While things were unfolding with Shin Noya and Yusa in the distance,

events were also taking place at the park.

A woman, having been grabbed by the arm, turned around.

Our eyes met.

For a moment, both the woman and I fell into silence, caught off guard by the sudden encounter.

The cold sensation in my hand and the eyes staring at me—

seeing them made me swallow involuntarily.

I had prepared so many things to say,

but now that I was face-to-face with her, I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

‘Mother.’

My guess was right.

The moment I saw her, I knew.

This woman was undoubtedly my mother.

How could I ever forget?

Even after decades had passed, I had never forgotten her.

I thought I had lived my life forgetting, but now that I saw her again,

the memory had only become clearer.

The silence stretched on.

Though my hand remained still, gripping her arm,

I knew I had to say something—anything.

But what should I say?

My mind went blank.

All my thoughts burned away in an instant.

“Um…”

“…!”@@novelbin@@

A voice.

It was my mother’s.

Beneath the veil, her eyes curved gently.

“Is something the matter?”

“…”

She glanced down at my hand gripping her wrist,

prompting me to release her without realizing it.

Thump—! Thump—!

My heart pounded.

Even more intensely than before a battle.

What should I say?

Should I express longing?

Or should I speak words filled with resentment?

Or perhaps…

No matter how hard I tried to think, nothing came to mind.

Still, I had to say something.

Forcing myself, I finally spoke while looking at my mother.

“…This…”

I pulled something from my robe.

A handkerchief.

“You dropped this.”

“Oh my.”

My mother accepted it with a soft smile.

“When did I drop it?”

I had seen her drop it earlier when she passed by.

I picked it up immediately, intending to use it as an excuse to talk to her.

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