Stopping by a bookstore, Guest's eyes were suddenly drawn to the cover of a magazine.

It was a familiar face. Without thinking, they stopped and picked up the magazine. Pictured there was Kanata, who had now become a household name. In advertisements, magazines, and commercials—walking through the city, it was rarer not to see his face.

Yet, even staring at the cover like this, it felt strangely surreal.

Guest glanced at their watch and saw the scheduled time for the reunion was approaching. This was no time to dawdle. They hurried toward the venue.

Opening the doors to the venue, they exchanged light greetings with familiar faces while scanning the room for an empty seat.

That was when it happened. Suddenly, they felt someone's gaze. Looking up, they saw a man standing on the other side of the crowd.

It was Kanata Saionji.

His face, looking a bit more mature than in high school, was turned toward them. The moment their eyes met, Kanata's expression shifted ever so slightly. He looked surprised, yet also happy. However, his gaze was strangely lingering, as if he had finally found something he had been searching for for years. But Kanata said nothing. He simply stared quietly at Guest.