After the explanation from the Hayworths, they took Colin with them and went home.
"They left, Renne. It's okay. You can come out now," Lloyd said to the cupboard. Slowly, the door creaked, and came out Renne, her eyes holding back tears.
"Renne..." Elie trailed off.
Lloyd could only imagine what Renne was feeling. The complicated relationship between the Hayworths and Renne was definitely out of his jurisdiction. Even so...
"Hey. Are you really okay with this? If you run, I'm sure you'd be able to catch up with them." Even if he didn't understand, he wanted Renne to be happy. Coming back to her family... would that make Renne happy? Or would she be happier leaving them alone after not being part of their life for the past eight years?
"No... It's fine," Renne shook her head, wiping the tears off her face. "It's just that...one of my reasons for coming to Crossbell is gone now."
Lloyd saw Juna letting out a sigh. What was that about? He turned his attention back to Renne.
"So, this is fine," she forced a smile.
"I see..." So Renne decided to not return back to her roots. Well, as much as Lloyd wanted to intervene, it wasn't his decision. He'd just accept Renne's choice of not coming back to the Hayworths.
"But...are you sure? Have you truly thought this all the way through, Renne? Aren't they your-" Elie tried to convince the little girl.
"Easy there, Mademois-Elie," Randy cut her off. "There are some things in this world that can't so easily be fixed. You know it-I know it. This one's way out of our jurisdiction."
"I-I know that, but..."
"I am inclined to agree." Tio nodded, agreeing with Randy.
Lloyd couldn't help but sigh internally. If those weren't signs of his teammates' personal problems, Lloyd didn't know what those were. Hopefully, just like Renne here, they could solve it together as a team.
"I don't like it either, Elie. But this isn't a decision that we can make. The SSS solves problems. But this one... isn't really a problem for Renne, is it?" Lloyd gave his verdict as he turned to the girl.
Renne shook her head. "Indeed. Please don't make such a sad face."
She then smiled. "Thank you, Detective. You were right. There have been obstacles blocking my way home. So, thank you for removing that one."
Lloyd replied with a smile of his own. "Well, all right. Always glad to be of service."
Renne turned towards the others. "Of course, it would be rude of me to ignore the rest of you. Thank you, too, Elie, Tio, and Randy. And I suppose... Juna as well."
"Hey!"
Renne giggled. "I promise that I'll find a way to repay you for all you've done for me. For now, I'll have to excuse myself."
"Wait, Renne," Juna suddenly called, stopping the youngest girl from stepping further before she could left the room.
"What?"
"Do you really want to go now?" Juna said with a smile.
Lloyd noticed it first. A second later, Renne widened her eyes and scowled, having also noticed it.
"You... Did you call them here?"
Yes. Juna was requested help from some people who wanted to adopt Renne. Now that Renne was here, did Juna use the chance to get them to meet?
Juna shook her head. "No. I didn't call them. I still abide by my terms."
Terms? So they had some kind of agreement? Was that why Juna stopped her search?
"Then-"
"However, I'm very sure that with how conspicuous we were when we looked for Colin, a few heads will notice," she winked at Renne, who only glared at the pink-haired girl.
Lloyd did notice that Juna always tried to make them stand out whenever they asked around for information about Colin, but he didn't know it was for this. Unconsciously a smile formed on his face.
"...can anybody explain?" Elie broke the stalemate by asking for an explanation. "I think I sort of understand what Juna was trying to do, but I still don't understand why and how."
When the two did not give her any, she turned to Lloyd.
However, before Lloyd could answer, his ears heard someone knocking on the front door.
"Excuuuuse me...!"
"That voice..." Lloyd recognized the voice.
Renne gasped before she quickly tried to run away. Unfortunately, Juna caught her in the arms.
"Let me go! Let me go!" Renne screamed in hysterics.
"You don't need to go with them now," Juna said softly. "But please... would you listen to them just one time? You listened to Lloyd just now, didn't you? What's wrong with leaning on them?"
Renne's body went slack as if all strength had left her.
"...That was a little harsh, Juna. But for now, let's just greet the guests," Lloyd offered, hiding his frown.
"That's right."
"It would be polite."
The SSS then went to the first floor, except Lloyd, who stayed behind for one more talk.
"Hey, Juna. Is this the right thing?" He asked her. There were more he wanted to ask, but it could be put aside for later. Right now, this was the most important question.
"It will be her decision, I guarantee you. I just don't want Renne to go before listening to them like she did to the Hayworths," Juna answered.
Honestly, now that Juna said it, Lloyd understood why she did that. He still disagreed with Juna's method, but he understood. Despite what he pieced together about Renne, Juna still knew more about her. He didn't have to like it, though. Juna still forced Renne to listen to them. Still, it didn't change his intention for later.
