Mashiro Shiina
Mashiro Shiina had studied painting with Luo Yu since they were children. Right, it was the same place where Eiri had been.
Luo Yu had spent some time with them there. Though it hadn't been long, he had still become friends with them.
"Mashiro? Of course I remember her," Luo Yu replied.
Luo Xingchen said, "It's good that you remember. How should I put this? Mashiro has recently become interested in manga, and she wants to come to Sakura Province to become a manga artist. Mashiro's father came to me and asked me to make arrangements. Your light novel is doing pretty well, isn't it? It's been quite popular online lately. Plus, you and Mashiro are friends, so I decided to have Mashiro live with you. What do you think?"
That was directly cutting off the Sakura Dormitory storyline. But it had nothing to do with me anyway.
After thinking it over, Luo Yu answered, "I don't mind, but are you really that comfortable with Mashiro living alone with me?"
Luo Xingchen said, "We're quite assured when it comes to you, kid. Mashiro's father agreed too. When the time comes, I'll have to trouble you to pick her up. That's it, I'm hanging up."
"Bye."
"How was it? Did he agree?" Luo Yu's mother, Luo Qingqiu, asked.
Luo Xingchen said, "That kid already agreed."
"I really don't know what the two of you are thinking, having Little Yu and Mashiro live together. Aren't you afraid they'll do something?" Luo Qingqiu sighed and asked.
"It'd be even better if something happened. We wouldn't lose out anyway. Isn't that guy—Mashiro's father—thinking the same thing? We know each other well enough. Little Yu being with Mashiro would be good for both our families."
"You two..." Luo Qingqiu didn't know what to say about her husband's plan to set up his own son.
"Good afternoon."
Yui Hirasawa walked into the clubroom and greeted everyone.
After looking around, Yui Hirasawa noticed that a familiar figure was missing.
"Where's Luo Luo?"
Ritsu Tainaka was eating snacks as she answered carelessly.
"You mean Luo Yu? He just sent a message saying he had something to do today, so he wouldn't be coming to the clubroom."
"Huh, that's rare. Luo Yu actually has things to do? He always looks so relaxed."
Everyone recalled Luo Yu's usual behavior in the clubroom.
The image that came to mind was Luo Yu lifting a teacup and sipping tea.
That was true.
The girls realized that Luo Yu really was usually very relaxed. If he wasn't drinking black tea, he was drinking green tea. In short, he was always drinking tea.
Meanwhile, Luo Yu, the subject of the girls' discussion, was on his way to the airport.
The cherry blossoms had not yet finished blooming, so naturally—
Luo Yu spotted the girl sitting beneath a cherry tree.
A gust of wind swept through, sending cherry blossoms dancing through the sky. The girl raised her head, her golden hair fluttering in the breeze. She looked at the newcomer with those wind-like eyes and asked,
"Hey, what color do you want to become?"
"Pink, of course," Luo Yu answered without hesitation.
Not just because it was Elysia's color. Well, that was indeed a big reason. It was also the color I saw when I met you again.
"What about you? What color do you want to become?" Luo Yu asked the girl in return.
"I've never thought about it. But now... probably white?" the girl said uncertainly.
"White..."
Luo Yu let out a soft sigh.
"Long time no see, Mashiro."
"Long time no see, Yu."
A faint smile appeared on the girl's face.
Grrr!
The girl's stomach growled.
"Hungry."
Mashiro Shiina held her stomach and spoke to Luo Yu.
"Then let's go home together now."
Luo Yu held out his hand to Mashiro Shiina.
Mashiro Shiina reached out as well and took his hand.
"Mhm."
That was how the girl answered.
At the supermarket.
On the way home with Mashiro, Luo Yu suddenly remembered that there were no ingredients left at home. So he brought Mashiro to the supermarket.
After Luo Yu had chosen the ingredients and was about to pay, he realized that Mashiro Shiina, who had been following behind him, was gone.
Remembering the plot from the original work, Luo Yu headed toward the cake section. Sure enough, as soon as he arrived, he saw Mashiro Shiina eating baumkuchen, with an anxious store clerk standing beside her.
Luo Yu sighed, walked over, and said to the clerk, "Sorry, this child lacks some common sense. I'll pay for that baumkuchen along with everything else later."
Hearing Luo Yu's explanation, the clerk breathed a sigh of relief. After lecturing the two of them a little, the clerk left.
