One by one, the others slowly returned. The first to return after Adam was Aria, who was quickly followed by Greg and then Penny. The last three to arrive were Ethan, Crystal, and Rachel.
The two girls in particular had changed quite a bit in the time they had been gone. It was almost as if they had matured years in the span of hours, their presences steadier, their eyes carrying something deeper.
"Well, aren't you all a sight for sore eyes~!" Rachel smiled happily, throwing her arms wide as if to embrace them all at once.
Crystal, though less exuberant, still carried a warmth that hadn't been there before. She stepped forward with a calm grace, her gaze moving from face to face before settling on Adam. "It feels like we've all… grown," she said softly, almost as though testing the words.
Aria's lips curved into a gentle smile. "Maybe that's the point of all this."
Greg folded his arms, studying them with quiet interest. "You two look different. Stronger."
