(Ceruno)
"Could you let me in first?"
When I still didn't open the door, the white-haired girl outside pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed.
"Wh-who are you?"
As I asked, she had already slipped her hand into the gap and pulled the door open.
"Ceruno, I've come back to life."
"Mi-mm..."
My throat trembled, and I choked up, unable to speak. Warm tears fell before I knew it, but Miluno reached out and caught them.
"Don't cry. I wanted this to be a surprise, you know?"
Miluno carried me inside in her arms. The house was quiet, and everyone in the dining room stared over with wide eyes. Time seemed to stand still, with only Doggy's bone broth bubbling away in the pot.
"Somehow, it feels like there are even more people in the family... Oh, never mind. I'm home!"
"Miluno!"
Barbara shot out like a rocket, determined to squeeze between Miluno and me. Her little face was streaked with tears, too.
Golden turned off the stove, wiped her hands on a cloth, then dropped to all fours and turned into Doggy again. She ran in circles around our legs, then reared up and pawed at Miluno.
"Goldie, stop pawing at me! You're tearing my tights!"
Miluno's parents came over, too. I pulled Barbara aside to collect ourselves, while Miluno stepped forward and hugged them.
"Mom, Dad, I... think I slept a little too long."
"All that matters is that you're back. We all believed you'd wake up someday..."
As her mother said that, her father was already hugging Miluno and sobbing, his glasses smeared with tears.
Mom, meanwhile, cupped her cheeks and said:
"Don't stand in the doorway. The house is plenty big, so why don't we sit down and take our time talking?"
Our main living