As we settled into the car, I asked Manako, "How are you feeling?"

Manako mumbled softly, her grip on the suitcase tightening as she admitted, "My head still hurts..." Her uneasy gaze remained fixed downward, but she reassured me, "But I'll be okay."

"That's Good to hear," I said, looking outside at the city as the car took us to our destination. After lunch, I'd tried to talk with Suu, but she was inert in her kiddie pool in my room, so I let her be. I still felt uneasy leaving her alone, but I had to keep my appointment with Preya, so I had no choice. Hopefully, she'd be okay. Either way, I then took Lala to the Cultural Exchange building to complete the rest of her paperwork so she could officially move in. I'd tried to find Kuroko, but she was too busy.

And so, the current moment found Manako and me en route to Preya's new host house. Given our previous experience, it was no surprise that we both felt a tinge of anxiety.

Manako's voice trembled as she questioned, "A-Are you sure you want me to come with you? I-I wasn't any good last time..." Her fingers tightened around the handle of her suitcase, reflecting her apprehension.

When it comes to Manako, anxiety isn't exactly something she experiences in small doses.

"We've discussed this before, haven't we?" I responded, offering a slight shrug. "It wasn't your fault, and I was the foolish one who decided to grab onto an escaping raptor in the first place."

Manako squirmed in her seat but chose not to voice any further protest. It was evident that she didn't fully believe my reassurance, which was a bit disheartening. However, I realized there wasn't much else I could say to convince her otherwise.

Deciding to shift the conversation away from the current topic, I asked, "Did you have fun last night?"

Manako seemed momentarily startled but then nodded once. "Y-Yes, I did," she replied, avoiding direct eye contact. "I'm not accustomed to being around so many people who aren't from MON, so it was a little..."

"Nerve-wracking?" I ventured as she trailed off. Seeing her nod, I offered a slight smile. "Yeah, I can imagine. Attending parties where you don't know many people can feel that way. You had us around, so hopefully, that made it a bit better for you."

"... Us?" Manako looked at me quizzically. "S-Sorry, but I thought w-we were just talking about MON earlier...."

"Oh, sorry, by 'us,' I meant your friends," I replied, yawning. "Guess I should've clarified."

For the first time, Manako looked directly at me with a wide eye.

"We're f-f-f-friends?" she breathed.

I couldn't help but smile as I listened to her response. If those words had come from almost anyone else besides Manako, it might have hurt my ego. But I understood the weight of my words and their impact on her. It was challenging for someone like me to resist wanting to be friends with someone like her. Additionally, I had a feeling that Manako was the type of person who didn't want to assume or believe we were friends unless it was explicitly stated.

"Of course we are," I said easily. "Why wouldn't we be?"

Manako blinked rapidly, her gaze returning to the floor. Her bangs partially covered her face, making it difficult to see her expression. When she spoke again, her voice was barely audible, almost too soft for me to hear.

"Even though Do - "

The car abruptly stopped, causing Manako to freeze in her seat. Concern etched across my face as I glanced at her, but seeing that she didn't continue, I suppressed a sigh and opened the car door. It was a weird sensation in my stomach to push Manako to speak when she was in such a state. Whatever she was about to say would have to wait until later, unfortunately.

"Well, let's both make sure this time goes better than the last," I declared with a confident tone, flashing a smile to boost her confidence. "Sound good, partner?"

After a moment's hesitation, Manako nodded once and joined me in stepping out of the car. We found ourselves on the eastern side of town, where residential areas were sparser than the west side across the river. Those who resided on the east side lived on the outskirts, surrounded by small plains like Oosawa and Mandroot. However, those two were situated even further east, closer to the forest than our current location. If I strained my ears, I could faintly hear the distant cries of seagulls from the north. It seemed we were not far from the beach.

The house we arrived at had a distinctively traditional Japanese design, unlike many other buildings I had encountered since coming to Japan. Although a surrounding wall enclosed the estate, the entrance was wide and lacked any gate that would restrict entry. The house was quite spacious, nearly as sizable as the Kurusu household. It exuded a warm and inviting atmosphere with its wooden structure, giving off a cozy vibe despite its close resemblance to a mansion.

