Summer vacation slipped through Yumio’s fingers faster than she ever expected. One moment she was waking up to the sound of waves and sunlight spilling through wide windows, and the next, the villa felt strangely quiet—like it already knew they were about to leave. The thought of returning home, packing for the dorm, and preparing for a whole new chapter made her chest feel tight with both excitement and reluctance.

  In her room, Yumio carefully folded her clothes and placed them neatly into her luggage. Before closing it, she walked one last time into the yarn room. The shelves of colorful yarn greeted her like old friends. She reached for several skeins, gently tucking them into her bag.

  “I’ll finish it at home,” she murmured to herself.

  The crochet project she had worked on all summer lay folded on her bed. It was large, intricate, and made with more care than anything she had ever created. Every stitch held a quiet thought, a memory, a feeling she hadn’t put into words. It wasn’t just a project—it was a gift. A very special one.

  “Mio, we’re about to leave!” Akari’s voice echoed from outside the house.

  “I’m coming!” Yumio called back, smiling.

  She slung her bag over her shoulder, took one last look at the room with the ocean view, and then stepped out of the villa. The warm air and salty breeze greeted her like a gentle goodbye.

  “Finally! You took so long, we were about to leave you,” Yukio said, arms crossed, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

  Yumio rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue at him before climbing into the van. “You wish.”

  “Sorry for the wait,” she said as she settled into the seat beside Yurio, adjusting her bag on her lap.

  Yurio glanced at her and smiled softly. “It’s alright. You always take your time with important things.”

  As the van began to move, Yumio pulled out her crochet project, her fingers automatically finding their rhythm. The familiar motion calmed her, each stitch steadying her thoughts as the scenery outside shifted from sea to road.

  “Mio-nee,” Miyuki said, leaning forward between the seats, her eyes fixed on the yarn. “For whom is it that you’re crocheting?”

  Yumio paused for a brief second, then smiled. “For a special someone.”

  “Ooooh~” Natsumi sang teasingly. “A boyfriend perhaps?”

  The reaction was immediate.

  The boys straightened up, suddenly alert.

  “She hasn’t encountered any boys other than us,” Yukio said suspiciously.

  “Yeah, when would she even have the time?” Touya added.

  Yumio laughed softly, shaking her head as she continued crocheting. “You guys are overthinking it.”

  Ariana turned around from the front seat and smiled warmly at her. “Ignore them, Mio. Whoever you’re giving it to, I’m sure they’ll be really happy to receive something you made.”

  Yumio’s smile softened, her fingers tightening just slightly around the yarn.

  “I hope so,” she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

  As the van drove on, Yumio kept crocheting, the steady rhythm matching the hum of the road—each stitch bringing her one step closer to finishing a gift made from an entire summer’s worth of quiet feelings.

  “We’re back!” Natsumi proudly shouted the moment she jumped out of the van, stretching her arms wide as if she were announcing their return to the world.

  Natsu stepped out right after her, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re way too energetic,” he muttered, casting his twin a tired look.

  Natsumi grinned unapologetically. “Can’t help it. I have to be energetic—I’m a popstar, remember?”

  “Save that energy for the spotlight,” Natsu replied dryly as he grabbed a bag from the back.

  Natsumi rolled her eyes dramatically. “You’re no fun,” she said, already heading toward the mansion.

  Miyuki stepped out next, taking a deep breath and smiling as she looked around. “It’s nice to be back home,” she said softly.

  Yumio nodded in agreement, her gaze lingering on the familiar walls and garden. “You’re right. It feels… comforting.”

  “Alright, everyone,” Emi said firmly but kindly as she closed the van door. “Change and get ready. Dinner will be in ten.”

  “Yes, Mom,” several voices responded in unison.

  Yumio headed straight to her room, dropped her bag by the door, and plopped down on her bed with a quiet sigh. Almost instantly, three familiar shapes leapt up beside her.

  “Hello, Neira, Gaiea, Deia,” Yumio greeted with a smile.

  Neira curled beside her arm, Gaiea nudged her chin with her head, and Deia let out a contented meow before settling near her stomach. Their soft purring filled the room, easing the lingering fatigue from the long drive.

