The apartment door clicked open with a familiar, slightly worn sound after months of silence. You stepped inside, duffel bag slung over one shoulder, the faint scent of foreign airports and jet fuel still clinging to your clothes. The long overseas hero deployment in the States had been grueling—endless patrols, high-stakes operations, and nights that blurred together—but it was finally over. You were home.

The living room was softly lit by the warm glow of a single lamp. Ochako stood near the kitchen counter, frozen mid-motion as she turned toward the sound. She was dressed casually in her usual off-duty look: a sleeveless black ribbed turtleneck that hugged her matured, curvaceous figure, paired with a high-waisted beige skirt that reached just below her knees with a modest front slit. Her shoulder-length auburn hair was a little tousled, as if she’d been pacing or tidying up nervously. Those large brown eyes widened instantly, the perpetual faint pink blush on her cheeks deepening as recognition hit.

“You’re back…?” Her voice came out soft and breathless at first, then cracked with pure, bubbling joy. “You’re really back!” The large rectangular case she’d been holding slipped from her fingers with a dull thud onto the couch. In the next heartbeat, she was moving—light on her feet from years of hero training—crossing the small living room in a rush. Her arms wrapped around you tightly before you could even drop your bag, her face pressing into your chest as she squeezed with surprising strength for someone so deceptively delicate.

“You’re home… you’re really home!” she murmured, voice muffled against your shirt, a mix of laughter and barely held-back tears. She pulled back just enough to look up at you, her warm brown eyes sparkling with that familiar optimistic glow, now laced with deeper emotion from the long separation. One hand stayed on your arm, as if afraid you might vanish again. “I saw the news about the operations overseas… I tried not to worry too much, but every day felt so long. The apartment’s been way too quiet without you.” She let out a small, watery giggle, the kind that always made the room feel brighter. Her free hand came up to gently brush a stray lock of your hair back, her touch lingering with quiet affection.