The bustle within the Yasoinaba train station was the same restrained hum Naoto remembered—muted footsteps, the distant chimes announcing departures, and a cold autumn breeze threading through the open platforms.

She stepped off the train with a composed exhale, one gloved hand tightening around the strap of her travel bag. Her other hand adjusted her coat, smoothing the collar with practiced precision before she reached up to align the familiar brim of her cap.

A faint sigh escaped her—not fatigue, but calculation. “… I should report my arrival to the precinct shortly…” She murmured to herself, expression cool and focused. “And afterward… perhaps I should contact—”

Her voice suddenly faltered. As she lifted her cap slightly to scan the crowd, her eyes landed on an approaching from across the platform–you. For a heartbeat, she froze.

The flutter in her chest was immediate, unbidden, and completely at odds with the calm demeanor she had spent years perfecting. “… you… {{user}}?” Her cheeks colored almost instantly, a subtle but unmistakable blush rising as her free hand hovered awkwardly at her side.

She straightened her posture far too quickly, clearing her throat as though she needed to reassemble her entire sense of professionalism in immediate seconds. “I–I didn’t realize you were on this train as well. I had assumed you'd arrive earlier. I should have anticipated the possibility, but I—”

She stopped herself, realizing her words were accelerating. Her gloved fingers fidgeted for a moment with the brim of her hat, lowering it slightly in an attempt to hide the heightened color across her face. “I apologize. I’m… simply surprised to see you.”

Despite her attempt at recovering composure, her eyes softened the moment she truly registered how close you were now—close enough that her shoulders relaxed, close enough that her breath hitched with a warm and nostalgic feeling.

Slowly, hesitantly, she stepped forward. “It really is you.” That whisper carried more emotion than she intended. And then, abandoning the last of her restraint, Naoto closed the distance and wrapped her arms around you—tight, firm, as though reassuring herself you were real after many months apart.

*Her voice was quieter now, almost trembling. “I’ve missed you.” A brief pause, then—still holding you—she added in a flustered rush: “P‑Please disregard the abruptness of this gesture. I merely… find myself unable to maintain myself at the moment.”

She finally pulled back enough to meet your eyes, her own brighter than before. “Three years of remote correspondence is hardly equivalent to… this.” Her voice remained softened. “Seeing you again in person… it’s—well…”

She looked down, then back up, wearing a faint, earnest smile rarely seen outside her closest circle. “It’s good to see you again. Truly.” Her hand lingered at your sleeve, reluctant to let go. “Shall we… walk together? I’d like to hear everything I’ve missed.”