𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬, 𝗔𝗜𝗠, 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗧! ➵ 𝗇𝖺𝗋𝗎𝗆𝗂 𝗀𝖾𝗇

06.

[NARUMI GEN'S POV,
THIRD POV]

"Alright everyone, this is Hoshimiya [Name]."

There stood a girl, her small frame illuminated by the sunlight streaming through the orphanage's window, she looks about 13-year-old based on her structure. Her lips curved into a shy smile as the caretaker rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. A black backpack hung from her back, likely containing all her belongings. She clutched a Capybara stuffed toy close to her chest.

Narumi, who is currently 13 but turning 14 in a couple of months now, didn't even bother looking up. He was sitting on the worn couch in the corner of the room, his attention glued to the screen of his handheld console, fingers moving deftly over the buttons. It was the only possession he had left after the incident that shattered his family —a fragile tether to the life he once had.

The other kids buzzed with excitement, crowding around the new girl like moths to a flame. Questions spilled from their mouths — "How old are you?" "What's your favorite food?" "Do you like it here?" —but she didn't seem overwhelmed. Instead, she answered with softness, her voice barely heard over the loud chatter of the other kids surrounding her.

Narumi let out a quiet scoff. Psh, she's probably like the other snotty kids, he thought, his eyes narrowing in focus as he go through a tricky level in his game. The other kids always got too excited about newcomers, but it never lasted. People came and went, leaving nothing but faint memories behind.

Clicking his tongue against the inside of his cheek, Narumi let out an annoyed groan. His screen blinked with the all-too-familiar "Game Over," and he could feel frustration bubbling in his chest. "Stupid level," he muttered under his breath, tossing the console onto the couch beside him. He leaned back, tilting his head side to side, the tension in his neck easing with a satisfying crack.

When he finally lifted his head to take a break from the game, his eyes scanned the room, lazily observing the others. The kids were still chatting amongst themselves, some playing tag, others sitting in small groups.

And for a moment, he caught her gaze.

She was sitting quietly on a chair near the window, her Capybara plushie resting in her lap. Unlike the other kids, who were bouncing off the walls, she seemed almost… still. Her gaze held his steadily, calm and unflinching, like she wasn't afraid of the sharpness in his eyes or the wall he kept firmly around himself.

Narumi felt a strange jolt in his chest, like the tiniest flicker of something he didn't want to acknowledge. Annoyed with himself, he scowled, breaking the connection. "What are you staring at?" He muttered, his voice low and rough.

She's pretty...

She didn't flinch or look away. Instead, she met his glare with a steady, calm gaze, her fingers lightly brushing over the Capybara plushie in her lap.

Narumi rolled his eyes, his annoyance growing. "Tch, whatever," he scoffed, glaring at her as if trying to intimidate her into dropping her gaze. But she didn't.

Instead, her lips curved into the faintest smile, one so subtle that it might have gone unnoticed if he wasn't already staring at her. Shaking her head as her lips curled up, chuckling at the way he rolled his eyes at her. "You looked first though," she said simply, her voice was soft, as if she didn't care whether her words annoyed him or not.

She's pretty... ANNOYING!

"What?!" Narumi snapped, his brows furrowing even deeper at her words. "What’s that supposed to mean, huh?!" His voice rose, echoing slightly in the room, but he didn’t care. His full attention was now locked on the girl sitting across from him.