Lin stood frozen in place, stunned by her sudden appearance.
Yumi, a childhood friend he hadn't seen in years, was standing there with a mixture of surprise and joy on her face.
Her wide eyes were looking at him as if searching for confirmation of the fact that she had seen him after all this time.
"Lin, is... is... is that really you?" Yumi said, with a mixture of shock and longing.
"Yumi..." Lin whispered, as if he couldn't believe that the person who had been echoing in his memories had suddenly reappeared in his life.
He tried to organize his thoughts, but the memories overwhelmed him.
Yumi approached with quick steps, and when she was near him, there was a mixture of warmth and confusion in her features.
"I didn't expect to see you here, after everything that happened."
"Neither did I..." Lin said, confused but happy.
He hesitated for a moment before asking: "Where have you been all this time?"
Yumi gave a slight smile as she shook her head.
"Many things have changed, Lin. I joined an organization called the Second Legion. It's the second line of defense after the guards, it works in a different way, but its role is just as important. We fought on the back lines and handled missions that required more than traditional strength."
Lin raised his eyebrows slightly, trying to wrap his head around the idea.
"The Second Legion? I've never heard of them before."
"They don't always operate openly, but they exist," Yumi said, her eyes shining with pride.
"I was on a mission with them a while ago, and that mission was very stressful. So the commander asked me to rest for a while... and that's how I ended up here."
Lin was silent for a moment, thinking about what he had heard.
Inside, he was surprised to see how much Yumi had changed, how she had become a completely different person from what he had known as a child.
But he knew that time had not only changed her, it had changed him as well.
"It sounds like you've been through a lot..." Lin said softly.
"You too, Lin. I can see it in your eyes," Yumi said, watching him closely.
"You've changed... but you're still the same person I used to know. Right?"
Lin didn't answer right away.
He knew that there was more to this encounter than meets the eye, that this was no mere coincidence.
But for the first time in a long time, he felt like he was back to something familiar, something he had been missing without realizing it.
"I think there's a lot to talk about," Lin finally said.
"Yes, that's true. But maybe we should start in the right place."
Yumi smiled and pointed to a nearby bench, as if to give him a chance to regain his balance.
As they sat together, their conversation began to reveal new parts of their lives.
Lin didn't know where this moment would lead him, but he was sure it would change the course of his life in one way or another.
Lin was sitting in the café, looking at his childhood friend who seemed to have sprouted from the pages of memories.
She was Yumi, the only person who remained a part of his bright past, despite the darkness of his journey.
It was hard for him to believe she was here, in front of him.
"Lin, how are you?" Yumi said with a warm smile that held a mixture of curiosity and longing.
Her voice was like an anchor connecting him to a simpler time.
He took a moment to respond, his eyes fixed on her as if trying to read beyond her words.
"A lot has changed, Yumi. I can see that you've changed too."
Yumi began to tell the story of how she joined the Second Legion, an organization that Lin had heard little about.
She explained how her extraordinary abilities made her part of humanity's second line of defense, and how her last mission showed her strength and determination.
"The last mission was very difficult," Yumi said, looking at the ground for a moment, reminiscing.
"We faced a powerful entity that threatened an entire populated area. Its capabilities were extraordinary, and we needed all of our planning and sacrifice to successfully complete the mission."
Lin, who had been listening intently, felt the weight of her words.
He realized that the sacrifices were not only his, but also extended to the people who were part of his life.
"Yumi, this feels like it's not something one person should have to endure."
Lin said, and tried to lighten the burden that he could see was weighing on her chest.
Yumi smiled lightly and said, "Lin, this is who we are now. With power comes responsibility, as they say. But I'm glad we were able to protect so many people."
As the conversation continued on its normal course, thoughts crept into Lin's head.
He remembered his own journey, how he started out as a rookie Guardian, a four-star warrior, and worked his way up to Platinum Veteran.
The journey was full of challenges that still haunted his mind.
Inside, there was a question he couldn't answer: "Have I become so different from who I was? Am I still the Lin that Yumi knew?"
But Lin kept his thoughts to himself, and tried to focus on the conversation in front of him.
He found comfort in listening to Yumi, even with all the weight of her words.
As their conversation continued, Lin noticed someone from the Second Legion approaching.
A young man with a confident appearance and a strong personality, he walked with steady steps until he stood in front of Yumi.
"Yumi, I've been looking for you. Have you forgotten that we agreed to meet?"
Yumi stood up immediately, the warmth in her features very evident.
"Rin, I didn't expect you to come here!"
Their conversation began with a cozy atmosphere filled with familiarity, causing Lin to watch silently.
He didn't know who Rin was, and why he seemed to be so close to Yumi.
As the conversation between Yumi and Ren continued, parts of Lin felt confused.
It was as if he was standing in front of something that could change all the expectations he had about meeting Yumi.
"Could this person be her boyfriend?" He wondered inwardly, but he had no answer, except to wait.