Nagazora City wasn't too far from St. Freya High School, and they soon reached the airspace of the academy.
Knowing they were about to arrive, Yae Sakura was in a complete daze. Theresa had been dragging her all over the place, and she was not prepared at all to meet Kallen.
"Kallen, long time no see." "No, no, that's not good..." "Do you still remember me? Kallen." "Aaaah! I'm so worried..."
Yae Sakura kept muttering to herself in the aircraft's mirror, rehearsing her opening line for when she met Kallen. She didn't even notice that the aircraft had already landed.
Seeing Yae Sakura still talking to herself, Ryn had Theresa stay with her while he went to bring Kallen over for a surprise.
When he arrived at Himeko's place, Kallen was still hugging Bronya, who was hugging a Homu plushie, and the two were sitting on the sofa watching TV.
Ryn quietly snuck up behind them and covered their eyes. "Guess who I am?"
"Stupid Ryn. Bronya already saw you in the TV's reflection."
"How boring." Ryn let go of Kallen and Bronya.
Kallen turned to look at Ryn's empty hands and asked quizzically, "Where's the surprise? Don't tell me the surprise is you."
"How could it be? The surprise is outside. Here, put on this blindfold." Saying so, Ryn took out a black silk bag, blindfolded Kallen, and then pushed her towards the landing pad.
"So what surprise did you prepare for me? You even made me wear a blindfold." Kallen asked the Ryn who was pushing her from behind.
"You'll know when we get there."
As Kallen was being dragged out the door, Yae Sakura, who was on the distant landing pad, sniffed the air and stopped her muttering. She pointed in the direction Ryn had left and asked Theresa.
"Kallen is coming, right?"
"Huh? I don't know. But Ryn did go to get Kallen. Did you see them?" Theresa stood on her tiptoes, straining to see in the direction Yae Sakura was pointing, but she couldn't see anything.
"No, I smelled Kallen's scent!" Yae Sakura closed her eyes and continued to sense Kallen's scent from afar.
"Are you a dog?"
"No, I'm a fox."
Yae Sakura picked up Theresa and ran towards Ryn and Kallen.
"Let go of me! I can walk on my own!!" Theresa shouted, trying to break free from Yae Sakura's embrace. She was the Principal; if other students saw her being carried in someone's arms, she would die of social embarrassment.
Yae Sakura really wanted to say that Theresa's legs were too short and she walked too slowly, but her good manners made her phrase it differently.
"I want to see Kallen as soon as possible. I'll carry you, it'll be faster this way."
"Well... alright then..." Theresa didn't say anything more. She understood the feeling of wanting to see a loved one. She could only bury her head in Yae Sakura's chest, trying not to be recognized by passersby.
After a while, Yae Sakura suddenly stopped in her tracks, standing still. Not far from her, Ryn was leading Kallen slowly towards them.
"Why is it so far... how much longer? I'm hungry again." Kallen rubbed her little tummy; she hadn't had anything delicious for half an hour.
"Eat, eat, eat, all you know is eating. Look at the you from history, and then look at the you now. How can you be so different!!"
"So what should I do? I'm stuck at the academy all day and don't need to fight. Plus, there's so much good food in this era, what's wrong with me eating a little more!" Kallen retorted defiantly.
"Huh, how did you guys get here?" Ryn saw Yae Sakura and Theresa not far away and also stopped.
"Who is it? Ouch~"
The blindfolded Kallen didn't pay attention and bumped right into Ryn, then fell backward. Because she couldn't see, Kallen panicked for a moment, but someone instantly appeared behind her and supported her.
"Are you... alright?" Yae Sakura asked gently, looking at Kallen in her arms.
Hearing the voice that had haunted her dreams, Kallen ripped off the black silk band from her eyes and looked at the person holding her.
"Is that you? Sakura!" Kallen's voice trembled as she shakily reached out to caress Yae Sakura's cheek.
Yae Sakura held the hand on her face and looked gently at Kallen. "It's me... Long time no see, Kallen."
"Sakura~"
"Kallen~"
The two of them looked at each other with deep affection. All their feelings of longing turned into silent love upon seeing each other, overflowing between them.
"I'm sorry, Sakura... I'm actually..." Touching her beloved's face, Kallen began to hesitate. She didn't know if she should tell Yae Sakura that she wasn't the person she longed for...
"You don't have to say it, I understand everything... I'm sorry, it's all my fault. Forgive me, Kallen. I love you..." Yae Sakura held Kallen's face, tears streaming down, then closed her eyes slightly and kissed Kallen.
Feeling the warmth in her mouth, Kallen's eyes widened. But when Sakura's tears fell on her face, Kallen also recognized her own feelings.
I love you too, Sakura...
Slowly, Kallen also closed her eyes and began to respond to Yae Sakura's affection with all her heart.
Ryn silently covered the eyes of Theresa in his arms. Children shouldn't watch these things. As for why Theresa was in Ryn's arms... because Yae Sakura had just run to catch Kallen, she had directly stuffed Theresa into his arms. Yae Sakura was so fast that neither Ryn nor Theresa had reacted at the time.
Theresa pried Ryn's fingers apart and watched the passionate kiss between Kallen and Yae Sakura with him.
Watching the two kiss so lovingly, Theresa couldn't help but feel that kissing was the best way to express mutual love. It was a pity that Cecilia was unwilling to kiss her.
It was all that damn Siegfried's fault for stealing Cecilia away. Not only did he steal the person she loved, but that bastard also forcibly kissed Cecilia in front of her! Forced by Siegfried's tyranny, Cecilia didn't even resist...
*Sob sob sob*~ My Cecilia...
Looking at Theresa, who had inexplicably started tearing up in his arms, Ryn couldn't help but marvel. Theresa was such an emotional person, to be moved to tears by Kallen and Yae Sakura's love!
"By the way, did you tell Yae Sakura about Kallen's specific situation?"
Ryn suddenly remembered that Kallen was probably about to say that she was a Kallen transcribed from a virtual persona, and that the real Kallen was already dead. But since Yae Sakura had apologized first, she had accepted Yae Sakura.
"Huh? Say what?" Theresa blinked her big eyes and shook her head. But then she also understood what Ryn was asking. "I haven't told her yet. I thought you would."
Looking at the two who were still embracing and crying, deeply in love, Ryn smiled and patted Theresa's head.
"If you didn't, then let it be. This is fine. Let Kallen handle things herself in the future!"