CHAPTER 1 — THE DAY A STRANGER LANDED ON MY BALCONY
If someone told me my quiet, painfully average high school life would end on a Tuesday, I would’ve laughed.
Because Tuesdays are the most boring days ever invented.
But then she fell onto my balcony.
Literally.
I was brushing my teeth, half-asleep, staring at the morning sky that always looked like a washed-out watercolor, when a bright pink streak slashed across it.
FWOOOSH.
Something shot downward.
Then—
THUD!!!
My toothbrush flew out of my hand.
I sprinted to the balcony, and there she was:
A girl about my age, lying on the floor like a fallen cherry blossom, hair soft pink fading into sunrise gold, wearing what looked like… a magical-school uniform?
White, flowy, unnecessarily cute, with ribbons that had no business staying unwrinkled after a fall from the sky.
Her eyes fluttered open—huge, luminous, anime-blue.
She stared at me.
I stared at her.
Then she said with terrifying seriousness:
“Citizen… do you have any rice?”
“…what?”
She sat up immediately, placing both hands on my shoulders as if her life depended on my pantry.
“RICE. I require carbohydrates. Magical flight is calorie intensive. Please assist.”
“I—I mean, yes, but—why are you on my balcony?!”
She blinked, tilting her head, sparkles practically floating around her.
“I tripped.”
“You tripped out of the SKY?!”
She nodded as if that was the most normal thing in existence.
Before I could process anything, she sniffed the air like a cat.
Then she gasped.
“YOU HAVE FRIED RICE LEFTOVERS.”
“WH—how do you even—?!”
She pushed past me and ran straight into my kitchen. By the time I caught up, she was already holding my lunch box with both hands, trembling like it was the holy grail.
She looked up at me, eyes shimmering.
“May I…?”
I had no idea what kind of cosmic disaster I’d cause by saying no, so:
“…Sure?”
She inhaled the entire box in 42 seconds.
Her hair sparkled.
Actually sparkled.
Then she let out a satisfied sigh so blissful it somehow made my entire apartment warm.
“Delicious. You have saved my life, Earthling.”
“I—I what?”
She stood up, saluted, and declared:
“I am Momohana Hikari, apprentice guardian of the Spring Realm! From today onward—”
She pointed dramatically at my face.
“—I shall live with you and protect your humble dwelling!”
“YOU SHALL WHAT?!”
Her cheeks puffed like a stubborn anime heroine.
“It is the least I can do in return for the sustenance that restored my mana.”
“Mana? You mean your energy?”
“No, I mean mana. As in—this.”
She flicked her wrist.
A glowing peach blossom appeared.
From thin air.
Then exploded softly into glitter.
I froze.
My brain froze.
Time froze.
She looked very proud of herself.
“See? I am highly skilled.”
“You just blew up a flower.”
“It was a SMALL explosion!”
“That is NOT reassuring!!”
But she looked up at me with sparkling eyes, hands behind her back, swaying slightly.
“…Please let me stay?”
And there it was—the final blow.
One supercute anime girl, half-magical, half-chaos, full sparkle, giving me the look.
I sighed, pressing a hand over my face.
“…Fine. One night.”
She beamed so brightly I’m surprised the sun didn’t retire out of shame.
“Wonderful! I shall begin my guardian duties immediately!”
The moment she said that, a loud crash came from my living room.
We rushed over.
My shelves had collapsed.
My cat was staring at a glowing peach aura floating in the air.
And outside the window… something shadowy crawled across the neighboring roof.
Hikari narrowed her eyes.
“Ah. They found me.”
“…Who found you?”
She grabbed my arm, pulling me behind her.
Her hair lifted, glowing.
Her voice dropped to a serious whisper.
“Those who hunt the Spring Realm. And now… they’re after you too.”
