The Blind Love Life of the Returning Hero: The Companions I Lost in Another World Resurrect in the Modern Era and Indulge Me - Episode 48

One day in March, as the season of melting snow arrived, Hayato’s smartphone rang.

“Hayato! I got in!”

Riri’s excited voice burst through the speaker. Hayato immediately stood up. He had known today was the day she would get her results, and for the past few days, he had secretly felt uneasy.

“Congratulations! It was your first-choice university, right?”

“Yes! I’m going to major in Computer Science!”

Her voice trembled with excitement and joy. It was clear she felt the fulfillment of her hard work paying off. Hayato smiled with relief, genuinely happy for her.

“This university is at the forefront of AI and VR research. It offers the perfect environment to deepen my programming skills.”

Riri had chosen a university that truly suited her. Her speech quickened with excitement, and even over the phone, Hayato could vividly imagine her passionate expression. He smiled as he listened.

“Congratulations again. All your effort really paid off.”

“Thank you! I owe it all to you, Hayato. Because you took on the streaming duties, I was able to focus entirely on studying.”

Her voice carried sincere gratitude, and Hayato felt a little shy at her heartfelt words.

“I was just cheering you on. The one who passed the exam… was you.”

After the call, Hayato immediately contacted Josuke. He wanted to share the news with their friends right away.

“Riri got accepted.”

“That’s great to hear!”

Joy resonated in Josuke’s voice as well. He must have been anxiously waiting for the news, too.

“Let’s throw a celebration. How about my place? After her graduation ceremony.”

“Great idea. Leave the preparations to me. I’ll let Seika and Go know too.”

Josuke was quick to agree and act. Hayato admired his dependable initiative, as always.

Three weeks later, Riri’s high school graduation ceremony was held. Cherry blossoms were beginning to bloom, and the warm air signaled the arrival of spring. Riri had reached a major milestone in her student life.

That evening, a celebration for her university acceptance and graduation was planned at Hayato’s apartment.

When the doorbell rang and Hayato opened the door, Riri stood there, cradling the cylinder containing her graduation certificate and wearing a radiant smile.

“Congratulations on graduating, Riri.”

Hayato said gently, and she nodded happily.

“Thank you. It feels so strange today. I’m a bit sad to leave high school, but I’m also excited to take this next step.”

Inside the living room, Josuke, Seika, and Go were waiting. The room was decorated with a banner that read “Congratulations,” and the table was laden with food and cake. Josuke and the others had gone all out for today.

“Congratulations, Riri!”

Everyone offered their heartfelt congratulations as Seika approached and embraced her gently.

“You came, Seika.”

“Of course. There’s no way I’d miss a day as important as this.”

Riri smiled brightly, touched by her embrace.

“You passed an incredibly tough entrance exam. I’m impressed.”

Go said, genuinely respectful.

“This is a special celebration.”

Josuke brought out a bottle of premium champagne. Golden bubbles sparkled in tall flute glasses, adding to the festive atmosphere.

“Don’t worry, we’ve got non-alcoholic drinks for the underage, too.”

Everyone presented their gifts. Hayato gave her a new bag. Josuke gave her a set of the latest programming books. Seika gave her an aroma set and a small air purifier for a healthy university life. From Go’s family came a card with handwritten messages from Kaede, Riku, and Aoi. Illustrator Sawa sent a special art board featuring Rilia’s avatar.

“Thank you all so much.”

Riri’s eyes filled with tears as she took in all the heartfelt gifts. She expressed deep gratitude as she carefully held each present.

As they shared the cake and enjoyed lively conversation, Riri looked warmly at Hayato.

“Whether I was focused on game development or studying for exams, you always supported me. I’m truly grateful.”

Her words carried heartfelt emotion.

“We should be thanking you instead,” Hayato said.

“That’s right,” Seika agreed softly.

“Thanks to your game, our memories from the other world were brought to life. It became a big topic, and we were all so happy.”

“Yeah,” Go added, and Josuke nodded.

“That game was like fragments of our memories. It gave shape to our bonds.”

Riri reflected on their game and streaming activities. Memories came flooding back.

“Alright then…”

Hayato raised his glass. The light reflected off it, making it sparkle.

“To Riri’s acceptance, graduation, and her new journey—cheers!”

