[ He's taller than her, just like the rest of her friends, so he's a tree, suck it up— ]

You as well. [ ...That's so sentimental, and she glances down at her newly-gotten chocolates. ] Perhaps Goro is rubbing off on both of us. He's the one who says such sappy things, isn't he? How terrible. I'll have to pinch him another time when I return home.

[ She's joking, probably. Maybe. He has very pinchable cheeks though. ]

I... can't imagine life, now, without factoring in this city. I was sure I'd simply be swept away again in the middle of the year, and yet I wasn't. [ The words are hesitantly started and continued in the same way; it was easy to make light of how her past self would react, but it's harder to speak about her current feelings. ] I was certain I'd simply cruise through school, work myself to the bone, and be out on a plane in record time, to find somewhere I'd belong. But, to tell you the truth, Akira—

[ a sharp pause, and she sighs softly. ]

I don't know if I can imagine myself anywhere but here.

[ It's not something she wants to readily admit, when her dream has been to leave, to find somewhere to stay. She's even invited Minato on a trip like that, though it'd honestly just be an ordinary roadtrip regardless... ]

It's silly. [ Humph. ] Isn't it? Especially with how this city is, and with Retrospec, and such things... yet I've still found myself incredibly fond of the people and places here.

[ .........

a sharp poke to his stomach. ]

You're partially to blame. [ Everyone she knows is, but he gets to get the poke right now. ] Thank you.