Chapter Seventeen: The Girl Who Lives in Her Own World—Rena Serizawa

After school, at the gate of North Academy.

From a distance, Anhe spotted Sayu Amemiya’s figure. She still wore the same school uniform from that morning, wrapped in a red scarf. Like a snow lotus blooming atop a remote mountain, she stood aloof and beautiful, untouched by the dust of the world.

“Over here!” Anhe waved, then strode toward her. She noticed him too, and in an instant, her indifferent expression melted away, her eyes brightening.

As he drew near, Anhe reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Sayu’s ear, pinching her soft earlobe as he smiled and asked, “How long have you been waiting?”

Feeling the warmth of his fingers, Sayu’s cheeks flushed a faint pink, but she did not shy away. Instead, she gazed at Anhe with bright eyes and replied softly, “I just got here.”

Seeing her like this, Anhe could barely restrain himself from biting her right then and there, if not for the fact that they were still at the school gate.

“Alright, let’s go home first. I have something to discuss with you later,” he said, rubbing Sayu’s head before taking her small hand in his. She obligingly opened her fingers, weaving them with his.

Hand in hand, they walked away from the school, Sayu unwinding her scarf and sharing half with Anhe, draping it around his neck.

Neither of them noticed the petite figure watching from around the street corner—a girl in the North Academy uniform, her long blonde twin-tails gleaming, her porcelain-doll face impassive as she took in the scene.

“Miss, should I follow them?” murmured a middle-aged man in a black suit beside her, an emerald ring on his finger.

The girl withdrew her gaze, waving dismissively. “No need. As long as nothing unexpected happens, it’s fine.”

A thought seemed to occur to her, and a look of curiosity lit up her face. “Look into that high school boy’s background for me.”

With that, the girl bounced away to her private car, her golden twin-tails bobbing.

Elsewhere.

At the Anhe Rainhouse residence.

“Well, that’s about it. I’ll be going out now and will come back to pick you up later,” Anhe said, after recounting Ito Nobue’s request to Sayu.

He ruffled her hair and reminded her, “Snacks are in the fridge. If you’re cold, turn on the heater. I left some DVDs under the TV—you can watch them if you’re bored. Don’t answer the door for anyone but me. Be careful when you’re home alone, okay?”

“I’m not a child,” Sayu murmured, but she didn’t push his hand away.

Noticing how adorable she looked, Anhe glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then quickly kissed Sayu on the cheek.

He pulled away as soon as their lips touched, giving her cheek a gentle squeeze before turning to leave.

Watching his retreating back, Sayu’s eyes sparkled with a strange new feeling, her lips curling into a subtle smile.

“Come home soon.”

…

Half an hour later.

Anhe stood in front of an apartment door. He double-checked the address Ito Nobue had sent him and, once sure, rang the doorbell.

With a “ding-dong,” noises erupted inside, as if something had been knocked over.

As Anhe wondered how best to introduce himself, the door swung open to reveal a figure.

She looked about one and a half meters tall, wearing a white T-shirt and black shorts that reached past her knees. Her long flaxen hair was a bit messy, a white bandage wrapped around her head. Her skin was unnaturally pale, and a pair of black-rimmed glasses perched on her delicate nose.

The girl stared at Anhe, and as soon as she realized he was a stranger, panic swept across her face. She tried to slam the door shut.

Sensing her intent, Anhe’s expression changed and he quickly pressed his hand against the door.

There was a dull thud as the door failed to close, but pain shot through Anhe’s fingers.

“Damn!” he cursed, yanking his reddened fingers back and hunching over in pain.

The girl, startled by the sudden turn of events, paced anxiously before the door, then hurried over to check on him.

As she drew near, Anhe started to speak, but before he could say anything, she took his injured hand and, without warning, put his fingers into her mouth.

He gasped again, but this time it wasn’t from pain—it was from surprise.

Like a kitten tending a wound, she seemed to be soothing his pain in her own way.

Though she looked a bit different from her student ID photo, Anhe recognized her.

“Rena Serizawa?”

She didn’t answer, nor did she react.

Anhe patted her head. She looked up at him with big, puzzled eyes, her mouth still gently working on his fingers.

“Rena Serizawa?” he called again.

Finally, seeing his lips move, she realized he was speaking and released his fingers.

Anhe quickly pulled his hand away, putting some distance between them. She lost her balance and tumbled forward onto the floor.

Something about the way things were unfolding seemed off.

Just then, a cry echoed from the corridor.

“Onii-chan!”

Anhe turned and saw a girl, half a head shorter than Rena, dressed in a red tracksuit and carrying a backpack, racing toward them.

She soon reached the two, and Anhe got a good look at her.

She resembled Rena Serizawa, though she had no glasses and her short black hair set her apart.

Rena’s younger sister? Anhe wondered.

The newcomer glared fiercely at him before hastily helping Rena up, asking worriedly, “Are you alright, sis? Did you get hurt?”

Seeing her, Rena seemed to sigh in relief, then pointed at Anhe and began gesturing with her hands.

Though rarely seen, Anhe recognized it as sign language.

At the same moment, his view of Rena changed.

[Name: Rena Serizawa]

[Current state: A girl living in her own world]

[Current favorability: 17 (A stranger she doesn’t dislike)]

[Possible endings:]

[1. Fallen Girl from Another World. Condition: Favorability below 70 and forcibly taking advantage of her physical limitations. (Reward: Three random master-level vocal skills)]

[2. Searching for Lost Voices and Sounds. Condition: Favorability above 70 and helping her fulfill her dreams. (Reward: Elixir of Heavenly Voice)]