  Yumio smiled and let out a tired sigh. “I missed you guys.”

  She reached for her phone, thumbs hovering for a moment before opening her messages. Without overthinking it, she typed.

  Mio: Hey.

  Liam: Hi.

  Mio: Ready for this school year?

  Liam: Not really. You?

  Mio: A little nervous.

  Liam: I’m sure you’ll do just fine.

  Yumio felt her chest warm as she read the message. A small smile tugged at her lips.

  Mio: Thanks. You too.

  Just then, a knock sounded on her door.

  “Mio, dinner in a bit!” someone called.

  “I’ll be right down!” she replied.

  She carefully moved the cats off the bed—earning a few protest meows—then stood up and changed into something more comfortable. Before leaving, she glanced at her phone once more, her smile lingering.

  With a light step, Yumio exited her room and headed downstairs, feeling a little less tired—and a little more ready for what was ahead.

  Liam smiled softly as he looked at the last message on his phone, then let his head fall back against the pillow. His gaze drifted up to the ceiling, where the faint glow of the bedside lamp cast slow-moving shadows.

  “This is great, huh, Sam?” he murmured.

  A labrador retriever lying beside the bed lifted his head and barked once, tail thumping lazily against the mattress.

  Liam laughed under his breath and reached over to scratch behind Sam’s ears. “Yeah, I thought so too.”

  After a moment, he sat up and swung his legs off the bed. The easy warmth from the conversation still lingered in his chest as he moved to his desk and opened his laptop. The screen lit up, reflecting in his focused eyes.

  “Alright,” he muttered, fingers hovering over the keyboard. “Let’s get organized.”

  He began typing, creating a neat list—deep clean room, sort books, pack essentials, leave unnecessary stuff behind. Every so often, he paused to think, adding more items as they came to mind. Ainsworth felt real now. Close. Almost within reach.

  As he typed, a knock echoed from the door.

  “Come in,” Liam said without looking away from the screen.

  The door creaked open, and Nathan stepped inside. Sam immediately perked up, hopping off the bed and trotting over.

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  “Hey, Sam,” Nathan greeted warmly, crouching down to pet him. “You guarding the room again?”

  Sam barked in response, tail wagging furiously.

  Nathan straightened and sat at the edge of Liam’s bed, glancing over at the desk. “So,” he said casually, “what’s got you so focused?”

  “I’m making a list of things I have to do tomorrow,” Liam replied, finally turning his chair to face him. “Since the semester starts in a few weeks, I figured I should get ahead. Deep cleaning, sorting my stuff, deciding what to bring and what to leave behind—those kinds of things.”

  Nathan nodded, clearly approving. “Not bad. Planning ahead suits you.”

  Liam smiled slightly, then turned back to his computer and typed a few more lines.

  Nathan glanced at the time and sighed. “Well, you can do that later. It’s already dinner.”

  Liam raised an eyebrow. “Already?”

  “Yeah,” Nathan said with a grin. “And if you don’t come down soon, Mom’s going to march up here herself.”

  Liam chuckled and shut his laptop. “Alright, alright. I’m coming.”

  He stood up and patted his leg. “Come on, Sam.”

  Sam barked excitedly and rushed to the door, tail wagging like a metronome.

  Nathan laughed as they headed out. “You two are always in sync.”

  Liam just smiled as they went downstairs together, the thought of the coming school year—and someone waiting on the other side of it—quietly filling his mind.

  The next morning…

  Sunlight streamed through Yumio’s curtains, illuminating the absolute chaos that had taken over her room. Books were stacked in uneven piles on the floor, boxes were half-opened, and folded clothes sat beside unfolded ones in a silent standoff. Her bed had become a temporary storage space, and her study table was barely visible under notebooks and loose papers.

  Yumio stood in the middle of it all, hands on her hips, letting out a slow breath.

  “…What did I get myself into?”

  She shook her head and reached for her bookshelf, pulling books out one by one and sorting them into piles—bring, store, donate. Every so often, she paused to flip through a familiar page, smiling at a memory before gently placing the book down.

  As she slid another book out, she heard a soft knock coming from her already open door.

  She turned and saw Touya leaning against the frame, arms crossed, a fond smile on his face as he took in the scene.

