The dimming sunlight gradually pulled back the curtains,
The red glow of the sunset held a captivating beauty, as the silhouettes of swallows tiredly landed atop the treetops.
The world fell into a drowsy transitional phase,
and it was unusual for Haruka Yuzan to have turned on the lights inside the villa at this hour.
A few people sat around the dining table, the bright light filling the entire living room.
"Wow, so we really do have squid to roast today!"
Misaki Saki sat at the dining table, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the delicacies on the table.
Indeed, after coming to the villa, had she unlocked her own guardian deity?
The feeling was just too wonderful.
Because a new tenant was arriving, tonight's dinner was exceptionally lavish.
In addition to the roast squid that Haruka Yuzan had specifically requested, madam had also prepared pan-fried steak, winter melon and pork rib soup, vegetable salad, and baked sturgeon rolls.
A meat and vegetable combination, nutritionally balanced.
"Shimizu, you've just arrived, and I'm not sure if these dishes suit your taste,"
Reiko Onodera asked the beautiful girl in front of her, somewhat anxiously, fearing that tonight's meal might not be to the new housemate's liking.
By now, Mrs. Onodera had come to treat every tenant as if they were her own family.
The tenant who arrived today was perfect in appearance, temperament, and figure. Moreover, her cool demeanor made it hard not to feel apprehensive.
Chiba Shimizu nodded, picked up a piece of fish roll with her chopsticks, placed it in her rosy little mouth, savored it carefully, and finally nodded,
"It's delicious, thank you, Sister Reiko. I don't really have any dietary restrictions normally."
They had introduced themselves when she first entered.
Although her face still showed little expression, and even her gaze remained undisturbed,
hearing the affirmative response still secretly relieved Reiko Onodera.
"Classmate Haruka, if you want to eat something in the future, just tell Sister Reiko, and she will make it."
Haruka Yuzan smiled, also picked up a piece of sturgeon roll, and put it in his mouth—the taste really was quite good.
The fact that this aloof Miss had spoken a word of praise was already very polite. As for expecting to see a startled or surprised expression on her face?
Chiba Shimizu nodded, naturally started eating with her chopsticks at a leisurely pace, without the rush and nervousness of someone just integrating into a new environment, nor any joy and excitement.
Her demeanor was calm and unruffled.
Misaki Saki sat in her chair, her lips against her chopsticks, blinking her large eyes now at Haruka Yuzan, now at Chiba Shimizu.
Within those attractive eyes lay curiosity, looking almost like a little kid who had mistakenly wandered into an adult's dinner party.
"Stop staring, you won't become as pretty as her no matter how much you look," Haruka Yuzan couldn't help but speak out and interrupt. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ ⓝovelFire.net
"You!" Misaki Saki pouted, her gaze lingering on the boy, "Don't eat my squid!"
"It doesn't have your name on it!"
"It was bestowed upon me by a deity!"
"If you're having a bout of middle school syndrome, go back to your room until we've finished eating, then come out."
For a moment, the dining room became very lively,
a scene that evidently went beyond what Miss Chiba had anticipated.
Being able to jest with each other during a meal was something she had only encountered in books and on television; this was her first personal experience.
However, the Miss was quick to adapt, her expression remaining as insipid as ever.
"Shimizu, try the pork rib soup,"
Reiko Onodera smiled, stood up, and served a bowl of soup to each person.
"Hmm, okay, thank you," she said.
Chiba Shimizu snapped back to reality, her beautiful delicate face reflected in the bowl of soup that shimmered with a light layer of golden fat.
The first run away from home seemed to offer a view of a different landscape...
Dinner ended amidst laughter and cheerful conversations.
Mrs. Onodera was still wearing her apron, busying herself with cleaning up in the kitchen.
And, surprisingly, Misaki Saki didn't head straight back to her bedroom today but crouched on the floor, playing with Roast Meat using a small piece of dried fish.
She seemed like a little girl full of childlike curiosity, no??
This caused Chiba Shimizu, who was still sitting on the chair, to frown gently.
A madam busy in the kitchen, a little girl crouching on the floor playing with a cat—it seemed everyone had their own things to do.
Normally at this time, I would be playing the piano, right?...
Having been cut off from her usual mechanical life, Chiba Shimizu suddenly didn't know what to do. According to her previous personality, she would probably have gone straight back to her room to be alone...
Her gaze fell on the boy sitting on the couch with his cell phone.
His tall figure, even when lazily reclining on the couch, still exuded an air of casual nonchalance. The handsome features focused on the cell phone screen, his face adorned with a barely there smile.
After a moment of thought, she decided to walk over and sit next to him, picking up a book from the coffee table and starting to read.
Just what kind of guy could drive Otome Mizuko so crazy? Really curious...
Haruka Yuzan was a bit startled by the beautiful figure sitting beside him and still wasn't quite used to it.
The daughter of a wealthy family was going to be his roommate from now on?
A déjà vu from school, awkward.
He shook his head and continued to chat on his cell phone with Miss Otome.
Meanwhile, Chiba Shimizu quietly read the magazine "To Youth" gifted by the community...
The sound of her fingers flipping through the pages was really fitting for a beautiful girl in such an atmosphere.
Maybe for a long time to come, I would have to live without the piano and find something new to do.
The girl's pure face carried a hint of serenity, devoid of noise and clamor, only quietness. It was as if something had been lifted off her.
For a time, no one in the living room spoke,
Everyone seemed to enjoy the current state of idleness, except for one little girl.
Misaki Saki crouched there, her dried fish now soaked with Roast Meat's saliva.
But it remained clutched in the little girl's hand, as though her mind wasn't really on it.
Her beautiful large eyes occasionally glanced behind her, her whole being alert to the two sitting on the couch.
Why isn't anyone talking? Talk about your school days, will you?
What about the bond between you two? Come on, talk! Hey, what's with the silence?
I want to hear a story of young love.
Boy and girl from the same class, just like that, cohabiting? No reaction?
I didn't crouch here all this time just to play games with this fat cat.
The truth was, even in school, the two hardly exchanged more than a few words in a day.
In the morning: Classmate Haruka, please remove your foot from my chair.
In the afternoon: Classmate Haruka, please don't rest your foot on my chair...