Nozomi had been given a simple task by Chihiro Sengoku—pick up the adorable Shiina Mashiro from the airport. A harmless errand, yet one that filled him with excitement.
His current residence? The infamous Sakurasou.
And Shiina Mashiro? Well, she was supposed to be the heroine of Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo. But in the original story, she only transferred in during the second semester. Something had clearly changed, shifting the timeline he was familiar with. She was arriving much earlier than expected.
Shiina Mashiro was nothing like Shiina Mahiru. While Mahiru had been neglected by her parents, Mashiro was recognized as a prodigy from an early age. Her genius with a paintbrush had been nurtured, honed into that of a world-renowned artist. Painting was her entire existence, the only thing that filled her world. Perhaps it was that relentless, singular focus that had shaped her into an unparalleled talent.
But wasn't that just another way of saying she lacked any kind of personality outside her art?
Mashiro could paint the most breathtaking landscapes, yet she couldn't handle basic daily tasks. Her family had even gone as far as surrounding her with other child prodigies—peers who were equally obsessed with art. But one by one, those so-called 'geniuses' abandoned their brushes, discouraged by Mashiro's overwhelming talent. The only one who remained by her side was Rita Ainsworth, the girl who had taken on the role of Mashiro's keeper.
With Rita handling all the trivial matters of life, Mashiro was free to exist in her own little world, never needing to lift a finger. The consequence? A complete and utter lack of common sense. Without someone to take care of her, she could barely function on her own. Left to her own devices, she wouldn't even bother changing clothes unless explicitly told to do so.
Hozuki Nozomi sighed, rubbing his temples.
Mashiro was moving into Sakurasou. That much was inevitable.
And if she was staying… that meant she was his responsibility.
He could already picture it. The blonde-haired, doll-like Mashiro standing side by side with Mahiru, another stunningly beautiful blonde girl. Two breathtaking heroines in his life, sharing the same space…
No, no, no—stop!
He felt his blood rushing, his heart pounding as his mind conjured up images best left unexplored.
"Damn it… I need to focus."
Taking a deep breath, Nozomi forced himself to calm down and made his way to the Kyoto airport via train.
After arriving, he checked the time.
Strange. The plane had already landed, and passengers had been disembarking for a while now. Yet, there was no sign of Mashiro.
"…Did Chihiro-sensei mess up the flight details?" he muttered, scratching his head.
With no other options, he activated his Game Life System and summoned a glowing arrow that would guide him directly to Mashiro's location.
If you had a cheat, you had to use it. That was the golden rule!
Following the floating golden arrow, Nozomi navigated through the airport until he found himself outside, near a tree-lined rest area.
And there she was.
Underneath the shade of a cherry blossom tree, a girl sat quietly on a bench, a single suitcase resting beside her.
Her golden hair shimmered in the afternoon sunlight, cascading down to frame her delicate face. Skin so fair it looked like porcelain, contrasted against her dark blue uniform. A purple skirt fell gracefully over her thighs, revealing a pair of slender, smooth legs wrapped in white socks. Her petite brown loafers rested lightly on the pavement, as if she had barely moved since sitting down.
Her face was as expressionless as ever, those slightly upturned, fox-like eyes giving her an air of quiet detachment. Yet, despite the lack of emotion, she looked undeniably adorable—almost like a character straight out of a manga panel.
Taking out the old photo Chihiro had given him, Nozomi compared the image to the girl before him. The face was the same, albeit more mature. There was no mistaking it.
He took a breath, dismissed the arrow guide, and walked toward her with a casual smile.
"Shiina Mashiro-san, right? I'm Hozuki Nozomi. Chihiro-sensei sent me to pick you up."
Hearing his voice, the girl slowly raised her head, her gaze locking onto his.
"…Chihiro?" she murmured, her voice soft and airy.
Then, after a pause, she blinked and tilted her head.
"Hozuki Nozomi?"
"Yup, that's me."
Mashiro stared at him for a moment before suddenly asking, "What color do you want to become?"
Nozomi blinked.
"…Hah?"
What kind of question was that?!
Yet, seeing her serious expression, he found himself instinctively giving an answer.
"I've never really thought about it before… but if I had to choose, I'd say white."
White was a pure color. A color that shined, untouched by darkness.
A color that he could claim for himself.
Nozomi liked beautiful things. He liked cute girls. He knew he was probably a bit of a scoundrel for that, but he didn't care.
But if he had to become a color, he'd want to be white. Not because he was pure himself, but because he wanted the people around him—his girls—to stay as bright and untainted as they were.
A small smile played on his lips as he looked at Mashiro.
He didn't know if she understood the deeper meaning behind his answer.