  “Nii-san! Come in.”

  Touya stepped carefully inside, skillfully avoiding a pile of notebooks, and plopped down onto a nearby beanbag chair.

  “Wow,” he said, glancing around. “When Akari told me you were preparing your things, I didn’t expect an all-out arrangement disaster.”

  Yumio laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of her head. “I decided… why not clean everything while I’m at it? I’ll be gone for a few months, and there are so many things that need to be disposed of, so I figured I’d just do it all at once.”

  Touya nodded appreciatively. “Touché. Efficient, but dangerous. One wrong move and you’ll get buried under your own books.”

  “Nii-san,” Yumio called, suddenly serious.

  Touya hummed in response, turning his attention fully to her. “Yeah?”

  “Are pets allowed in the dorms?”

  Touya leaned back slightly, resting his chin on his hand. “That depends on which dorm you’re assigned to. Knowing Mom,” he added with a knowing smile, “she probably placed you with Akari.”

  Yumio groaned softly. “That really sounds like Mom. I swear, I’m already eighteen. I don’t need constant supervision.”

  Touya chuckled. “True—but it is your first time away from home for school.”

  Yumio shrugged. “You do have a point.”

  “Well,” Touya continued, “I think Akari’s dorm building allows pets. But only small ones. And of course, the owner has to be fully responsible.”

  Yumio’s eyes lit up. “Are cats allowed?”

  Touya raised an eyebrow. “Are you planning to bring the cats?”

  Yumio hesitated, then slowly nodded.

  Touya sighed, though he was smiling. “I think cats are allowed. I have a friend staying at that dorm, and she has one.”

  Yumio brightened even more. “Are there also men’s dorm buildings that allow pets?”

  Touya nodded. “The one I stayed at allowed pets. There are two dorm buildings—one for boys, one for girls—that allow them.”

  “Don’t forget the apartments.”

  They all turned toward the doorway to see Akari and Yurio standing there, arms crossed and amused expressions on their faces.

  Touya snapped his fingers lightly. “Oh, right. Of course,” he said, mock face-palming.

  “Wait—there are apartments?!” Yumio exclaimed.

  Yurio chuckled. “You seriously didn’t notice? There were five apartment buildings and two more dorm buildings still under construction.”

  “I guess Mio was too fascinated by the department buildings to notice the living areas,” Akari said, stepping inside and sitting beside Touya.

  Yumio pouted slightly. “Hey…”

  “Who stays at the apartments?” Yumio asked.

  “Well,” Akari began, “one apartment building is reserved for staff and faculty. The other four are for students—from third year to sixth year, depending on their course. Some programs last six years.”

  “And some working students stay for six or even nine years,” Yurio added.

  Yumio’s eyes widened. “Wait—then Nee-san is supposed to stay at an apartment! She’s already a fourth-year student!”

  “Oh, yeah,” Touya said casually. “Mom told me to inform you that you and Ariana will be staying with Akari at the apartment.”

  The room went silent.

  Then—

  Akari, Yurio, and Yumio all facepalmed at the same time.

  “You forgot to tell me?” Yumio said slowly, staring at Touya.

  “I guess I was distracted,” Touya replied sheepishly. “It slipped my mind. I even forgot that was what I was supposed to tell you when I walked in.”

  Yumio sighed, muttering under her breath, “I really don’t know what Akie-nee saw in you…”

  “What was that?” Touya asked, leaning forward.

  Yumio quickly shook her head. “Nothing!”

  Akari, who had clearly heard everything, smiled knowingly.

  “Don’t worry, Mio,” she said gently. “Pets are allowed at the apartment. And I’m sure Mom and Dad will let you bring the cats.”

  Yumio smiled in relief, a weight lifting off her shoulders.

  “Well then,” Yurio said as he stood up and stretched, “what can we help you with? That’s what we came here for, after all.”

  Yumio laughed and gestured around the room. “Honestly? Everything.”

  With that, the four of them got to work—sorting, packing, laughing, and teasing—turning the once-overwhelming mess into something manageable, and making the coming change feel just a little less scary.

  “I’ll be staying with you?”

  Liam paused mid-fold, one of his shirts dangling from his hands as he looked up at Nathan. His tone wasn’t exactly annoyed—more like resigned.

