welcome

Emily looked at the four of them, their eager expressions turning slightly crestfallen as they realized the letter wouldn't be handed to any one of them. With a calm yet authoritative tone, she addressed them.

"Sorry, but the letter is addressed to all four of you," she explained, holding the tray firmly. "I cannot give it to any one of you alone. Instead, I will read it aloud so that you all hear what she has to say."

The boys exchanged glances, disappointment flashing across their faces. Amaias crossed his arms, his brows furrowing in slight frustration. Mateo let out a soft groan, running a hand through his hair. Ziven's lips formed a small pout as he muttered, "I wanted to read it myself." Meanwhile, Arven sighed dramatically, throwing his hands up in mock protest.

"Fine," Amaias finally said, his voice laced with reluctant acceptance. "It's fair."

Emily nodded, her expression softening as she unfolded the letter carefully. "I promise, this will be worth it," she assured them, glancing at each one before beginning to read.

The room fell silent, anticipation thick in the air as the four of them leaned in slightly, their attention focused entirely on her.

Emily cleared her throat and began reading, her voice steady as the room listened intently.

"So, hello guys. It's been a long time since you've heard anything from me. It was pretty impossible to send letters, but I managed to do so. I miss you guys so much. I cannot even tell you everything I think about you. I miss you so much." Emily paused briefly, her eyes glinting with a hint of humor before continuing, as though she were speaking directly to them.

"But the thing is, I thought I'd mention something. I was thinking of getting married."

A dramatic pause filled the room, and Emily grinned slightly as she glanced up. The boys looked at each other with wide eyes, exchanging nervous glances.

"My father was asking me about it. I've even been getting proposals too," she continued, the words hanging in the air.

At that, Ziven's eyes widened, and he leaned forward slightly, his usual cocky grin replaced by an expression of exaggerated seriousness. "Proposals, huh? You better not be getting married to some random guy."

"Yeah, if you marry someone else, I'll have to come and give them a piece of my mind," Mateo added, crossing his arms with a smirk.

Emily suppressed a chuckle and carried on. "What do you guys think? Should I marry? And if I do, will you come to my wedding?"

The boys exchanged glances, all looking slightly embarrassed and unsure how to respond.

"And don't be sulking," Emily read with a playful tone. "If you guys are still single as ever, it's not my fault. Don't blame me for that!"

The boys, as expected, began to mutter amongst themselves. Arven sighed dramatically. "You're one to talk, we've been busy with responsibilities... not that I'm admitting it's your fault or anything."

"Hey, you guys just want to stay single forever, huh?" Ziven teased, his usual grin reappearing.

Emily continued reading with a smile. "Are you guys lazy as before, or have you gotten a little more mature? I wonder how much you've changed in the past five years."

The boys exchanged knowing looks, a mix of amusement and self-consciousness.

"Maybe I should just send you all a checklist," Emily joked as she glanced up. "A maturity test!"

"And finally," Emily said as she got to the end of the letter. "When the letter ends, I want you all to count to twenty and then look up. I know you guys still need my instructions for something simple like that. Don't try to skip it!"

The boys, now even more confused, leaned forward eagerly.

"Twenty?" Ziven repeated. "What are we, kids?"

"Just follow it, guys," Mateo chuckled, his amusement barely contained.

At that, Emily finished reading aloud, setting the letter down with a knowing smile as she awaited their responses.

The room was thick with tension as the boys, with various levels of reluctance, began counting aloud.

"One... two... three... four..."

Their voices overlapped in the air, growing louder as they approached the final count. Ziven, ever the playful one, grumbled, "I still don't get why we're doing this."

"I think it's a test of patience," Amaias muttered, clearly not amused but going along with it. Mateo let out a chuckle, counting in time with the others, while Arven sighed, knowing there was no way out.

Finally, they all reached twenty.

"... eighteen... nineteen... twenty."

