"Does she look like my past self? It feels like a copy... but not a bad one—"

I leaned my hand against the corridor window, gazing up at the sky outside. Crimson evening clouds burned across the heavens, swirling with scarlet hues. Clouds of all shapes drifted by, veiling the beautiful sky like delicate lace.

Once, I’d wished to be adorned by such veils too. But disaster came instead. Still, judging by this sky, tomorrow should be fair weather, right?!

As the saying goes, "Red dawn, stay home; red dusk, travel far." That’s exactly it. I felt a little joy for tomorrow, swinging the light messenger bag in my hand. Back in middle school, I’d really wanted one like this. But in high school, I started seeing it as terribly un-mainstream.

This bag belonged to Lingchuan. She’d skipped class mid-lesson, leaving it behind. Her textbooks were still in her desk. When I tidied it, I was shocked—she’d actually brought stationery and books! For a delinquent girl, did she really care about studying?

So the bald homeroom teacher assigned me to return it. Strictly speaking, no one else would do it. I had to.

I still remember him saying cheerfully—

"Ehara-kun... I hear you get along well with Lingchuan-kun. Please return her bag. And tell her not to come tomorrow. She can return next week after thinking things over!"

Getting an early weekend start? That’s pretty great for her, huh?! I didn’t expect my reaction to be this—normally, shouldn’t I have asked why she was suspended? But I didn’t.

I’m not the helpful type. But I sympathize with girls’ plights. And I get smug from their praise, willing to do anything for them.

So when Mengxiang said I was like Lingchuan, a sudden warmth filled my heart. I understood—Lingchuan didn’t need a strict teacher or friends to fix her. She just needed someone to reach her heart.

That’s why it had to be me. Because for me—the one who pulled me back from the wrong path was Mengxiang.

I felt I must do this. I knew it sounded arrogant, self-righteous, or maybe just an excuse to get close to her.

But I’d do it—just like Mengxiang saved me when I almost went astray, I’d do the same for Lingchuan.

"Ehara... are you sure going alone is okay? Need me to come?"

Mengxiang frowned deeply, worry written all over her face. It wasn’t unfounded. But I couldn’t let her make things worse. Lingchuan was like me two years ago—lonely. But I had Mengxiang. She had no one.

We were likely very alike. Now I understood why she skipped class, ignoring stares. She’d accepted a rescue—and the rescuer was Mengxiang. No mistake, rescue! People like us, who’ve lived alone most of our lives, hate others meddling in their lives.

When Mengxiang stood up for her, it was like giving her life-saving food and water. Get it, live; miss it, die. Simple truth. But that girl’s pride is strong—she’d never accept help easily.

So she absolutely wouldn’t want to see Mengxiang now.

"No need! Don’t worry... It’s rare Xiamo’s not here today. I should keep you company—but now it’s impossible. Sorry to trouble you to go home alone?"

I forced a smile, scratching my head. I didn’t know how to handle this. I just weighed what mattered—and in the end, it was still finding Lingchuan.

Mengxiang walked away under my gaze. At the corner, she turned back. She’s finally acting like the older sister, huh? Come to think of it, Mengxiang is two months older than me, yet I’ve always been the one taking care of her.

I pulled the slip of paper from my pocket—the bald homeroom teacher’s note with Lingchuan’s address. I thought I knew the place. Probably wouldn’t get lost...

But I did. And it was already 6:30 PM—the sky had darkened.

"This should be the alley—how’d I end up in a dead end?!"

"No—didn’t I just walk this way?! Should it be here?! I just came out from here?! Ugh..."

After my 22nd dead end, I wondered if I’d taken a wrong turn. I was confident in my memory—13 times were in the same one.

"Hey—what’s that uncle doing there?!"

A girl’s voice called from the bright alley entrance. She walked toward me. I thought she might be familiar, but up close, she was just an eleven or twelve-year-old girl.

Bright, clear eyes. Short black twin-tails tied at her neck. A pink, chubby face. She held a plastic bag in her left hand—probably out running errands.

"Um... sorry—I’m lost!"

"You’re this old and still lost? Uncle, as a high schooler, aren’t you embarrassed? I’ll take you out."

Contrary to her cute looks, her voice was ice-cold. She scolded me while leading the way. I saw her struggling with the bag and reached to help. But she snapped, "I don’t need help from an uncle."

My heart ached.

"Um... little sister, do you know how to get here?"

I handed her the slip. After a moment’s thought, she nodded. Her eyes never left Lingchuan’s bag in my hand.

"You’re a huge help! Thanks to a cute kid like you!"

"Do compliments just roll off your tongue, uncle?! I’m not happy being called cute over something small—"

She was sharp-witted. Seriously, your words hurt?! I was just thanking you—could she be a sharp-tongued girl?! Despite being so cute.

"And I’m not an uncle!"

"We’re here. Wait—I’ll call my sister..."

Sister? I froze. This girl must have brought me to Lingchuan’s place. But why was a ramen shop in front of me? It looked old, small, with a "Closed" sign hanging outside.

She led me to a table. Then her figure vanished as she dashed past the counter toward the kitchen.

A minute later, a woman in a white apron approached. She wore a hat, so I didn’t recognize her at first. But when our eyes met, I knew—that uniquely fierce glare could only be Lingchuan’s.

"H-hi... y-you there—"

I greeted awkwardly. Then came her glare from above again. How many more times must I endure this?!

"What are you doing here?!"

"Well..."

I shook the bag on the table. Then, the unexpected yet predictable happened—

"Gurgle~"