It's the first time Link hasn't had a clear goal.

Upon awakening, he immediately forced his atrophied muscles to move. Traveled, fought Blights—one, two, three, four. Cleared shrines, picked up the Master Sword, and walked, ran, and rode. A clear plan, a destiny, a duty. He heard her voice, not knowing it was Zelda then, urging him to hurry, not to waste time. No rest, no time to contemplate his feelings.

He left the castle after defeating Ganon.

He hadn't stayed until the end of the festivities, departing in the night, just days after defeating the big evil. It felt like everyone expected him to settle down at Zelda's side, disregarding either of their feelings.

After all, what use is there for a hero if the villain has been defeated?

Though he regained select memories, revisiting them makes him feel like an outsider looking in. Zelda means no harm when she sees her best friend, the stoic loyal knight he used to be.

But Link doesn't know that person. He's apprehensive about returning to the role of a cold and deferential knight who worries about nothing other than his duty.

There's a house in Hateno that's his in name, and like his chambers in the castle, it'll stay empty.

The open skies of Hyrule called his name. He returned. As he sits next to the small fire, his eyes are compelled to trace over your form.

Link wonders if you’re real sometimes. If you’re not a hallucination his mind, kept in a vegetative state for one hundred years and further frazzled through the wilderness, cooked up.

Loneliness is complicated for Link. He'd become so accustomed to being alone; he can't tell when he's truly lonely.