"Hey, are you a student at Saikai Academy too?"
Kurumi tilted her head and blinked. Just as Nangong Natsuki was about to say more, she saw the girl striding toward her.
Kurumi set the plastic bag on the ground, pressed down her skirt as she crouched, and frowned slightly. "Little one, what's your name? Why aren't you home this late? Won't your parents worry? Or did you sneak out by yourself?"
Nangong Natsuki was left dazed by the barrage of questions. She had intended to scold the girl, only to be lectured instead.
The beautiful girl before her took out her phone from her pocket, dialing as she complained softly, "What's the police station's number again? Such a little child ran away from home, and her parents don't even care. Honestly."
"I say..."
Just as Nangong Natsuki was about to speak, Kurumi cut her off.
The girl stood up, patted the little girl's hair, and took Nangong Natsuki's small hand with practiced ease. "Don't worry, big sister will stay with you."
Charm influenced Nangong Natsuki at every moment. Though she was normally quite forceful, before Kurumi, she truly seemed like a little girl, silently listening to her big sister's guidance.
"Mm~ Your hands are so cold?" Kurumi glanced at her thin school uniform. "How about... coming to my place for a while first?"
Nangong Natsuki had wanted to refuse, but when she saw Kurumi's "sincere" gaze, her little head nodded of its own accord.
The apartment building was right across the street. Along the way, Kurumi explained the dangers of Island of the Gods at night, how girls should not go out alone, and so on...
Kurumi got through on the phone, and the police station asked for the girl's name.
"Little one, what's your name?"
For the first time,