================
Nozomi's gaze softened as he looked at the girl in front of him. With a gentle voice, he asked,
"What about you, Shiina Mashiro-san? What color do you want to be?"
Mashiro blinked, her golden eyes reflecting the airport's lights. She tilted her head slightly, as if pondering something profound.
"I don't know. I haven't thought about it."
She paused for a moment, then continued with an almost absentminded tone,
"Before, I didn't know what color I wanted to be, but now… I like white, just like Nozomi."
Nozomi chuckled lightly, a rare smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"What a coincidence, Shiina Mashiro-san. Come with me. It's time to go home."
He reached for the suitcase beside her, lifting it effortlessly before extending his hand to her. Mashiro stared at his outstretched palm for a second before placing her delicate, pale hand into his, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Okay."
Nozomi tightened his grip ever so slightly, reassuringly, before leading her out of the airport. The two of them took the tram, the city lights flickering past the windows as they neared Sakurasou.
They continued walking through the streets when a soft "gurgling" sound interrupted the quiet night. Nozomi glanced back and saw Mashiro clutching her stomach, her eyebrows slightly furrowed in discomfort.
"Are you hungry? Let's get something to eat."
Mashiro gave a small nod. Nozomi smiled and asked, "I heard you're from England. What do you usually eat?"
Her golden eyes lit up slightly, and she answered without hesitation, "Baumkuchen."
Nozomi blinked. "Huh? What did you say?"
"My staple food in England is Baumkuchen."
His eyebrow twitched. "Oi, you're kidding, right? Baumkuchen is a dessert. You can't possibly live off that."
Mashiro remained unfazed. "Baumkuchen is my staple food."
Nozomi sighed in exasperation. "Let me guess, you just really want to eat Baumkuchen right now?"
She nodded, expression unchanged.
Nozomi shook his head helplessly. "Fine, I'll buy you one. But don't eat too much. There's a welcome party waiting for you at Sakurasou, and you should save room for hot pot."
Mashiro tilted her head slightly. "Sakurasou?"
"It's where you'll be staying."
"Oh... What about the Baumkuchen?"
"There's a store next door that sells them. But you do know you have to pay for things, right?"
Mashiro stared at him blankly. "Pay?"
Nozomi sighed again. "Figures."
It was no exaggeration to say she was like a princess, having come from England without any entourage. She didn't even understand the basics of daily life.
Leading her into the convenience store, Nozomi walked straight to the snack aisle and picked out a dozen Baumkuchen. Just as Mashiro reached out to tear open a package, he swiftly caught her hand mid-air.
"Not yet. You have to pay first."
With her gaze locked onto the Baumkuchen, she reluctantly followed him to the cashier.
"Aoyama-san, could you ring these up for me?"
"Ah! Hozuki-kun! Sure!" Aoyama Nanami quickly snapped her attention away from Mashiro and rang up the items.
It just so happened that Nozomi had entered the convenience store where Nanami worked part-time.
After paying, he handed Mashiro one of the Baumkuchen. "Here. Eat."
She immediately took it with both hands, unwrapped it smoothly, and began nibbling at it delicately—almost like a cat savoring a treat. As she chewed, a soft, contented expression crossed her face.
Nozomi chuckled and ruffled her hair. She narrowed her eyes slightly at him, watching curiously as he reached into his pocket and pulled out some money.
"Did you see what I did just now? If you want something—especially Baumkuchen—you have to pay for it. Here, this is money."
Mashiro took the banknotes but, instead of keeping them, she calmly stuffed them back into his pocket. Finishing one Baumkuchen, she reached toward the bag for another, only for Nozomi to catch her hand once again.
He opened a second one and handed it to her. "You can have just one more. There's still a feast waiting for you later."
Mashiro pouted slightly but didn't resist. Looking at their interlocked hands, she obediently nodded.
In her mind, Nozomi had given her food and was now holding her hand again.
That must mean… he was her "master" now.
And if he was her master, then she would have to listen to him.
And of course—give him face..
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Baumkuchen is a traditional German cake that is known for its unique layered structure, resembling tree rings when sliced. The name "Baumkuchen" translates to "tree cake" in German.
The cake is made by layering thin batter on a rotating spit, which is then baked. This process is repeated multiple times, creating a series of concentric rings. Baumkuchen is often coated with chocolate or icing and can be served in various ways, such as in slices or as a whole cake. It is popular in Germany and has also gained popularity in other countries, including Japan, where it is often enjoyed as a dessert or snack.
Attached is Shiina Mashiro and Rita Ainsworth.
See you tomorrow with the updates for "Heartbeats and Illusions"