The Pet Girl of Sakurasou

Chapter 1: Part 3

Was it alright to just bring this girl back to Sakurasou like this?

As Sorata walked along at a halting pace and thought about that, he still couldn't help but be entranced by the figure of Shiina Mashiro walking alongside him.

Her body was slim. Her voice was soft. Her movements were calm. She didn't show much emotion at all, and her face was close to expressionless.

Even now, walking next to her like this made Sorata feel as if he was standing on a slab of thin ice.

She seemed like a delicate glass ornament that would break if he just touched her.

Those were the impressions that Sorata got from Mashiro.

And what's more...

"Sorata's a nice name."

"Eh?"

"It sounds nice. I like it."

She would suddenly say things like that and make Sorata quite happy. She was quite a defenseless girl.

Sorata didn't think she would fit in very well at Sakurasou.

Sakurasou was a gathering place for those without common sense. It was a nest for the abnormal.

The alien Kamiigusa Misaki. The hikikomori Akasaka Ryuunosuke. The emperor of the night, Mitaka Jin. And last but not least, that very embodiment of apathy, the lazy teacher Sengoku Chihiro.

Now that he thought about it, at some point Jin had disappeared.

Because of that, Sorata was left alone with this girl he had just met.

And the more he tried to come up with some sensible topics of conversation, the less he could come up with.

And then, there was what Mashiro had said earlier.

Sorata could feel a burning in his chest.

But rather than discouraging him, Sorata's misery just made him more impatient.

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

So, is Shiina going to start at Suikou this year?"

Mashiro lightly shook her head.

"Transfer."

"Ah, I see... so you're a second-year?"

This time, she gave a light nod.

"So we're in the same year..."

Her clear eyes slanted up and looked at Sorata. Her facial expression showed no signs of changing.

Seeming to get embarrassed, she broke eye contact.

They continued to head towards Sakurasou in silence.

If it's like this, then I'll have to just shield her from everyone else. Our enemies will be fierce, but I'll have to do what I can.

The roof of Sakurasou was already in view.

********

When Sorata and Mashiro arrived at Sakurasou, the moving vans out front were just leaving. The engines roared noisily as they disappeared in the direction of the train station.

Sorata set the suitcase he had taken from Mashiro on one side of the entrance way.

"Come in, come in."

Sorata ushered Mashiro into the house.

And then, like a cheetah who had locked onto her prey, Misaki came running... or rather, leaping... down from the second floor. She landed on the ground and crouched to absorb the shock, looking exactly like a wild animal.