The Girl Named Sakura
At the entryway, the girl named Sakura slipped off her small leather shoes.
She bent down and pulled a pair of indoor slippers from the shoe cabinet nearby.
It should have been nothing more than an ordinary gesture—but even in a simple, loose-fitting long dress, her body's curves far surpassed that of an average high school girl, accentuating her figure with striking clarity.
Her feet, wrapped in pure white knee socks, slipped into the slippers. Picking up the bag she had set aside, she walked over to the two waiting inside.
"I'm home, Kuzeha-nii, Sora!"
Her expression brightened at the warm, everyday scene before her.
"I bought seafood for dinner today."
She lifted the bag lightly as she spoke in her gentle tone.
"Thanks for your hard work, Sakura."
Kuzeha watched her as she headed toward the kitchen, her jet-black hair flowing down past her waist.
Tōsaka Sakura.
Ten years ago, just as Sakura was about to be adopted into the Matō family, Kuzeha had stumbled across her.
That chance encounter triggered the [Imaginary Space] golden entry.
It was thanks to that ability that he narrowly managed to snatch Sakura away from the clutches of the Matōs.
Now, she had taken the name Kuzeha Sakura.
Even so, he still preferred to call her by her given name.
Kuzeha reached out and patted Kasugano Sora on the head.
"Go help Sakura wash the vegetables."
"…Okay."
Reluctantly, Sora released his arm and shuffled off into the kitchen with small steps.
Watching the two girls from behind, Kuzeha's lips curved slightly.
Under his care, Kasugano Sora—though prone to the occasional bout of stubbornness—was nothing like the unreasonable, spoiled version of her original story.
Well… except in certain areas.
Dinner at the Orphanage
An hour later, dinner was ready.
For now, only the three of them lived at the orphanage.
The others had failed to get into nearby schools; with term starting tomorrow, they were forced to board at schools farther away.
But Kuzeha could already imagine what weekends would look like—the orphanage filled with life and noise, lively enough to rival a kindergarten once more.
"Kuzeha-nii, I'll take some food over to Mrs. Izumi."
Sakura suddenly remembered and picked up a small bowl of food.
"You've worked so hard already, Sakura. Sit down and eat. I'll deliver it."
Kuzeha deployed his ultimate move: the head pat.
"What about me? I've worked hard too!"
Sora immediately protested.
With a sigh, Kuzeha used the same move again.
Sora closed her eyes and leaned into his hand like a pampered kitten. Kuzeha and Sakura exchanged a glance, both wearing helpless yet doting smiles.
Carrying the dish, Kuzeha walked to the neighboring house and knocked.
After nearly half a minute, the door cracked open.
Inside, a pink-haired woman in casual home clothes peeked out. The youthful, adorable face—untouched by age—softened with relief when she saw him.
"Oh, it's you, Kuzeha."
Mrs. Izumi patted her chest with a sigh.
"I thought that arrogant woman from earlier had come back again."
Arrogant woman?
Kuzeha blinked, and Awashima Seri's cold, haughty expression instantly came to mind.
"Do you mean the Yukinoshita Conglomerate representative?"
Mrs. Izumi nodded, tapping her smooth chin with slender fingers.
"They're offering good money, sure, but their attitude was unbearable. Like we should be grateful they're throwing us scraps."
"And what do you think, Mrs. Izumi?"
Her face clouded with hesitation.
"They're offering plenty, but… where would Sagiri and I even go? We're just a lonely mother and daughter."
Then her eyes lit up as she looked at Kuzeha.
"If you move somewhere, let's make sure we stay neighbors!"
Kuzeha smiled softly.
"Nothing's been decided yet. Who knows—maybe we won't have to move at all."
Mrs. Izumi froze, then reached out to smooth the collar of his shirt. Looking up at the boy who had grown taller than her, her eyes grew misty with emotion.
Back when she had first moved here with her daughter, it was Kuzeha who often looked after them.
Those scattered kindnesses over the years lingered warmly in her heart.
"You've grown up so much, Kuzeha…"
Her voice was tender, but then her lips curved into a teasing smirk. Her fingertip traced lightly across his chest as she added playfully,
"If you're ever confused about adult matters… Auntie can teach you anything you want."
"I'll hold you to that, Mrs. Izumi. No going back on your word."
Her breath caught. She hadn't expected the boy to answer with a soft laugh, as if he really meant it.
As she watched him leave, a blush spread across her cheeks.
"…He's getting bolder by the day."
Shaking her head, she turned back inside and called up the stairs.
"Sagiri! Your Kuzeha-nii brought dinner for you."
Usually she had to call several times to get a reaction—but this time, her daughter's voice came immediately, loud and flustered.
"Don't call him my Kuzeha-nii, Mom! That's embarrassing—"
Barefoot steps thumped rapidly down the wooden stairs. The pink-haired girl rushed down, but her eyes darted around with disappointment.
"Where's Kuzeha-nii…?"
Sagiri blinked, then spotted the mischievous grin on her mother's face. Her cheeks puffed as she stomped her foot in protest.
"You tricked me again!"