  Nathan nodded while sorting through a box of old notebooks, setting aside the ones that were still usable. “Yep. According to Dad, I’m supposed to keep an eye on you.”

  Liam let out a long sigh and dropped the shirt neatly into his suitcase. “So I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

  Nathan shrugged, a small grin playing on his lips. “Not unless you want another long lecture about responsibility, safety, and how college is a ‘dangerous place.’”

  Liam groaned softly. “I figured.”

  He glanced at the corner of the room where Sam was lying on the floor, tail thumping lazily as he watched them move around. Liam’s expression softened.

  “Dogs are allowed at the apartment, right?” Liam asked casually. “Because I’m taking Sam with me whether it’s allowed or not.”

  Nathan chuckled. “Relax. They are. And good news—Dad already gave you permission to bring him.”

  Liam visibly relaxed. “Good. That was my biggest concern.”

  Sam seemed to sense his name being mentioned and barked once, wagging his tail harder. Liam crouched down and ruffled his fur. “See? You’re coming with me, buddy.”

  Nathan watched the interaction, smiling. “You’ve been looking… lighter lately.”

  Liam glanced up. “What do you mean?”

  “Ever since we got back from the villa,” Nathan continued, leaning against the desk. “You’re smiling more. Less grumpy. Looking forward to starting the semester—or looking forward to seeing someone?”

  Liam stiffened slightly and turned back to his suitcase. “Think whatever you want. I just want to start college on the right foot.”

  Nathan raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. And this has nothing to do with the reason you’ve been coming home late recently?”

  Liam let out a low groan and rubbed his temples. “Kuya… can we please just focus on cleaning?”

  Nathan laughed, holding his hands up in surrender. “Alright, alright. I’ll drop it.”

  He shook his head, still smiling to himself, as he went back to sorting boxes.

  Liam zipped his suitcase halfway and glanced out the window, the afternoon light spilling into the room. For a moment, a familiar face crossed his mind, and he quickly shook it away.

  Focus, he told himself. A good start. That’s all.

  Sam barked softly beside him, as if agreeing.

  Yumio was busy sketching in her notebook, her pencil gliding softly across the page, when a familiar silhouette caught her attention. She glanced up—and there it was.

  Liam’s bike.

  Her eyes immediately lit up. She stood and waved enthusiastically. “Hey!”

  Liam spotted her and smiled, lifting one hand to wave back before slowing down and parking his bike nearby. He hopped off, a plastic bag swinging lightly from his fingers.

  He walked over and held it out to her. “I brought your faves.”

  Yumio’s smile widened as she peeked inside. “You didn’t have to,” she said, though she was already reaching in.

  “I did,” Liam replied casually. “I know you get absorbed when you’re drawing. You probably forgot to snack.”

  She laughed softly. “You’re not wrong.”

  She took one and thanked him again as Liam sat down beside her, stretching his legs out in front of him. For a moment, they just sat there comfortably, the breeze passing between them.

  “So,” Liam began, glancing at her sketchbook, “what’s going on with you today?”

  Yumio sighed dramatically, though there was humor in it. “An all-out cleaning.”

  “Oh no,” Liam said, amused. “That serious?”

  “It turned my bedroom into a total disaster,” she continued. “I was trying to organize, but it just got worse before it got better.”

  Liam laughed. “That sounds painfully familiar. I did the same thing earlier—deep cleaning, sorting, deciding what to bring to the dorm. I didn’t realize how much junk I had.”

  Yumio nodded in agreement. “Right? It’s like things just pile up without you noticing.”

  She glanced at him. “Are you ready for the semester?”

  Liam leaned back on his hands and looked up at the sky. “Sort of,” he said honestly. “Excited, nervous… trying not to overthink it.”

  Yumio smiled softly. “I feel the same.”

  He turned to her, smiling back. “At least we’re not alone in that.”

  They continued talking—about classes, dorm life, small worries, and little things they were looking forward to. Their laughter blended with the quiet sounds of the evening as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in warm shades of orange and pink.

  Neither of them said it out loud, but they both felt it.

  They couldn’t wait for the semester to begin—and for everything college life would bring with it.