A gentle breeze drifted through, scattering cherry blossoms across the sky.
Beneath the tree, the girl’s long hair swayed softly with the wind.
The scene looked like a painting-so still and delicate that passing pedestrians couldn’t help but pause.
She lifted her head.
Clear eyes shimmered as she looked at the boy approaching her.
“What color do you want to become?”
Her voice was as light as the wind itself-so soft that, without attention, one might mistake it for imagination.
“Yellow.” Sorata met her gaze calmly.
His eyes were clear and steady, free of the nervousness or restraint typical of boys his age when facing a beauty.
“Yellow?” A trace of puzzlement flickered in her eyes.
Sorata nodded solemnly.
“Mm. The yellow of golden yellow. Very yellow.”
“And you? What color do you want to become?”
“I haven’t thought about it.” She tilted her head slightly.
Her calm, empty gaze carried a faint sense of being lost.
“You asked me what color I wanted to become, and I answered,” Sorata said, shaking his head lightly.
“Now I ask you, and you say you don’t know. That’s not proper conversational etiquette.”
But knowing her temperament, he immediately smiled at the quiet girl.
“I think you should be white right now. Just like your name.”
“…?”
A hint of surprise appeared in her otherwise tranquil eyes.
“Hello. My name is Kanda Sorata. Chihiro Sensei asked me to pick you up. She couldn’t get away. She mentioned it on the phone, right?” As he spoke, he showed her the photo in his hand to reassure her.
Looking at the five- or six-year-old girl in the picture, even Sorata felt the urge to complain about how careless the teacher had been.
If not for Shiina’s distinctive temperament, would anyone recognize her from this?
Shiina looked at him, her tone as light and even as before.
“Sorata. Your name is very nice. I like it.”
“Thank you for the compliment.” Sorata smiled faintly.
The word “like” stirred nothing in his heart.
“Let’s go. It’s quite a distance from here to Sakurasou.” He reached for her small suitcase.
“Mm.” She nodded quietly and followed behind him.
As for Mitaka Jin, he had vanished at some point when Sorata stepped forward-perhaps deliberately leaving the two alone.
They walked side by side, slowly.
Mostly because Shiina walked slowly.
As a result, Sorata found himself under the steady attention of passersby.
The reason was simple.
The girl was dazzling.
Tall and slender, with features that combined Western sharpness and Asian delicacy, and that unique temperament-detached, slightly out of step with the world-she drew glances wherever she went.
People turned their heads, lingering for another look.
On the way back, Sorata made no effort to start conversation like an ordinary boy might.
He pulled the suitcase, his thoughts already drifting elsewhere.
Shiina was the same.
Immersed in her own world, she paid little attention to her surroundings.
Quiet and without visible emotional shifts, she walked beside him in silence.
The atmosphere between them remained still the entire way.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at Sakurasou, just in time to see the moving company’s truck driving away.
After opening the door and stepping inside, Sorata set the suitcase down by the entrance.
“Come in. I’ll take you to your room first.”
They had barely entered the living room when a sharp burst echoed from above.
Bang!
Misaki came charging down from the second floor, party popper in hand, confetti flying.
“Welcome to Sakurasou!”
Prepared for this, Sorata raised his hand just in time to cover the mouth of the popper, blocking most of the confetti.
In the same motion, he delivered a light chop to Misaki’s head.
“Ah-!” The beautiful senpai cried out.
“How can you be so cruel to a cute beauty like me?”
“Is there a ‘cute beauty’ like you who sleeps in my room all the time?” Sorata shot back, exasperated.
“What’s wrong with that? My first kiss is still intact. I’m a completely brand-new cute girl from head to toe.” Misaki squatted on the floor, boasting proudly.
“Heh heh.” Sorata responded with just those two words.
Misaki, however, interpreted it as speechlessness and grew even more pleased with herself.
Behind them, Shiina quietly watched the two banter, a faint curiosity appearing in her eyes.
“Alright, no more playing. Let’s take little Shiina to her room first.” Misaki stood up.
“Those words coming from you have zero credibility.”
“Aha, I finally have a neighbor! kohai, do you think she’ll come over to my place to stay overnight? Will she ask me about the troubles of love someday? Just thinking about it makes me excited!”
Shiina followed silently as Sorata carried the luggage upstairs.
Misaki walked beside him, already lost in her own lively imagination, her face glowing with anticipation.
Sorata understood, though.
Those who surpass ordinary genius often feel lonely.
During her two years at Sakurasou, Misaki had been lonely in her own way.
After Sorata moved in last year and got along well with her, she dragged him around to play almost every day.
Their closeness had even made Mitaka Jin-who liked her-feel jealous and unhappy.
The wooden stairs creaked beneath their steps as they reached the second floor.
Outside Room 202, next to Misaki’s room, hung a handmade sign decorated with cartoon patterns.
“Shiina’s Room.”
“Tada! I made it last night.” Misaki stepped forward proudly, reaching to open the door.
Sorata stopped her and set the suitcase down.
“Senpai, I’ll leave the rest to you. I’m heading downstairs.”
“Eh? kohai, aren’t you curious about little Shiina’s room? Don’t you want to see it? I even had the moving company arrange everything neatly.” Misaki leaned toward him, clearly hoping he would follow and praise her.
Sorata shrugged.
“You just said the moving company arranged it, not you. And it’s a girl’s room. I can’t just walk in.”
After greeting Shiina, he went downstairs without waiting for Misaki to protest further.
He had no particular interest in a girl’s room.
“Ah… I feel like kohai hasn’t been as fun since this afternoon. I even prepared so many lines.” Watching him descend decisively, Misaki pouted.
“I just don’t have time to play with you. By the way, I ran into Jin senpai at the station. He’s not back yet? Did he run off to stay at some beauty’s place again?” Sorata’s lazy voice drifted up from below.
“Hey, hey… I only went to the supermarket to buy hot pot ingredients to welcome the new member of Sakurasou. Don’t talk nonsense.”
The entrance door opened at that moment.
Mitaka Jin stepped inside, glasses in place, carrying two large grocery bags.
“So you all knew Shiina was coming. I was the only one kept in the dark?” Standing at the door of his room, Sorata let a hint of suspicion show on his face.
“You’re busy playing games with Misaki all day. Do you even have the energy to pay attention to anything else?” Jin replied, a trace of irritation in his tone.