A Reunion Across the Years

The familiar feeling of weightlessness—when consciousness returned, Lu Yan didn't feel his large bed at home.

Lu Yan opened his eyes, and the scene before him made him feel disoriented for a moment.

He found himself standing in a clean and tidy room.

Sunlight streamed in through the round glass window.

That wasn't real sunlight.

With his enhanced senses, Lu Yan keenly perceived the difference in light.

He walked to the window and looked outside.

What comes into view is no longer a vast expanse of white snow, but a vibrant city of technology.

"Star Torch Academy?" Lu Yan murmured to himself.

He turned around and began to look around the room he was in.

This is a single dormitory room, decorated very cozy.

The upper bunk has a single bed with light pink sheets.

The desk was neatly stacked with various heavy books, a paper airplane, and some cassette tapes. Next to it stood a small photo frame, but the frame was upside down.

Lu Yan's heart suddenly began to race.

He already had a guess about where he was, but the uncontrollable nature of dreams made him feel inexplicably uneasy about the scene he was about to face.

Just then, the dormitory door opened with a crisp sound.

Lu Yan's gaze fell on the slowly opening door.

The door was pushed open, and a tall, slender figure walked into the room.

She wore a neat high ponytail, and the strands of hair drew graceful arcs in the air as she walked.

The girl wore a well-fitting and exquisite purple school uniform, the tailored top outlining her beautiful figure.

Her lower body was covered by a white knee-length skirt, and beneath the hem, her two straight and shapely legs were encased in short socks, and she wore a pair of black leather shoes.

The girl looked down at a document in her hand and closed the door behind her.

"The resonance synchronization rate has broken records again this week..."

She muttered softly, her voice clear and melodious, carrying a confidence honed by experience.

The moment she walked into the house and looked up.

Time seemed to stand still.

The girl's bright, starry eyes narrowed sharply the moment she saw the man standing by the window.

The documents in my hand scattered all over the floor with a clatter, and the papers flew everywhere.

Looking at the beautiful and graceful young woman before him, Lu Yan's eyes welled up with tears.

He called her name softly, "Aemeath."

These three words are like a spell to break the barrier.

One second she exuded a lively and cheerful girlishness, and the next she shed all her pretense.

The shock in her eyes was quickly replaced by an indescribable joy!

"A-Yan--!"

Aemeath let out a piercing scream, a sound filled with endless grievances, longing, and joy.

She didn't even care about the documents scattered at her feet, and rushed into Lu Yan's arms without hesitation.

The force of the impact forced Lu Yan back half a step, his back hitting the windowsill.

But his hand caught the girl in his arms immediately.

He tightened his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest.

"It really is you... A-Yan! It really is you!"

Aemeath's hands gripped Lu Yan's neck tightly with astonishing strength, and she stomped her feet back and forth on the ground.

She buried her face deeply in Lu Yan's neck, greedily inhaling his long-lost, captivating scent.

"It's been so long since I've seen you... I miss you so much, I really miss you..."

Her voice was muffled, with a clear sob in it, and hot tears instantly soaked Lu Yan's collar.

Lu Yan felt the now mature Aemeath in his arms, yet she still sought protection as she had when she was a child.

He gently stroked her back, which was heaving violently with excitement.

"Yes, Aemeath has grown up."

Lu Yan's voice was hoarse, filled with deep remorse.

He looked at her purple school uniform and white skirt, feeling a mix of emotions.

"It seems I really haven't shown up for far too long this time."

He originally thought it would only be a few months, or a year or two at most.

But looking at the person in front of me, who was at least in his twenties and about the same age as Aemeath at home.

He knew that he had been absent from an incredibly long and important period of her life.

Lu Yan gently pulled away a little, looked down at her face, which was still breathtakingly beautiful despite being covered in tears, and gently wiped away her tears with his thumb.

"Aemeath won't blame me for not being with you, will she?" he asked softly.

Upon hearing these words, a glistening tear appeared in Aemeath's eyes.

She sniffed, and her previous fragile demeanor vanished instantly.

