Hiro wiped the sweat from his forehead as he stepped out of the forest clearing, his muscles aching pleasantly from a full day of training. The sun hung lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the path leading back to the orphanage. Chūta perched on his shoulder, his tiny paws gripping lightly as he chittered softly, his tail flicking now and then in the warm afternoon breeze.

  As Hiro approached the orphanage grounds, the sound of ughter reached his ears. He slowed his pace, rounding the st bend in the path to see a group of girls gathered near the garden, sitting in a loose circle on the grass. Delicate flower crowns adorned some of their heads, the soft petals catching the sunlight as they chatted amongst themselves.

  At the center of the group sat a girl Hiro didn’t recognize. Her golden-blonde hair was neatly braided over her shoulder, and her dark eyes contrasted strikingly against the brightness of her hair. She moved with an easy, fluid energy, her hands deftly weaving a flower crown as she spoke animatedly to the girls around her. Her expression shifted effortlessly between focus and bright amusement, her words punctuated by small bursts of ughter.

  Chūta, ever the opportunist, suddenly leapt from Hiro’s shoulder and glided straight into the circle.

  A few of the younger girls squealed in surprise, but the blonde girl merely blinked, her hands pausing mid-weave before she smoothly caught the flying squirrel in her p. Without hesitation, she flipped him onto his back and began scratching his stomach with practiced ease.

  Chūta melted instantly.

  The girls giggled as the squirrel let out an exaggerated chirp of delight, his tiny paws twitching as he wriggled further into her hands. The blonde girl grinned down at him, running a finger gently under his chin. "Well, aren't you just the softest little prince?" she cooed.

  Hiro, who had frozen at Chūta’s unexpected betrayal, finally stepped closer. The blonde girl looked up, her dark eyes bright with curiosity. "Is he yours?"

  "Yeah," Hiro said, recovering from his surprise. "His name’s Chūta."

  She tilted her head slightly, still stroking Chūta’s belly. "Chūta," she repeated, as if testing the name. "That’s adorable! I’m Natsume."

  Hiro hesitated before nodding. "Hiro."

  Natsume’s grin widened. "Oh, I know. Aunt Kaya talks about you all the time."

  That caught Hiro off guard. "Aunt Kaya?"

  Natsume giggled. "Oh, you didn’t know? My mom and Aunt Kaya are close. I visit the orphanage sometimes!" She gave Chūta another gentle scratch under his chin before finally letting him roll onto his feet. "I don’t think I’ve seen you before, though. You must like wandering off."

  Hiro shrugged. "I train outside a lot."

  "Ooooh," Natsume said, interest sparking in her expression. "What kind of training?"

  Hiro hesitated. He didn’t talk about his training much—he didn’t have to. Most of the other kids didn’t ask. But there was something about Natsume’s open curiosity that made it seem… normal. "Weapon training. Conditioning. Stuff like that."

  Her dark eyes gleamed. "That sounds way cooler than sitting around making flower crowns."

  "You seem to be good at it," Hiro noted, gesturing to the crowns scattered around the girls.

  Natsume ughed. "It’s just something to do while we talk. Besides—" She twirled the crown she had just finished between her fingers before, without warning, pcing it on Hiro’s head. "There! Now you fit in."

  Hiro blinked, caught completely off guard.

  The other girls giggled, and Natsume winked. "Now Hiro and I match!"

  Hiro reached up, touching the woven flowers resting atop his hair. He wasn’t sure what to say. But before he could react, Natsume was already moving on, gathering more flowers with practiced ease.

  As the sun began to lower, one of the caretakers called for the children to come inside. Natsume gave Chūta one st pet before standing and dusting off her skirt. "I hope I see you around more, Hiro. I think we’ll get along just fine."

  With that, she skipped toward the orphanage, her braid swinging behind her. Hiro watched her go before adjusting the flower crown still perched on his head. He shook his head slightly, but a small chuckle escaped before he could stop it.

  Chūta hopped back onto his shoulder, chirping happily. Hiro sighed and started toward the orphanage at a slower pace, the flower crown still resting lightly on his head.