On a quiet street lined with traditional Japanese houses, Ryoma Yui stood before his aunt Saki Mizuno's home, carrying his schoolbag and a bouquet of jasmine flowers she had always loved. The morning breeze brushed his face, ruffling his black hair while his dark eyes fixed on the two-story house - quiet, thoughtful.
He paused before the wall plaque: "Shoshi Fuji House." A faint smile touched his lips. Sunlight made his eyes gleam like polished obsidian in the light.
"What a day... I'll finally see her after all this time. I'm... really excited."
Gently, he opened the small iron gate and approached the door.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Three soft knocks that seemed to echo in his chest.
As he waited, childhood memories came back - those warm visits his aunt used to make to their Kyoto home. A wave of nostalgia hit him, and he smiled softly at the sound of approaching footsteps.
His pulse raced as if time had slowed.
Someone turned the knob... The door opened... slowly.
When it fully opened, Ryoma's eyes widened in shock.
Not his aunt.
A teenage girl stood there, her silky black hair cut at the neck, with dark eyes and delicate features that spoke of calm innocence. She wore a simple kitchen apron, like she'd just stepped out from cooking.
Ryoma stared, then quickly checked his phone. Yes, this was the right address.
The girl noticed his back-and-forth glance between phone and her face, and laughed:
"Pfft... Hahaha!"
Her clear laugh hit him like a sudden breeze.
Their eyes met.
A morning gust brushed both their faces, making their hair sway slightly.
Not silence - but a pause, as if the wind whispered secrets.
Their eyes widened at the same time, then they both looked away, flustered.
"Who...? I don't know her. Does Aunt Saki still live here? The sign says Shoshi's house..."
Ryoma pocketed his phone and bowed slightly.
"Good morning."
The girl bowed back calmly.
"Good morning."
He scratched his head, then asked:
"This is Shoshi-san and Saki-san's house, right?"
She nodded briefly.
"Yes."
Her short answer surprised him, but he continued:
"So... is Mrs. Saki here?"
"She's inside," the girl said calmly. "You're Ryoma Yui, right?"
He froze, shocked she knew his name.
She smiled slightly and added:
"I know you'll be staying here during school with Mrs. Saki. She's your aunt?"
Ryoma gave a small smile. "Yes, she is. But..." He hesitated. "Sorry, who are you?"
Hana looked at him and bowed slightly.
"Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself... I'm Hana Yukikawa, Mrs. Saki's neighbor."
Ryoma smiled politely.
"Nice to meet you."
The girl gave a small nod, as if silently replying,
"Me too."
Ryoma thought to himself with a hint of sarcasm,
"It's like she actually said it: 'Me too'..."
Just then, a warm voice called from inside the house, interrupting the moment.
"Hana? Who's at the door?"
Hana turned toward the voice, her expression puzzled yet slightly amused. Then she extended her hand inward, as if inviting Ryoma to come inside.
Ryoma thought, slightly unsure,
"She means for me to come in... Right?"
He stepped inside, gently closing the door behind him. Without saying a word, the girl gestured for him to remove his shoes and put on the house slippers. Though she didn't speak, Ryoma understood the meaning of her gestures clearly—as if her silence spoke louder than words.
He followed behind her as she walked ahead with quick, timid steps. Watching her carefully, Ryoma recalled her earlier behavior at the door, where she seemed hesitant and shy.
"Her attitude's different now... At the door, she spoke with hesitation. But now she acts like she just wants to get this over with. Maybe she's just an introvert."
They passed through a wide hallway adorned with a few potted plants, until they reached the kitchen—situated near the front of the house, beside the staircase leading to the second floor.
Hana entered the kitchen first, with Ryoma close behind. But the moment he stepped inside and caught sight of his aunt, Ryoma froze.
There she was, sitting at the wooden table in the center of the kitchen. She wore an apron similar to Hana's. Though she looked somewhat frail, she was undeniably beautiful—with soft brown hair, honey-colored eyes, and gentle, charming features.
Ryoma stared at her, eyes slowly widening before a faint smile crept onto his face. His aunt stood up from her chair, smiling warmly, and opened her arms.
He walked toward her with slow, heavy steps, chuckling to himself.
"Hah... Oh god, I completely forgot about Aunt Saki because of that girl's attitude..."
They embraced tightly, both of their faces lighting up with genuine smiles.
Hana watched the scene with a gentle expression.
"They really do look like mother and son..."
Saki closed her eyes, speaking in a voice full of warmth and affection.
"I missed you so much, Ryoma."
Ryoma returned her smile.
"I missed you too, Aunt Saki."
After a few more moments, their embrace came to a natural end. Ryoma took a seat next to his aunt, while Hana sat across from them. She leaned forward slightly, resting her face in her hands, watching them with a content smile.
As the conversation continued, Ryoma and Saki exchanged small talk, catching up with each other, their tones filled with comfort and longing. Eventually, Saki asked with a smile,
"So, have you finished moving everything? My sister said you were still carrying things in?"
Ryoma recalled his mother's words.
"Yeah, the move's done. They're organizing the house now. My mom said she'd come over once she's rested from all the hassle."
"I see," Saki replied gently.
A calm silence settled over the kitchen, bathed in soft sunlight streaming through the windows. The aroma of fresh coffee filled the air, adding a peaceful warmth to the morning. In that moment of quiet, Ryoma and Hana's eyes met again—only for both of them to quickly avert their gaze in embarrassment.
Saki noticed, smiling as she spoke to Ryoma.
"Ah, that's right... I haven't properly introduced you to Hana yet. She's the daughter of a close friend. A good girl—she always stays with me, cooks, and helps clean the house. She's been around for almost two years now. Honestly, she's like my best friend." Her voice was light, but sincere.
Across the table, Hana smiled bashfully at the compliment.
Ryoma nodded in understanding.
"So that's it? I figured something like that… She had on an apron and was already here this morning, so I was curious. Anyway..."
He rose from his seat and bowed respectfully toward Hana.
"Thank you for taking care of my aunt, Yukikawa-san. I really appreciate it."
Then he sat back down.
Hana blushed, lowering her head as she spoke in a soft, almost inaudible voice,
"There's no need to thank me..."
Both Ryoma and Saki looked at her. Ryoma smiled gently, taking her response as just polite modesty. But Saki blinked in surprise, thinking,
"What? Why is she acting like this, Hana...?"
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The End.
T.b.c