She suddenly broke free from Lu Yan, raised her chin haughtily, tears still glistening in the corners of her eyes, and struck a sullen pose.

"Of course I blame you!"

Aemeath pointed a finger and poked Lu Yan's chest without any hesitation, complaining through gritted teeth, "You big liar! You said we'd meet later! And this 'later' has made me wait for so, so many years!"

Do you know how I've managed all these years without you by my side?

Although she spoke words of blame, her hands gripped Lu Yan's shirt tightly, and her body pressed itself against him, as if afraid that if she let go, he would turn into specks of light and disappear again.

Lu Yan's heart melted at the sight of her haughty demeanor, where she clearly wanted to see him but insisted on putting on a fierce act.

He didn't argue, but instead pulled her into his arms again.

"I'm sorry, it was my fault. I'll agree to whatever compensation you want from now on, okay?"

Aemeath let out a muffled groan in his arms, but her angry expression couldn't last more than three seconds.

She pressed her face close to his heart again, and the emptiness that had accumulated in her heart for many years was filled in that moment.

"You said it yourself, you can't go back on your word~" Her voice softened, filled with deep affection.

The two embraced quietly for a long time in the sunlit dormitory.

Only after Aemeath's emotions gradually calmed down did she take Lu Yan's hand and walk to the sofa in the dormitory to sit down.

Lu Yan looked at the well-made purple school uniform she was wearing.

"Are you studying at Rinascita now?" Lu Yan asked softly.

"Mmm." Aemeath nodded, her fingers unconsciously stroking Lu Yan's hand, as if only this kind of physical contact could make her feel at ease.

She lowered her eyes and told Lu Yan what had happened after he disappeared.

"Sister Rover kept your promise; she stayed with me the whole time."

A flicker of nostalgia for the past and gratitude for the Rover flashed in Aemeath's eyes.

"But, just a few months after you disappeared, Sister Rover also had to leave."

She said she had a mission she had to complete.

Lu Yan's heart tightened slightly.

He knew that this marked the beginning of the Rover's departure from Aemeath.

"Before Sister Rover left, she took me back from the Royan Frostlands to the Glimmering Forest of Rinascita."

Aemeath leaned slightly closer to Lu Yan, her voice becoming somewhat low:

"Actually, when I first returned to Glimmering Forest, I was still very scared. I was afraid that the warmth of life there would make me forget you."

"But I touched the amulet my parents left me..." (PS: Because of the amulet and its Frequency, I still remember my parents, even after becoming an electronic ghost.)

Aemeath spoke, she carefully pulled a chain from the collar of her purple school uniform with her other hand.

The amulet, with its blue-pink gradient, lay quietly in her palm, emitting a soft glow in the light of the furnace core.

"As long as I can sense even a tiny bit of your Frequency within me, I know you're still watching me from somewhere. I promised you I would take good care of myself and never hurt you."

She raised her head, her eyes filled with determination, and spoke faster, "So I stopped crying. I studied hard and trained relentlessly."

Aemeath proudly puffed out her chest and pointed to the badge on her chest. "Look, I'm still the most outstanding student in the Labelle Department!"

"My swordsmanship has become more powerful, I've mastered a strong Resonance Ability, and I've even become a suitable candidate."

"Now, I can protect everyone." Aemeath struck a pose, waving her little fist menacingly.

She leaned closer to Lu Yan, her gaze burning into his eyes with a possessiveness that seemed to want to devour him.

"Most importantly... if you ever encounter danger again, I will absolutely, positively never let you stand alone in front of me again. I will protect you firmly behind me!"

Upon hearing these words, Lu Yan felt a surge of shock and disbelief.

Behind her seemingly casual remark about relentless training lies countless days and nights of sweat, loneliness, and unwavering perseverance.

She transformed her longing into an obsession with becoming stronger, and made protection her life's creed.

This deep-seated gravity had already taken root so early on.

"You did a great job, Aemeath." Lu Yan out and gently stroked her cheek, his thumb lightly rubbing the corner of her eye.

"You are already a very, very great hero."