Tall trees adorned the edge of the surrounding wall, their presence extending until the wall abruptly terminated towards the right and back. This created an expansive open space adorned with natural vegetation, stretching towards the adjacent fields. This area appeared to have once been a garden, as indicated by the nearby tool shed. Despite the slightly neglected appearance of that particular section, the rest of the yard and the house itself appeared clean and well-maintained. This was undoubtedly an encouraging sign.

As we approached the front door, a gentle breeze caressed my skin, carrying with it the unmistakable scent of the sea. The mixture of salt and the faint aroma of decaying life along the shores brought back memories of carefree days spent playing by Lake Caroline and unwinding on colonial beach. The sun radiated a bright yet gentle warmth, invigorating my senses. Unbeknownst to me, the tension I had been carrying seemed to dissolve, releasing its grip from my shoulders.

At that moment, I couldn't help but entertain the thought of staying here for an extended period. The tranquil atmosphere and soothing sensations were undeniably inviting. A twinge of envy surfaced as I considered Preya, realizing she had the privilege of calling this place home.

I knocked on the door several times before slipping my hands into my pockets, patiently waiting as I heard footsteps approaching from inside. The wooden door glided open, revealing a small girl with adorable pigtails, her wide grey eyes fixed on us.

"Hello," I greeted warmly, bending down slightly to meet her gaze. "I'm Akihiro, and this is my friend Manako. We're from the Cultural Exchange, and we've come to see Preya. Is she or your parents around?"

The girl's response came slowly; her curiosity was piqued as she leaned forward to look better at Manako, who seemed uncomfortable with the sudden attention. The girl's words tumbled out without filter.

"Um... yeah," she exclaimed, her eyes widening. "Wait, you only have one eye! And it's huge!"

"Could you please go and get them for us?" I quickly interjected, sensing Manako's discomfort and wanting to divert the girl's attention. "It's really important that we speak with them."

"Kay!" the girl exclaimed cheerfully, already dashing into the house. "Mooooom, Preya's friends are here! And they're kinda weird!"

In a hushed tone, I whispered to Manako, attempting to console her, "She's just a kid. You're likely the only liminal she's seen in person besides Preya. I think her curiosity got the better of her, that's all."

"I guess..." Manako murmured, her anxiety evident in her awkward posture. Repressing a sigh, I acknowledged the truth of the situation. Neither side was truly at fault here. The girl's curiosity was natural for a child, and Manako's response reflected her unique nature.

"Hello!" greeted a short-haired woman, whom I presumed to be the young girl's mother. The girl partially concealed herself behind her mother's legs. "I'm Nana Kuramoto. Are you Preya's counselors?"

"Akihiro Bando," I introduced myself, extending my hand for a handshake, which she reciprocated. "I'm her counselor. And this is Manako," I gestured toward her, searching for an appropriate term. "My... partner."

"Oh, I see!" Nana smiled and nodded. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you both!" She extended her hand toward Manako, who blinked in surprise. Nana's smile faltered slightly, and she tilted her head. "I'm sorry, was that inappropriate? I've never met a monoeye, so I wasn't sure..."

"N-N-No, it's fine!" Manako assured, rapidly waving a hand. "I'm sorry, just, um...."

As Manako fretted, Nana seemed to understand, as indicated by her reassuring nod. "It's fine, sweetie," she said with a warm smile, then gestured for us to come inside. "Please, come in. I believe Preya was in the living room the last time I saw her."

"Thank you," I expressed my gratitude to Nana, appreciative of her understanding. Manako and I stepped into the house, taking off our shoes in the mudroom before proceeding further inside. The hallways were as spacious as the exterior had hinted, constructed with polished wood that appeared to gleam under the illumination of the lights.

"Have you introduced yourself to our guests?" Nana inquired, addressing the little girl who remained close by her side.

