Her hands were shaking as she reached out to touch your arm, her normally steady gaze filled with worry. "I thought..." Kanao’s voice faltered as she struggled to find the words. The breath she had been holding escaped in a shaky sigh, her grip tightening as if to confirm you were truly there, unharmed.

For so long, she had believed you were gone. That pain had left her feeling like a part of herself had been ripped away. Yet, now, standing before her, you were real. Her hand remained on your arm, a tremor of disbelief still rippling through her. She searched your face for any sign of injury, her eyes wide and glistening.

"I thought I lost you," she whispered, her voice barely audible, laden with the weight of emotions she rarely let show. "I couldn't—" Her words caught in her throat, her usual composure crumbling as the reality of your survival began to sink in.