A car pulls up to a small white house, a boy and his mother get out of her green bolbo and, another car pulls up behind them as his mother walks toward the trunk. A man wearing an open Hawaiian shirt gets out of the car with his family.

“Ah, did you two just move in recently too?” He asks.

“We did. I’m Eliza Kaminari and this is my son, Seiren.” She introduces.

“We just moved in as well. This place is uber cheap. So how could we resist, you know?” He asks.

Uber cheap…? Seiren repeats in his head.

“Don’t you start flirting like this again! I’ll castrate you!” His wife says to him.

Yikes. Seiren thinks.

“You look mad, honey. Did something good happen?” He says in a taunting tone as he and his wife head inside their home. Breaking away from their conversation, Seiren walks over to the trunk as his mother closes the door.

“We sure have some interesting neighbors, huh?” She mutters.

“More or less.” He says.

“Alright, let’s get these bags in the house!” She says.

“Go inside, I’ll get them.” He says.

“Are you sure? I don’t mind taking one in.” She replies as she flexes her right arm.

“With those spaghetti arms?” He questions while grabbing bags.

“These spaghetti arms can still kick your butt! Just don’t strain yourself.” She says as she walks past the car, and heads into the house.

He pulls the bags out one by one, fashioning each of them onto his body, giving himself the appearance of a human bag rack.

“That’s a lot of stuff you’re carrying. Do you need help?” A voice says from behind.

Seiren turns around to see a boy with curly blonde hair behind him.

“—Who are you?” He questions.

“Sorry to startle you, I’m Kirth Slayers. I just thought you might need some help."

"If you're offering, I won't stop you," Seiren mutters.

After the two finish moving the bags, the blonde boy prepares to leave, by heading down the stairs of Seiren’s home.

“Thanks.” He says.

Kirth gives a wave before continuing down the street. As Seiren stares at the sunset, giving a sigh, he feels a sudden pressure behind him as his mother sits behind the screen door like a cat waiting for a mouse. Seiren enters the house as his mother’s eyes light up.

“So! Who was that handsome young man?” She questions, as she gets up close and personal.

Seiren finds himself backed against a wall as his mother begins her interrogation.

“—Some random guy.” He answers.

“I see… Just some random guy…” She jots down on her notepad.

“—What are you doing?” He questions.

“Gotta make sure I have enough information on my son’s first friendship!” She says with excitement.

Seiren makes an expression as he had been staring at the very essence of audacity.

“I’ve had friends before.”

“I’m sorry to say this, but I don’t think animals count.” She says.

He lets out a sigh of frustration.

“Alright, alright I get it.” She says right as she starts to cough violently.

“Are you okay?” Seiren asks.

“I’m… Fine.” She says. “I think I may have overexerted myself a little.”

“You should get some rest.” He suggests as he grabs bottled water from the kitchen and hands it to her. She unscrews the cap, and annihilates half the bottle in less than two seconds, then gives him a smile.

“I’ll go take a nap. No house parties while I’m asleep.” She says jokingly.

“With what friends?” He mutters.