"Now then, Miss Mashiro..." After the clerk left, Luo Yu looked at Mashiro, who was still eating baumkuchen.
"What are you doing?"
Mashiro Shiina stopped eating and answered, "Eating baumkuchen."
"You have to pay before eating something," Luo Yu said with a headache.
"Money?"
Mashiro tilted her head, looking utterly confused.
I knew Mashiro lacked common sense, but I didn't expect I'd have to start teaching her from this point. Anyway, we'd be living together from now on, so I could teach her slowly.
After buying the ingredients, Luo Yu also bought a large bag of baumkuchen and brought Mashiro home.
"Mashiro, you'll be staying in this room from now on. My room is right next door. Rest for a while first. I'll go make dinner."
After bringing Mashiro to her room, Luo Yu went to make dinner.
After dinner, Luo Yu helped Mashiro tidy up her room, then said to her, "Mashiro, that's enough for tonight. Tomorrow, we'll go buy some daily necessities together."
"Baumkuchen." Mashiro grabbed the hem of Luo Yu's clothes as he was about to leave.
"Miss Mashiro, didn't you just finish dinner?"
"Mhm, but I like baumkuchen. I want to eat it."
Luo Yu sighed helplessly, then held up one finger.
"You can only have one."
"Yu, stingy!"
Mashiro said angrily, though her expression did not change in the slightest.
"If I'm stingy, then you won't get even one."
"Yu is the best."
"Don't change your tune so fast!"
Inside Luo Yu's room.
Luo Yu lay on his bed, thinking about something.
Starting today, I'm no longer alone. Thinking of that pure white girl next door...
"This isn't so bad either, right, Prometheus?"
Prometheus said, "...Captain, I am merely an artificial intelligence. I cannot understand your feelings."
"Is that so? I was only saying it to someone, that's all."
I don't think you're merely an ordinary artificial intelligence, Prometheus. You're also an indispensable part of my family. Unfortunately, Luo Yu did not say those words aloud.
The next morning, Luo Yu stood outside Mashiro's door, hesitating over whether to open it.
"It should be a complete mess in there right now. Mashiro should probably be naked too." But these were things he would have to face sooner or later.
In the end, Luo Yu decided to face reality.
"Mashiro, I'm coming in."
After announcing himself, Luo Yu pushed open the door and walked inside.
Chocolate and Vanilla
What entered Luo Yu's eyes was complete chaos. Clothes were piled haphazardly across the floor. Mashiro was not on the bed either.
Luo Yu looked toward the computer, whose screen was still lit, displaying unfinished artwork. Then he shifted his gaze to the pile of clothes beneath the computer desk. A blanket?
So Mashiro was in there now?
Luo Yu walked over and knocked on the desk. "Miss Mashiro, it's morning already. Can you get up now?"
"Morning won't come again."
Mashiro covered her head with the blanket, intending to continue sleeping.
"Apologize to the sun." Luo Yu walked to the window and pulled back the curtains, allowing a beam of bright sunlight to shine into the room.
"Good morning, Yu."
Mashiro rubbed her eyes.
"Good morning. So, why aren't you wearing clothes?" Luo Yu asked calmly as he looked at the completely naked Mashiro.
Why was he so calm, you ask? Luo Yu wasn't one of those light novel protagonists who panicked at the sight of a naked body!
"After taking a bath, I took out clothes. I wanted to put them on, so I took out all the clothes."
So that was why the room was such a mess?
"Couldn't find underwear I liked. Started drawing. Got sleepy. Slept. Then Yu came."
"Alright, I understand." Luo Yu figured out what had happened. "Can you put some clothes on now?"
Mashiro picked up some clothes and looked them over before finally looking at Luo Yu. "Yu, help me."
"Sure, sure." Treating it as though he were raising a daughter, Luo Yu began picking out clothes for Mashiro. "Don't you know that men and women should keep their distance?"
"Because it's Yu, it's fine."
Mashiro's ethereal words made Luo Yu's hand pause as he picked through the clothes. Then he continued, "What about underwear? Do I have to choose that too?"
"Mhm. Help me."
Before long, Luo Yu had put together an outfit for Mashiro.
"Here. You can wear this, right?"
"Yu, help me put it on."
Mashiro spread her arms.
"Put it on yourself." Though he said that, Luo Yu's body honestly moved as he helped Mashiro get dressed.
Before you continue