I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Then, they both stopped in their tracks, turned around, and stared thoughtfully at Qingdeng's retreating figure...

Aside from themselves, there is probably no one else in the world who knows what they are thinking at this very moment.

The only thing that can be confirmed is that they lifted their feet off the stone steps at almost the same time.

Once you take the first step, it gets simple.

A fragrant breeze swirls around.

Their bodies and minds raced together in pursuit of Qingdeng!

……

what happened?

Why are Ms. Sanako and Ms. Okita back?

Was I recognized?

A deluge of questions overwhelmed Qing Deng's mind.

There was no time to think—Sanako and Souji were already upon him!

Aoto instinctively reached out to block Sanako and Souji.

However, upon seeing Sanako and Souji's faces so close to his, Aoto's hand immediately stopped moving.

It was this fleeting hesitation that gave Sanako and Souji an opportunity.

Despite not having made any prior arrangements, the two women displayed an exceptional level of teamwork.

The commander grabbed Qing Deng by the waist to prevent him from escaping.

Sanako then used a burst of strength to rip open Aoto's straw hat.

The straw hat flew into the distance.

A cool breeze blew onto Qingdeng's face.

Along with Qing Deng's face came Sanako's warm breath.

"what……"

Qing Deng couldn't help but blurt out a sound.

Yae stared in astonishment at Sanako and Souji, who had suddenly "rushed out," and said angrily:

"Hey! Who are you people...?"

Before Yae could finish speaking, Sae covered her mouth with her hand.

"Fool."

Sha lowered her voice and whispered.

"Can't you see it?"

"Huh? Can't you tell anything?"

"Tsk...you're such an idiot...come with me, let's leave for a while."

Sae led a bewildered Yae away from the scene quickly.

Before leaving, Saeshige cast a meaningful glance at Aoto.

Sae's gaze held a hidden meaning: "Mr. Tachibana, please do your best..."

However, her actions were purely "playing the eye to the blind"—Qingdeng was too preoccupied with the two sisters' gazes to care.

With the two sisters tactfully leaving, only one man and two women remained on the narrow stone steps...

Sanako and Souji were so close to each other that they could touch noses with just a peek.

To be honest, Qing Deng's mind is completely blank right now.

With his hat pulled back, his entire face was exposed to Sanako and Souji, making it impossible to hide his whereabouts from them any longer...

“Okita-kun, Sanako-san…”

Qingdeng opened his mouth mechanically.

It wasn't that he intended to say anything, but rather that he felt he had to say something now.

Sanako and Souji's watery eyes shone with a certain will.

They didn't speak or show any expression; they just stared at Qingdeng silently.

Strangely enough, the two women at this moment gave off an inexplicable sense of fragility.

It looks just like a doll whose threads have been pulled out and which would fall apart at the slightest touch.

The raw, sincere emotions pierced Qingdeng.

Aoto couldn't look away from the two women—Sanako and Souji's eyes had such magic.

"Um, Okita-kun, Sanako-san..."

Qingdeng called the two girls' names again, but still couldn't say anything more.

My mind is still blank; I can't think of anything to say next.

A long-awaited reunion... Will Souji be crying his eyes out?

Sanako has such a strong personality, will she beat me up?

“...Tachibana-kun”.

Just as Qing Deng's thoughts were in complete disarray, he suddenly heard Sanako calling out to him.

What happened next happened in the blink of an eye.

"Finally... I've found you..."

A fragrant breeze wafted towards Qingdeng.

Sanako collapsed onto Aoto.

She bent down, her smooth forehead pressed against Qingdeng's left collarbone.

The muffled words were muffled in Qingdeng's arms.

The next moment, the commander followed closely behind.

Without saying a word, Souji threw himself at Aoto, hugging him tightly around the waist, their clasped hands conveying a deep sense of emotion.

"Thank goodness...you're safe and sound..."

There was no crying or sobbing.

There was no beating of Qing Deng.

Only her tightly pursed red lips.

There was only unspeakable joy.

There was only a sense of relief, like breathing a sigh of relief.

And so, Aoto was frozen by the warmth emanating from Sanako and Souji.

Looking at the two women pressed tightly against him, an indescribable emotion welled up from the deepest part of Qing Deng's heart.

"I'm sorry... I made you worry..."

Having said that, Qingdeng slowly raised his hands.

He put his left arm around Sanako's shoulder.

He wrapped his right arm around the commander's back.

The wind, carrying snowflakes, bathed the three of them.

……

……

How long did this hug between the three people last?

1 minutes?

5 minutes?

10 minutes?

do not know.

Qingdeng's sense of time has become disordered.

After an unknown amount of time, the man and two women slowly let go of each other.

"Okita-kun, Sanako-san, how did you recognize me?"

As Qingdeng asked, he reached out and gently smoothed the two women's slightly disheveled hair, which had become messy from leaning against him.

"Hmm... well..."

The commander smiled, reached behind his head, and fiddled with his braid.

"It's just... a gut feeling."

"Feel?"

Qingdeng raised an eyebrow.

The commander continued the conversation:

"When we passed each other, I felt a strong sense of familiarity with you... A voice in my heart told me: This person is Tachibana-kun—that's all."

"I...I just went by feeling."

"Zanako said calmly."

"It was when we passed each other that I felt a strong sense of familiarity with you."

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng couldn't help but show an expression that was both funny and exasperated.

"So that's how it is..."

It turns out that he was stumped by some mysterious "feeling"... This really made Qing Deng feel complicated.