“Cheers!”

The clinking of glasses echoed warmly, filled with their strong bonds and heartfelt blessings.

Over the next few hours, they enjoyed food and reminisced about the past, while also talking about their dreams. Riri shared her ambitions at university and her hopes to return to streaming. Josuke gave business advice, Seika offered expert tips on staying healthy during college, and Go spoke about engaging with society. Their conversations wove together their experiences from another world with their present-day knowledge, offering Riri meaningful guidance.

As night deepened, Go was the first to leave to be with his family. Seika left next, citing her early hospital shift. Finally, Josuke left, sending Hayato a meaningful look before stepping out.

“I’ll leave the rest to you.”

His words hinted at something more. Once the door closed, only Riri and Hayato remained in the living room.

“That was such a fun party. I’m really happy everyone came to celebrate.”

She smiled gently, but Hayato sensed there was more behind her expression—nervousness, perhaps even resolve.

After cleaning up, they sat on the sofa. Outside, stars twinkled in the night sky, wrapping the room in quiet serenity.

“Um… Hayato-san…”

Riri’s expression grew serious. She sat at the edge of the sofa, hands folded on her knees.

“There’s something I want to tell you.”

Determination shimmered in her eyes. She took a breath, ready to speak—but Hayato raised a hand, gently stopping her.

“Wait, Riri.”

He took a deep breath and faced her. His heart was firm—he knew this was the moment to share his true feelings.

“There’s something I want to say first.”

Riri’s eyes widened. She seemed to sense what was coming and held her breath.

“Riri… and Rilia. Meeting you changed my life—in both worlds.”

His voice was quiet but filled with unwavering resolve. He looked her straight in the eyes, filled with feelings forged through a long journey.

“In the other world, we fought side by side as hero and sage. In this world, we’ve supported each other as close friends. But my feelings now go beyond that.”

Riri blushed, her expression hopeful. Her breathing quickened, and her posture tensed slightly. Hayato held her gaze and continued.

“No matter what world we’re in, I want to be with you. Will you go out with me—with marriage in mind?”

Tears welled in Riri’s eyes. She nodded again and again, her face filled with overwhelming joy. Her heart overflowed with all the feelings she had held since their time in the other world.

“Yes! Yes, I’d love to!”

Unable to hold back her emotions, Riri stood and threw her arms around Hayato’s neck, hugging him tightly. Warmth flowed between them. After a while, she looked up, blushing.

“Actually… I was planning to say the same thing.”

She pulled a small piece of paper from her pocket, covered in carefully written words. Her thoughts, meticulously composed, showed how deeply she had prepared for this moment.

“But you beat me to it.”

She laughed—a bright, pure smile that fused the expressions of Rilia from another world and Riri in this one.

“That’s why I had to say it first.”

“Just like a true hero—quick to act.”

They laughed together, and naturally, their faces drew close. Their first kiss was gentle, warm, and felt like the peace found at the end of a long journey.

Afterward, they sat close together, talking about their feelings. When had they started to see each other differently? When had special feelings taken root?

“In the other world, there really wasn’t any room for those feelings. We were fighting the Demon Lord with everything we had…”

“Yeah. Same here.”

Hayato recalled how they hadn’t had the luxury of reflecting on their emotions.

“But when I regained my memories in this world and started searching for you, I couldn’t understand why I was so desperate…”

Her voice was soft.

“Eventually I realized it wasn’t just because you were a comrade. As we spent more time together, that feeling became something certain.”

“I felt the same. Time spent together in this world—with everyone—was so precious. I came to cherish it deeply.”

Hayato gently took her hand.

“Because you were still a student, I deliberately held back my feelings. But now that you’ve graduated, I felt it was time to be honest.”

“You waited for me.”

Riri looked at him with eyes full of gratitude.

“Thank you. But, you know… I’ve been reincarnated. So technically, my real age is—”

Hayato gently interrupted.

“I love you as both Rilia and Takahashi Riri.”

He said this with a serious expression, and they smiled at each other.

“So, what do we do now?” Riri asked.

“First, I’d like to properly greet your parents.”

“Yes. There’s a lot we need to do. I’ve got university ahead, and I want to restart our streaming activities too.”

“There’s no need to rush. Let’s move forward—together, one step at a time.”