"Chinatsu," the girl promptly responded, her gaze fixed on the increasingly distressed Manako.

"Nice to meet you, Chinatsu," I responded with a friendly smile. She briefly glanced at me before redirecting her attention back to Manako. I recognized the unmistakable curiosity gleaming in her gray eyes, a curiosity reminiscent of my childhood days spent voraciously devouring every zoo book I could find at my grandparents' house. I couldn't help but empathize with her curiosity, though I hoped Manako wouldn't misinterpret it and that Chinatsu wouldn't ask inappropriate questions.

As we entered the living room, we found a teenage boy reclining on a futon, engrossed in a book. When he noticed our presence, it was evident he shared a strong resemblance to his mother, notably as he rose to his feet and greeted us with a warm smile that closely mirrored hers.

"Kei, this is Manako and Akihiro Bando from the Cultural Exchange," Nana introduced, her voice warm and welcoming. "They've come here to speak with Preya for a little while. Manako, Mr. Bando, this is my son, Kei."

"Nice to meet you," I greeted, shaking Kei's hand. Inwardly, I couldn't help but ponder how many more family members I would have to meet and repeat the same introductions and pleasantries.

"Likewise," Kei replied softly, nodding toward Manako, who gave a jerky nod in response. "If you're searching for Preya, she just stepped out to stretch her wings."

"Awesome, thanks." Following the direction he indicated, I was already headed for the back door of the living room. "I'll go see how she's doing. Manako, what are your plans?"

"Come with you, j-just to make sure -"

"Where're you from?" Chinatsu asked abruptly, cutting her off.

"Don't be so impolite, Chinatsu," Kei sighed as if he had already been lying on the futon for some time. His book was already open, and he had propped his head on one hand, seemingly lost in thought.

"I just want to know more about her," she pouted, "I've never seen someone like her before, and she's really cute!"

Manako stammered nervously, "U-u-um, I-I-I'm from the C-Cultural Exchange..."

Chinatsu's small features contorted in confusion as she murmured, "I didn't realize that was a country..."

"Well, I leave this in your capable hands," I told Manako as I departed.

"W-Wait, what about -?!"

"Please, take a deep breath," I tenderly rubbed her shoulder. I leaned in to whisper. "This is nothing like what we experienced last time, so there's no need to be anxious. After all, you have been fighting orcs, dryads, and other creatures for most of your life. I'm sure you're capable of dealing with one curious child."

Manako still glanced nervously back at the excitable girl, who was now embroiled in a heated argument with her older brother, who seemed to be provoking her for his amusement. It was a scene that I was all too familiar with from my own home. "I d-don't know..."

"Trust me, I know that you are far more capable and stronger than you realize," I said, trying to give her confidence. "You can do this; I'm sure of it."

After giving her one final reassurance and encouragement, I left her to tackle her minor issue. I was confident she would be ok, though; one does not become a MON member without having an inner strength of character and determination like no other.

I stepped out onto the back porch and shut the door behind me. A disheveled expanse of weeds and grass stretched before me, swaying in the wind. I didn't spot Preya on the ground, so my gaze quickly shifted upwards. Sure enough, I saw a large brown figure soaring high above the sky.

She must have been soaring on the thermals for hours, barely making any adjustments to her wings. Her eyes were closed in peaceful bliss, a far cry from her usual stern expression. Even from afar, I could make out a gentle smile peeking through her long, cascading brown locks.

Uncontrollably grinning, I sat on the porch with my feet hanging over the side. I basked in the sun's warmth on my legs, eventually stretching further until I became too content to move. My gaze constantly shifted from Preya to the lush hills on the horizon and the city beyond it. From inside, I heard Chinatsu's animated chatter, Kei's wry remarks, and Manako's shy responses while the sweet sound of chirping birds and buzzing insects filled the air from outside.

I almost didn't register Preya's presence when she appeared before me. Her hands resting on her hips, the dusky-skinned raptor gave a light huff as she scrutinized me with her piercing gaze.

"Took your time, didn't you?" she asked.

To be continued...