Markara was completely absorbed, his eyes darting between browser tabs and books.
He was so focused that he didn't hear the door creak open.
"... Who are you ?"
A sharp voice cut through the room.
It took Markara a moment before he realized someone was saying something.
He quickly turned his head to the entrance.
Standing there was a girl in the Seigetsu Academy uniform. Her arms were crossed, her back straight, her eyes were sharp and cold and fixed on him like he was some sort of intruder.
She looked about his age, but something about her presence felt different.
Her skin was light, her features slender, and her expression unreadable.
Short, dark brown hair with perfectly trimmed bangs framed her face, and her sharp brown eyes never blinked.
She looked like someone from Central Asia.
Markara stood up awkwardly, trying to smile.
"Uh… Hi. My name's Markara. I just transferred here today."
He took a slow step toward her, hand outstretched.
A friendly smile was on his face, hopeful, eager to make a new friend in a new country.
"Please remain in place."
Her voice was cold and formal, like she was speaking to a stranger.
Markara froze mid-step.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"I don't shake hands with strangers."
Markara awkwardly lowered his hand, the friendly smile on his face slipping just a little.
"Ah… sorry. Nice to meet you anyway" Markara said, scratching the back of his neck.
She didn't reply.
Just stood there, arms crossed, face unreadable, her sharp brown eyes locked on him.
Markara chuckled nervously.
"I'm just doing some research. You know… folklore stuff," he gestured vaguely at the books on the table.
"Oh... have you ever, uh—" He paused, then blurted it out,
"—seen a red-haired girl in the garden?! Umm her name is Iris !"
His words tumbled out, fast and clumsy.
"Long hair, white dress? Same age as us"
He waved his hands around wildly, expressing vines and trees and probably confusing her more by the second.
The girl narrowed her eyes.
Her gaze, already cold, turned glacial.
Markara froze mid-motion, his arms still half-raised from all his wild gestures. Slowly, awkwardly, he dropped them to his sides like a kid caught doing something embarrassing.
"Ahh… sorry for spouting nonsense," he mumbled, clearing his throat.
Trying to recover what little dignity he had left, he turned back toward the desk and slowly walked over to sit down again.
But just as he pulled out the chair.
"Why are you sitting at my place ?"
Her voice was sharp enough to stop him in his tracks.
Markara blinked, halfway into the seat.
He looked up.
".. your place ?"
He finally noticed it.
A small sticker on the edge of the desk—faded but still visible.
A cute, chubby cartoon girl with sparkly eyes and exaggerated cheeks.
Markara had no idea what character it was.
He pointed at the sticker, then glanced back at the girl.
She gave him a small nod. Barely noticeable.
Markara's face turned a shade redder.
"Ah… got it. Sorry—really sorry."
He quickly stood up, gathering his notebook and closing the browser window on the PC.
He backed away from the desk like it was sacred ground.
The girl said nothing. She didn't glance his way.
She simply walked past him with slow, deliberate steps and sat down at the desk and began unpacking her things as if he were never there.
Markara stood awkwardly for a moment, unsure what to do with himself. He quietly gathered the book he'd been reading, slipped it back onto the shelf, and headed toward the door.
"Ah .. I'll take my leave then.."
He said softly, glancing back over his shoulder.
The girl didn't look up. Didn't respond.
She was already flipping through her notes.
Markara offered an embarrassed smile to no one in particular, then quietly stepped out of the room.
He made his way downstairs.
As he reached the bottom, his eyes drifted to the old clock hanging above the living room doorway.
Evening already?
He hadn't realized how much time had passed while he was buried in research.
"Master, dinner is ready!"
Elizabeth's voice came from the kitchen entrance. She stood there with a cloth in one hand, having just finished cleaning something, her usual gentle smile in place.
She gestured politely toward the dining area.
Markara nodded and followed her in.
Inside, the warm light of the kitchen wrapped around the space, and the delicious aroma of dinner hit him instantly.
At the dining table, two students were already seated, both girls and wearing the Seigetsu Academy uniform.
One of the girls turned to look at him.
"Ohh! You must be the new student!" she said, her voice bright and energetic.
She jumped up from her seat with a grin.
"Hey, I'm Mei! Nice to meet you!"
Her energy filled the room like sunlight through an open window.
Chill, outgoing, and easy to talk to—someone who gave off the same relaxed vibe as Markara himself.
For the first time since arriving, a genuine smile returned to his face.
"Nice to meet you too," Markara said, stepping forward with a small bow.
"I'm Markara. Just transferred in today."
Before he could take a seat, Mei walked right up to him close.
She circled around him like she was inspecting a new product, her eyes narrowing in mock seriousness.
"You're tall… kinda plain face… but good physique…" she muttered, then smirked.
"Yup! Definitely the type who's secretly popular with the girls."
Markara blinked, caught off guard by how blunt she was.
But he smiled and played along.
"Same to you, Mei. An energetic girl like you, are you the cheerleader here or something?"
Mei let out a laugh, plopping back into her seat.
"Pfft, I wish! But my parents would never approve of that."
She shrugged dramatically, then gestured to the quiet girl sitting across the table.
"Anyway, this girl here is Kanna."
Kanna looked up, finally acknowledging Markara, but only with a small nod. She hadn't spoken a word since he walked in.
Then Mei leaned close, cupping a hand to the side of her mouth like she was sharing a secret.
"She's an actress, by the way," Mei whispered, loud enough for Kanna to hear.
Markara blinked, turning to the other girl in surprise.
"Umm, my name's Markara. Nice to meet you."
He gave a small, polite bow.
Kanna looked up at him, just for a second.
She had short black hair with soft bangs that framed her pale face, and her eyes, though beautiful, quickly darted away as if holding eye contact was too much for her.
She gave the faintest nod, she was quiet, reserved and shy, completely the opposite of Mei's loud and bubbly personality.
Markara scratched his head awkwardly and smiled anyway.
"Don't worry," Mei said, giving him a friendly pat on the back. "She's always like that when she meets someone new. Honestly, she acted the same way when I first moved in."
Her grin helped ease the awkwardness.
"Oh, there's one more girl living here," Mei added, tapping her chin. "Her name's Anna. She's probably still up in the study room."
"Ah… so that girl's name is Anna," Markara said, a light dawning in his eyes. "But—"
"She's really cold," they both said at the same time.
A short pause.
Then both burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"