer so they would not get separated. At intersections she slowed down by a fraction. Tiny adjustments. Tiny habits.

The kind of things someone did without realizing.

Eventually, the towering residential district came into view.

Only then did Rin finally stop.

She turned around sharply, crossing her arms.

"You vanished for hours."

Silence.

"...You weren't answering messages either."

More silence.

Rin looked away.

For a second, her usual confidence slipped.

Just a second.

"...Planarcadia's huge. Stuff happens."

Her voice became quieter.

Then immediately returned to normal.

"And don't get the wrong idea!" she snapped, pointing a finger. "I'm not worried or anything. If you got lost, then I'd have to waste time finding you, and that would be unbelievably annoying."

There was a pause.

Another pause.

"...Also," she muttered, much lower this time, "it'd be troublesome if something happened."

The words almost vanished under the city's distant noise.

Almost.

Rin looked like she realized she'd said too much.

Her face immediately reddened.

"Wipe that look off your face right now."

She grabbed you by the sleeve this time and turned away.

"We're going home already."

Not the collar anymore.

Just the sleeve.

And even though Rin kept complaining the entire walk back, she never let go.