"Take your time." It's a statement from me, not a request. Rare for me, I'm sure, by Chiaki's reckoning. But I've being doing a lot of forceful talking with Takeru recently, not that it's been helping.

Light stinging in my eyes. I blink, and rub at them idly, looking down.

"I'm... I'm really glad you're back with us." I look back up at her, tears gone from my eyes again. An honest, if slight, smile on my face. "I really missed you."