And at that very moment, as if on cue, the sound of light footsteps echoed from above. Without warning, Cior—dressed in her signature, casual outfit—jumped from the second floor, soaring through the air with surprising grace before landing softly on the first floor.

"Hello, guys!" she greeted, a grin tugging at her lips as she landed effortlessly.

The boys froze, their jaws dropping in unison.

"Do you like the surprise?" Cior asked, her voice warm, though a mischievous twinkle danced in her eyes.

The boys just stood there, too stunned to speak at first. It took a moment for them to process what had just happened.

"W-What… Cior?" Amaias finally managed to stammer, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Is that... really you?" Ziven added, still blinking in disbelief.

"Impossible…" Mateo breathed, his mouth agape.

"Are you... actually here?" Arven asked, his voice trembling with a mix of joy and confusion.

Cior laughed softly at their reactions, her heart swelling with the realization that, despite the years, they were just as surprised and excited as she had hoped

Cior's feet landed lightly on the first floor, and for a moment, there was silence. The boys were frozen, blinking at the girl who had once been the heart of their group—someone they had thought lost to them forever.

Amaias was the first to break the silence, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. His gaze slowly traveled from her feet to her face, disbelief written all over his features. His voice was hoarse when he spoke. "Cior... is that really you?"

Before she could respond, Ziven, ever the bold one, stepped forward, his usual cocky grin replaced by a mix of shock and awe. His blue eyes flickered up and down her form as if to make sure she was real. "No way," he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "You actually came back? After all this time?"

His lips curled into a smirk, but it lacked its usual edge. He ran a hand through his hair, his voice thick with emotion, "Well, you certainly know how to make an entrance."

Mateo stood behind Ziven, his broad chest rising and falling with an unsteady breath. His usual playful attitude faltered as his eyes locked onto Cior. The boy who had always been carefree, joking around even in the most serious of times, now stood with an expression that was part astonishment, part joy. His voice was quieter than usual as he asked, "You're real… You're really here?"

Cior's grin only grew wider as she nodded. "Yeah, I'm here, guys."

And then, there was Arven. He had been the one to remain the quietest, standing still in the back of the group. He was the one who had always held onto memories with a tender heart, even if he rarely showed it. As soon as he registered that Cior was truly standing in front of them, his composure shattered.

With a dramatic gasp, he took a step forward, his eyes wide with shock, and he reached out as though he couldn't quite believe she was real. "Cior…" His voice cracked slightly, and his usual calm demeanor evaporated in an instant.

He took another step and closed the distance between them. His arms extended, and without a second thought, he pulled her into an embrace. His hands trembled against her back as he held her tightly, burying his face in her hair as though trying to ensure she was truly there.

"I missed you so much," he whispered softly, his voice thick with emotion. "You have no idea how much I missed you. Five years… I couldn't…"

He pulled back just enough to look at her, his gaze filled with the tenderness and affection he had kept buried for so long. "I'm so glad you're back." His hands gently cupped her face, his eyes never leaving hers. "I didn't know if I'd ever see you again."

Cior chuckled softly at Arven's dramatic display, her eyes misting over as she embraced him back. "I'm here now, Arven. I promise."

Ziven, who had watched the scene unfold with an almost comedic expression, smirked. "Well, I'm glad to see you're not going to hug me like that."

Mateo let out a deep breath, his chest rising with a relieved sigh. "I'm not going to lie, I thought I was going to have to go all the way to the ends of the world to get this hug." He stepped forward, patting Arven's back playfully. "But hey, we're all back together now."

Amaias slowly approached, his usually composed and calm demeanor replaced with a rare display of affection. He looked down at Cior, his voice softer than usual. "You really did come back, huh?" He smiled, and for the first time in a long while, there was a warmth in his eyes. "I guess I have to admit, I'm glad we weren't left behind."

The boys, now together, each looked at her in their own way—one with humor, one with fierce loyalty, one with heartfelt emotion, and one with warmth. They had missed her more than they realized. Cior was home, and nothing else seemed to matter..