Her mind felt like it was lost to the thrashing sea as her body became one with the new world. Her thoughts wavered, and a not so long ago memory surfaced.

Crisp air and sunshine. The settling of fall. The twins had come to visit her in the small town she called home. Though it was insignificant and secluded, a place most people wouldn't blink twice at, it was only a days ride on the bullet train from Tokyo.

She had helped Minori push her brother from the station; her house was only a ten minute walk away. She remembered how incredibly happy that moment was, seeing their smiling faces as if the passage of time had done nothing to diminish their bond.

And indeed, it hadn't. They talked and laughed together, the trio of them, as if nothing had changed. They spoke of school, movies, and concerts. Meet ups they had with the other Log Horizon members. Then they reminisced on the years they had spent living together as Adventurers in Akihabara.

"It was so strange coming back. As if no time had passed at all." Minori said this as a sigh, her gaze lifting to the roof of the living room.

"It was! It was like, we had aged and had all these incredible experiences but...but no one would ever believe you if you said so."

"Except us." Tohya corrected her, a smile playing on his lips.

"Right." She smiled back. "Except us."

Suddenly Tohya leaned in, his smile widening conspiratorially.

"And Rudy."

Her eyes went wide and her breath hitched.

"Rudy..."

She dreamt of him often, thought about him even more, but she hardly ever spoke of him. Not that anyone would believe her if she talked about a headstrong and handsome mage living in another dimension.

When she made no audible reply, Minori chimed in.

"Don't worry Isuzu. It's only a few more months before we can see him again."

She licked her lips and nodded, a worried expression stitching across her features. Waiting a whole year to see him for a single day, it was getting old really fast. She was gearing up to graduate soon though, so maybe it was reasonable for her to hope there may be a path forward someday soon. The days were so dull without him, today excluded of course.

"I kind of wish he had just asked me to stay. I know he wouldn't have. But still." She said this quietly, looking down at the floor.

Tohya leaned back in this seat, examining her features. Then he looked at his sister, pursed his lips, and sighed.

"Yeah, probably not. He should have at least gone through with his con-"

A swift elbow to the ribs by Minori cut him off. She gave him a harsh look, which told him to shut up immediately.

Isuzu looked up at them, having a staring contest in front of her. Doing the twin telepathy thing.

"Gone through with...what?" She asked slowly in a confused tone, glancing between them.

"That's not something for us to tell, Tohya." Minori admonished in a too loud whisper.

This piqued Isuzu's interest further, making her hyper aware of their silent exchange.

"What? Not like he can say it now." Tohya responded, folding his arms.

"Say what?" She tried to interject.

"He confided that to you, you can't just blurt it out whenever you feel like it."

After another moment of staring each other down, Tohya's eyes turned defiant.

"Hey Isuzu, remember the day Shiroe announced we were going home?"

"Yes..." She responded reluctantly, not sure where this was headed.

"Tohya..." Minori warned.

"Didn't Rudy take you to the roof to tell you something?"

Isuzu thought back to that day thinking she did, in fact, remember something like that happening.

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"We should wait and let him say it himself." Minori urged once again.

"Oh right. We could do that. Or we could let her process the information in advance. And do with it what she wants."

"Okay, guys, what the hell are you talking about already?"

Minori looked at her friend, sighed, and gave up arguing. It was too late at this point anyways.

"Fine. Tell her."

Tohya turned to Isuzu with a serious expression, the hint of mischief and teasing gone.

"That was the day he was going to tell you how he felt. But then, I guess Shiroe's group chat calling us all to that guild meeting interrupted him. And after Shiroe's news he lost his nerve and convinced himself it was best to never say it."

She was processing the words, but they weren't fitting together.

"How he...felt? I don't understand, Tohya. Felt about what?"

"About you."

When her expression remained a blanket of confusion, Minori piped in.

"He was going to confess to you, Isuzu. But after Shiroe announced he found a way to take us back, he decided that it was best to keep things unsaid. I can't say I blame him for feeling that way."

A wash of realization hit her, the events of that afternoon playing back in her memory.

He had asked her to the roof, claiming that they "absolutely had to watch the most regal and elegant sunset of the year". She had no idea where he got that information from, but she went along with it any way. Halfway through he turned to her and quietly announced he had something to say. He reached for her hand, but before he could even start, a ding caught both of their attentions.

"A group chat?" He asked in wondered confusion.

"Me too. It's from Shiroe, we better answer."

Once everyone had connected the call, Shiroe told the group he had some important news and was calling a guild meeting on the roof. Everyone hung up and all the duo could do was wait for the others to arrive.

"I'm sorry Rudy. You were about to say something?"

He seemed to freeze for a moment, but then he smiled and told her he would resume later. When later came, he simply thanked her for watching the sun go down with him, in typical Rudy flourish of course. She hadn't even thought anything of it.

Now it at least made some sense. As much as Rudy ever made sense.

"So...so he just decided to..." Her thoughts and her words weren't connecting right now.

"He told me the next day that he couldn't do it anymore. It wasn't fair to attempt to pursue you, when you would both be going your separate ways."

Suddenly her anger flared. Wasn't fair? He wants to talk about what isn't fair?

"Isuzu?" Minori chided with concern.

"So he just decided everything on his own then? He didn't even give me a chance to think about what I wanted."

"Don't blame it all on him. If you really wanted to stay, you could have told him that too."

"I tried! Every time I brought it up he went on about how much my father must miss me, and my brother must be worried sick. I didn't think he even remotely wanted me to stay. So I stopped pushing and just let things happen like they did."

By now, angry tears were pooling and spilling down her cheeks. She covered her face and sobbed, feeling regret and remorse and wishing she could just do it over again.

Minori came over and enveloped her in a hug. They stayed like that until Isuzu calmed down. Only then did Tohya speak again.

"I'm sorry, Isuzu-neechan. I didn't think you would get that upset. You must have really wanted to stay."

"Don't worry about it, Tohya." She sniffed. "I'll be okay. I just need to process all this."

"I know. We're here for you. Like Tohya said, you know now. So next year when the portal opens, maybe you'll know what you want to do?"

Next year, when the portal opens...

When the portal...opens...

Her eyes shot open, taking in the blankness around her. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dim moonlight, blanketing her form and everything around her. She looked down at her hands, her body, her clothes. All remnants of a life she once lived and now could only visit. She took in the room she was in, all part of the home she once had but no longer did.

The portal had worked its magic. She was here! In the living area of her guild house, a dimension away from her normal life. With a smile, she hugged herself and spun around feeling a flurry of happiness and excitement. She was here and she could make things right again. Her thoughts floated back to that fall day, when she had found out the truth and how irrationally angry she had been. She had six whole months to think on it. There was a clear answer in her head now. She had even revealed it to Minori, since she seemed to be hyper concerned about her since that day.

"I'm going to see how he feels when we go back." She declared to Minori over video chat.

"Really? You are?! That's wonderful!"

"Yes." Isuzu smiled softly.

"And when he says he still loves you, then what?"

Isuzu rolled her eyes.

"There's little to no guarantee he still feels that way."

"Oh, come on now-"

"But if he does," She cut off Minori's indignant cry.

"If he does, then I'll never leave his side again."

A/N Idk if group chat is a thing after the Catastrophe. I'm making it a thing. :)