Ogiwara Sayu stepped onto the first floor of Sakurasou, following Chihiro Sengoku's seemingly nonchalant yet calculating back. The office's aura, with its stacks of documents and faint coffee aroma, contrasted sharply with the turmoil in her heart. Chihiro Sengoku, without much preamble, merely glanced at her before pushing a form across the desk.
"Fill in your basic information," her voice was flat, yet held an undeniable tone of authority.
Sayu obediently, almost silently, filled each column. Her fingers trembled faintly as she wrote down her place of origin. Once finished, she handed the form back. Chihiro Sengoku took it, her eyes scanning the written information, and a faint flicker of surprise crossed her face.
"Your home is in Hokkaido? That's quite far, did you come here alone?" There was a note of disbelief in her voice, a question that was more of a statement.
"Yes," Sayu nodded lightly, her gaze distant.
Before she knew it, her mind drifted far back, to the day she decided to run away. Her brother, in a last-ditch effort to soothe her shattered soul, had given her three hundred thousand yen. The money was supposedly for 'relaxation' before she returned to a home that felt cold, empty. But Sayu never wanted to go back there, not even a little. Most of the money she used to buy a ticket to Kyoto, as far as possible from a home that no longer offered warmth. She hoped that if she went further, she wouldn't be found. After that, basic needs like food and accommodation became a problem. When her money ran low, she could only huddle in a street corner, staring blankly at a world that felt cruel.
An uncle with a lecherous gaze approached, asking if she wanted to "come home with him." Sayu knew, the man saw her as a 'kodomo shinitai', a desperate young girl who wanted to end it all. Horrified, Sayu watched as the man drew closer, his dark shadow eclipsing her last hope. Then, as if emerging from the mist of fate, Renji Kamisaka suddenly appeared, extending his palm.
"Come home with me, JK." His voice was firm, yet somehow, it felt like an anchor in the midst of a storm.
"Hey, I saw her first!" The uncle glared, a clear note of dissatisfaction in his tone.
Renji wasted no words. He pulled out his phone. "Hello, Officer? Yes, over here, there's a perverted middle-aged man trying to accost a passing high school girl." The threat was effective.
"Stop, I'm leaving now, okay? Looks like you don't want to hug this JK." The uncle scurried away, leaving faint curses in his wake.
That night, Sayu had no choice. Compared to the perverted uncle who would clearly exploit her for a one-night stand without acknowledgment, the handsome Renji Kamisaka was a far better option. The subsequent developments felt natural, yet embarrassing. She was taught some "knowledge" that made her cheeks burn just remembering it.
Chihiro Sengoku looked at Sayu, whose expression had changed from blank to scarlet due to the memories. She snorted wordlessly.
"Don't daydream. You're not that old yet, you should still be in high school, right? Do you have proof of identity?"
"I only have this." Sayu pulled out her student ID card, offering it with trembling hands.
"Well, barely acceptable." Chihiro Sengoku looked at her meaningfully, but said nothing more.
In fact, a student ID card, especially from a remote school in Hokkaido, couldn't be used for check-in. However, the owner of the inn was Renji Kamisaka. Renji had specifically asked her to help hide Sayu, giving her a legitimate identity. Chihiro Sengoku, a teacher at Suimei University of the Arts affiliated High School, had enough authority to 'authenticate' a student's identity. Presumably, no one would check too carefully, unless, of course, Ogiwara Sayu's family came looking for her. However, considering the girl had run away this far, without any news from her family, there was a high probability they didn't care. A bitter thought that Sayu tried to brush away.
It seems Renji Kamisaka isn't just interested in my looks, but also quite gentle and kind, Sayu thought, a faint hope beginning to blossom.
Chihiro Sengoku completed the check-in procedure and handed Sayu a work permit. The girl stared blankly at the writing there: "Sakurasou Manager Ogiwara Sayu." A little confusion flickered across her face.
Chihiro Sengoku didn't explain, just waved her hand. "Alright, go back. Otherwise, that kid will think I'm deliberately preventing you from 'getting intimate'."
Sayu's face turned as red as a boiled shrimp. She couldn't argue, couldn't explain. She could only quicken her pace, her heart pounding erratically.
She pushed open the door to Renji Kamisaka's room. The tempting aroma of cooking immediately assailed her senses, warm and comforting. Renji Kamisaka stood there, wearing an apron, focused on the pan in front of him. Sayu rushed over to him, looking at him with a hint of annoyance veiled by joy.
"You didn't keep your promise, didn't you say I would cook?"
Renji smiled, a smile capable of melting Sayu's annoyance, and pinched her puffed-out cheek. "Today's your first day, sweetie. According to Sakurasou tradition, we have to have a welcoming ceremony. So I had to prepare a big meal, call everyone, and you came to help me. Don't worry, all the work will be yours in the future. I'm the laziest."
"Okay." Sayu smiled back, a genuinely sweet smile, one she rarely gave.
Soon, several plates of fragrant stir-fries and a steaming pot of hot water were laid out on the table. The aroma of cooking filled the entire Sakurasou.
