It really was her. Nobody else could have known all of that, as trivial as it might have seemed to an outsider. Upon second glance, he could have kicked himself for not recognizing her. She was so obviously his sister in every way, and though she had grown, he thought he could catch just the barest glimpse of the little girl he remembered so well somewhere in there.

His hold on her tightened yet again, if it were possible to hug her any more fiercely than he already had been. He almost felt that if he let go, she would disappear. She felt real, sounded real, and yet at the same time, it was too good to be true.

He had been so skeptical of this place when he'd first arrived. Now, he didn't mind it so much. Not if it meant that he got to see his sister again.

"I'm so sorry," he said finally, his voice hoarse from the effort of holding back more tears. He was still a crybaby, but he was going to fight it a bit longer if he could. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you, Miki. I've never forgotten it. I was too weak, but not anymore. I'll protect you this time."