"Alright. I leave it to you," Lloyd left them with a sigh.
Catching up with his fellow team members, Lloyd was greeted by the sight of Estelle and Joshua.
"Hey there, guys. Sorry for barging in like this. We didn't even bother to call ahead of time," Estelle laughed sheepishly.
"I know this might be inconvenient, but we have something urgent we need to confirm with you. Could you spare us a few minutes? It shouldn't take long," Joshua took over.
"Of course," Elie answered.
"What's up?"
"Is it related to the Schwarze Auction?"
Randy and Tio followed.
Seeing the two Bracers here, Lloyd finally connected everything. Well, except for the gap between Renne's freedom from her kidnappers and now.
"No, actually. Unfortunately, we had to put that on the back burner for a bit," Estelle shook her head. So his intuition was correct, then. "Th-The thing is..."
"Renne, right?" Lloyd offered after he saw how hard it was for Estelle to come up with words. "Let's go. Juna is waiting with her on the second floor."
Estelle was stunned silence by his words.
"Oh..."
"Could it be..."
Lloyd nodded at Elie and Tio's realization. "Indeed. The one who is looking for Renne that Juna mentioned is Estelle and Joshua. Isn't that right?"
"So Juna asked for your help..." Joshua shook his head. "Never mind. We can talk about it later."
"Renne!"
Estelle, finally processing Lloyd's words, ran to the second floor.
"Ah, sorry."
"It's okay."
The SSS plus Joshua ascended to the second floor to see the door to West Street opened, with Juna gripping the doorknob. Just one step outside was Renne, her back facing them.
"Renne!" Estelle shouted her name again. "Finally... we finally meet again..."
"Don't get closer!" Renne replied with her own shout.
"Renne..." Joshua, who had arrived, couldn't help but frown.
"It's been almost six months since the Phantasma..." Estelle continued. She, however, obeyed Renne's request and did not take a single step forward. "All these times, we've been trying to get you..."
"Why?" Renne questioned them. "Why aren't you giving up on me?"
"We'd never give up on you, Renne," Joshua answered her this time. "Not Estelle, not me, or Tita, who's trying her best to reach you in her own ways."
"After all, you're already one of us. We all would never give up on you," Estelle continued. "That's why, Renne... won't you please turn around?"
Silence.
This was not the place for the SSS or Juna to interfere. This was an intimate moment between Renne and the two Bracers who wanted to adopt her. It seemed that Renne and the two were involved in something, and they accepted her as a comrade, but Renne was the one running away from them.
"...I can't. Renne is still not ready to be caught yet."
"That's..."
"Estelle..."
Estelle leaned on Joshua, who moved to support her. She then cried on Joshua's shoulder.
Rejected, huh? Lloyd sighed. The combination of the previous revelation from the Hayworths, who actually did not abandon her, and Estelle and Joshua's intention to adopt them was too much for the little girl.
"Juna," Renne suddenly addressed the pink-haired girl. "Thank you for convincing me to hear them out. I now know what I have to do for later. Oh, and also, you have my permission."
"You're welcome," Juna replied with a smile, not that Renne would see them with her back still facing them.
"Well then, I'm off. See you later."
Renne started to walk as a yellow butterfly floated past her.
Once Renne was out, Juna closed the door before she hugged Estelle, who was still leaning on Joshua.
"No need to cry, Estelle! Didn't you listen to her? She said she's not ready to be caught yet."
Slowly, Estelle's tears stopped before she replied, "Really?"
Joshua sighed. "Estelle, you're an amazing person, but you still need to focus..."
"Ehehe..." Estelle laughed sheepishly before she shook her head to regain focus. "More importantly, since our biggest obstacle is gone now, I won't be holding back anymore! You better watch out, Renne! With that outta the way, I'm going to catch you and make you part of the Bright family for sure!"
"Haha. There she is," Randy laughed.
"The surname Bright really suits her, huh?" Juna glanced at him.
"Indeed. Her optimism is blinding," Tio chimed in.
"Anyway, it's already late. Juna, if you want, you can explain things about Rennee tomorrow. I'm sure we can wait."
Juna shook her head. "With Estelle and Joshua here, we might as well talk now. How about we go somewhere to eat?"
And so the SSS, alongside Estelle, Joshua, and Juna, went to Long Lao Tavern and Inn for dinner.
A/N:Yeah, sorry for those who want Renne to be caught there. I strongly considered it, even thinking about how to execute the reunion before realizing something like an idiot. 'Wait, Renne could not join the Brights there or else they'd go back to Liberl before the situation with the Cult is resolved!'