"Alright, you can call them!"
"I'm going now." Sayu ran out with new vigor, as if a burden on her shoulders had been slightly lifted.
She first found Chihiro Sengoku. "Miss Sengoku, Renji-kun asked me to tell you that dinner is ready."
"Alright, no problem. I'll call them." Chihiro Sengoku grabbed the phone, making a few quick calls.
The residents of Sakurasou began to emerge from their rooms one by one, like characters just stepping out of their own anime frames. The first to appear was Kanda Sorata, a shy boy who liked cats. His eyes widened when he saw Sayu, his face instantly flushing scarlet. It was clear he hadn't expected the new member to be a girl as beautiful as Sayu.
"Don't think about it, Kanda, she belongs to the landlord," Renji Kamisaka joked, his voice containing a teasing tone.
"Ah? Oh... I wasn't thinking about it!" Kanda Sorata scratched the back of his head, looking awkward and annoyed with himself.
"Is this the new member? What a pretty girl! Nana, I'm Misaki Kamiigusa from third year. Nice to meet you, please take care of me!" A short-haired, energetic senior girl, Misaki, enthusiastically held Sayu's small hand, warmth radiating from her wide smile.
Sayu was momentarily stunned, then came to her senses, introducing herself seriously. "Hello Senior, I'm Ogiwara Sayu."
"Oh my, the new member is so beautiful? Nice to meet you, I'm Jin Mitaka. Just call me Senior Jin." A handsome boy with a relaxed playboy aura walked in, radiating his charm while winking at Sayu.
Misaki Kamiigusa puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction. "Jin, don't get any ideas about little Sayu, or the landlord will kick you out of Sakurasou!"
"Ah, so little Sayu is the owner's girlfriend? Don't worry, I came here today according to Sakurasou tradition. Little Sayu, welcome to Sakurasou!" Jin said casually.
"I don't want to eat with you, I have a date waiting for me." After saying that, Jin Mitaka turned, his steps light. He did indeed have six girlfriends, with Sunday as his day off, and the remaining six days spent dating a different girlfriend each day. Renji Kamisaka looked at his back, a little envious. How could this person manage his time so expertly? And how did he manage to make all six girlfriends not mind him dating six women at the same time? Moreover, rumor had it there was a married woman among them…
"Alright, never mind that playboy, let's toast together! Wuwuwu, this is so delicious, little Renji, your cooking is so delicious, why didn't you show it earlier?" Misaki Kamiigusa complained loudly to Renji Kamisaka. Her face was already flushed from the drink. Perhaps she was drowning her sorrows in alcohol, because according to the original story, Misaki and Jin were childhood sweethearts and liked each other. But Jin Mitaka was dating six girlfriends at once, a real scoundrel. What exactly was on Jin Mitaka's mind?
Renji Kamisaka, who was being complained to, spread his hands helplessly. "Normally I don't have the opportunity to show off my cooking skills. But in the future, I usually won't cook anymore, because we already have Sayu."
"Don't bother little Sayu!" Misaki Kamiigusa immediately jumped to protect her new little sister, as if Sayu was a newfound treasure.
Sayu glanced shyly at Renji Kamisaka. A whisper rose in her heart, so soft it was almost inaudible: "If every day could be this warm, I'd be willing to be bothered by Renji Kamisaka for the rest of my life." The warmth of Sakurasou felt so alien, yet so comforting at the same time.
Before they knew it, laughter and chatter filled the room until everyone was full. Slowly, one by one they returned to their respective rooms. Renji Kamisaka also drank quite a bit of wine, Chihiro Sengoku and Misaki Kamiigusa kept urging him to drink.
You might ask, was someone missing? What about Akasaka Ryuunosuke? Well, he's an otaku, so don't mind him. Kanda Sorata had delivered dinner and a few pieces of hot pot to him. Akasaka Ryuunosuke was indeed quite interesting. He actually developed a small artificial intelligence assistant, using a computer so the small assistant could welcome Ogiwara Sayu's arrival. Even in his solitude, he still found unique ways to interact.
As soon as he returned to his room, Renji Kamisaka intended to shower and go straight to bed. However, a pair of soft arms suddenly embraced his waist from behind, stopping his steps. He stood still instantly, feeling that sudden warmth.
"Tell me?" Renji Kamisaka asked, his voice a little hoarse.
"Yes, it's me." Sayu's whisper sounded so close to his ear.
"What are you doing?" Renji Kamisaka swallowed. After acquiring the Unyielding Golden Spear skill, he hadn't had a chance to practice it. And this girl was tempting him.
"I'm not doing anything." Sayu playfully pressed her body against Renji's back. Her tone changed, with a hint of flirtatiousness she never thought she could possess.
"I just wanted to say thank you."
"Renji-kun, thank you for letting me stay at Sakurasou."
"Hmm!" What greeted her was a passionate kiss from Renji Kamisaka. Of course, he wouldn't hold himself back. After all, Sayu was the one who took the initiative. This night was destined not to be peaceful, but for the first time in a long time, for Sayu, this unrest felt like peace itself.
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