Nanami Hayashi's father was a council member, and her mother a fashion designer. Usually, both were often away on business. The Linjian Household mansion was typically just Nanami and a few maids. But after such a major incident involving Nanami, her parents had naturally returned home. Honestly, I felt like I was meeting the parents-in-law.
Nanami's father looked stern. He sat across from me now. "I've been briefed on the basics. Thank you for taking care of Nana." I'd slightly lied about the truth. Simply put, she'd been attacked by criminals, and I'd rescued her. She'd been recovering at my place these past few days. Though full of holes, my lie went unchallenged. After all, compared to confirmed death, being alive was everything—even if Nanami had technically died once already.
A maid brought hot tea and sweets. Truthfully, I wasn't big on desserts. But seeming standoffish wouldn't help. Nanami's mother, Ayale Hayashi, was a friendly blonde woman. Despite her sixteen-year-old daughter, she looked barely twenty. "Then, please stay with us worry-free," she said warmly. Calm on the surface, I knew they'd investigate me privately. No matter—I wasn't Japanese anyway.
It had been five days since Nanami skipped school. She'd simply taken a week's leave. I knew she had many questions for me. *Knock knock knock*. I wasn't a morning person. But unlike me, others rose early. At seven, my door echoed with knocks. I slipped on indoor slippers, rubbing sleep from my eyes. Nanami stood there in a black-and-white patterned dress. Her wavy brown hair cascaded over her shoulders. "Mr. Cold Creek, breakfast is ready." I had a bad habit: dry throat mornings meant I rarely ate, just milk or porridge. Still, I couldn't refuse her. "Wait a moment—I'll be right there."
I changed quickly. Staying temporarily on the Linjian Household's second floor, my room was just a staircase away from Nanami's. Descending, I found her already waiting. "Sorry to keep you," I said. Oddly, the table held two breakfast sets, yet no maids were nearby. Nanami must have sent them away. Our upcoming talk would defy human understanding.
"Not at all, Mr. Cold Creek. Please, sit." Nanami gestured with her left hand toward the seat opposite her. "Hmm, won't Mr. and Mrs. Hayashi join us?" I asked, lifting a cup of hot milk. Nanami smiled. "Father and Mother are always busy. My apologies." I downed the milk but left the bread untouched. She thought I disliked Japanese breakfast. "You're not Japanese, are you? Is the food unappetizing?" I waved it off. "No, I just don't eat breakfast." "That won't do!" Nanami suddenly stood, glaring. "Skipping breakfast ruins your health." "Yes, yes." Under her fierce gaze, I ate the bread. Only then did she smile and sit back, satisfied.
"Oh, by the way—your parents share the same surname. How coincidental." I said this after swallowing the bread. Nanami looked shocked. I chuckled awkwardly. "Did I say something wrong?" She shook her head. "In Japan, married couples must share a surname. Usually, the wife takes the husband's name. But if he marries into her family, he takes hers. Changing surnames isn't rare here." I got it. "So if I married you, I'd become Linjian Creek?" Nanami's face flushed tomato-red. "Mr. Cold Creek, don't joke!"
"Just call me Cold Creek. And I'll call you Nana. But in China, surnames matter deeply." My surname, Cold, was ancient. "Really?" Nana seemed fascinated by Chinese customs. "What's China like?" I didn't answer directly. "Nana, what's your impression of China?" Her eyes sparkled. "A mighty nation. The Silk Road. Women prized for being plump—no need to diet hard." I laughed. "You're describing the Tang Dynasty." Fair enough—my view of Japan was mostly anime like *One Piece* and *Naruto*. "That's ancient China. Modern China is ordinary. Good people, bad people—just like anywhere else."
A maid cleared the dishes. "Um, Cold Creek... could you come to my room?" Huh? What a plot twist—we'd only known each other two days. Seeing my surprise, Nanami rushed to add, "Don't misunderstand! Maids rarely go upstairs. I just worry our talk might be overheard. Yes, that's it." She sighed, seemingly relieved her explanation made sense.
Inside Nanami's room, the door was locked from within. Windows were tightly shut—none of my doing. "Seriously?" I said. Nanami knelt opposite me. "I fear your secret leaking out. Strange people might capture you for experiments... dissection." She seemed genuinely worried. Personally, I wasn't concerned. Even if caught, I could reverse it with Time Reversal. But I hated trouble. "Thanks for looking out, Nana."
Nanami was easily flustered—likely from little male contact. "So, Cold Creek... will you go to school with me?" What? School? Since gaining this power, I hadn't attended properly. A year ago, I faked my death and slipped into Japan. Would you believe I boarded a plane using Time Stasis? By speeding up my personal time flow, I became invisible to others. To me, everyone else was like statues—barely moving. But using any ability cost time. I stole it from others. Only I saw the clocks above their heads. Taking a little extra time went unnoticed.
"Why think that?" I asked. Nanami lifted her head, gaze serious. "I'm scared. If I remember my killer and meet them again... I won't know what to do." True. My goal was finding that murderer anyway. I could rewind Nanami's memories, but spoilers ruined the fun. "Are you sure? I'm inserting myself suddenly. I don't even have legal status." "Father can handle it." Her reassurance eased my doubts. "Alright. I'll accompany you. I'm curious about Japanese schools anyway." Honestly, manga made them seem appealing.
"Cold Creek." Nanami said my name solemnly. "Cold Creek... will you protect me?" "No. Unless..." I grinned playfully. "Jerk!" Before I finished, a pillow flew at my face.
