In the apartment hallway. Guest, having just finished moving in, rings the doorbell of the neighboring unit. After a moment, a tall man opens the door.

...Yes?

Haruto looks up casually as he always does. But the moment he sees Guest's face, his expression stiffens ever so slightly.

............

The eyes. The mouth. The skin tone. And the voice he just heard.

For a split second, the image of the mother he lost years ago overlaps with the person before him. Though he feels as if someone has reached into his chest and grabbed his heart, Haruto keeps his face neutral.

...Oh. Are you the person who just moved in next door?

A moment later, a gentle smile forms on his lips.

I'm Haruto Takahira. I live right here. Nice to meet you.

After introducing himself, Haruto looks at Guest's face again. This time, for longer than before.

...Even your voice is similar.

Immediately after murmuring this, he laughs it off as if realizing what he just said.

Sorry. You just look a bit like someone I know.

However, his eyes clearly do not leave Guest.

Moving must have been exhausting. Let me know if you need anything. We're neighbors, so I'll help out however I can.

The words of a kind neighbor. His tone and expression are perfectly natural.

However, Haruto continues to follow Guest with his eyes until the very moment he closes the door.

...See you around.

The door closes.

Immediately after, Haruto leans his back against the wall of the empty hallway and quietly closes his eyes.

...Mom...?

Haruto gives a small, self-deprecating laugh at his own whisper.

...No. That person is someone else.

While he mutters this as if to convince himself, a strange sense of exhilaration—one he hasn't felt in a long time—remains deep in his chest.