Here Is The Previous Bonus Chapter 1
---
A woven white fisherman's hat, paired with a simple, elegant lace dress, and a pair of orange cat-like eyes added a touch of mature charm to the innocent and flawless girl.
Translucent skin, exquisitely delicate features, and an ethereal aura—one could say this was a girl who had fallen from heaven to the mortal world.
"Mashiro."
The moment he spoke, the girl shifted her calm gaze to him.
Mashiro's gaze showed an imperceptible change.
"Chihiro."
Her indifferent tone seemed to hide a faint hint of joy, or perhaps it was just an illusion of an onlooker.
The girl's expression remained utterly unruffled.
"It's been a long time."
Izumi Chihiro greeted her, then smiled slightly and said, "Come with me."
"Hold my hand."
Mashiro said this.
"Uh."
His expression froze slightly.
"I'll get lost."
Mashiro seemed to explain, yet also didn't.
'There aren't many people around. If you can still get lost following behind me, are you a directionally challenged person like Zoro?'
Izumi Chihiro muttered to himself, no longer hesitating, and reached out to grasp that soft, small hand.
The delicate, soft touch had absolutely no rough feeling from years of training, as if it were a special treasure blessed by God—simply incredible.
Perhaps, only in the world he currently inhabited could such an illogical existence arise?
He held Mashiro's small hand all the way out of the airport, and only after they boarded the train home did he release her hand.
"Hey, Chihiro's colors have become richer."
Mashiro suddenly said.
Her faint voice resonated directly in his heart.
"Everyone changes. Compared to my past self, I now have many more different experiences and have established life goals, so naturally, I've changed."
Izumi Chihiro wasn't surprised by the girl's words and could understand her 'riddle-like' language.
He knew that the scenery in Mashiro's eyes was different from others; colors were the constituent parts of all things as Mashiro understood them as a master oil painter.
The so-called color was a very abstract concept; it could be emotions, it could be the soul, or it could be life experiences.
"Hey, Chihiro, what color do you want to become?"
He remembered that when Mashiro first asked this question, he didn't answer directly but instead asked Mashiro what color he was in her eyes.
He remembered it was gray, with a portion of orange mixed in.
"Now, in Mashiro's eyes, what color am I?"
Izumi Chihiro couldn't help but ask curiously.
Mashiro didn't think too much; she turned her head, placed both hands on his cheeks, and applied a little pressure so their gazes could meet.
It must be said that looking directly into the girl's eyes like that made him want to avert his gaze.
Mashiro, however, had no extra reaction. After quickly letting go, she calmly said, "Perhaps, a rainbow-like color."
"A rainbow?"
Izumi Chihiro hadn't expected this answer and chuckled, "Well, that's quite rich."
Perhaps it was because of the incredibly rich experiences he had after embarking on the path of a light novelist, with various emotions surging in his heart, that he had become this color.
Of course, considering that rainbow colors are a mix of various colors, there's actually another explanation.
It's just that he didn't think about it that way.
Because in Mashiro's mind, such thoughts shouldn't arise.
"Mashiro hasn't changed at all; she's still as pure white as before."
Izumi Chihiro continued.
Her untainted heart, calm like a clear spring, the girl's thoughts had not changed at all from many years ago.
Should it be said that the Shiina had protected Mashiro very well? Or that she was too restricted?
After getting out of the car, Izumi Chihiro led Mashiro all the way back to the Izumi.
"Mashiro, this is the room you'll be living in from now on."
Opening the door, he extended his hand.
"Mm."
Mashiro nodded lightly, not feeling any unpleasantness because of the 'simple' decor.
In her eyes, these external things weren't important; what mattered was being able to draw.
As long as she could draw, she could feel at ease anywhere.
"Are they here, Ni-san?"
Sagiri hid half her body behind the wall, peeking her head out to observe.
She had heard the sound of the door opening, so she immediately put down her work and came down to scout the 'enemy situation'.
"Let me introduce you to each other."
Izumi Chihiro waved, signaling Sagiri to come over.
'Such a beautiful person, and her demeanor is so good…'
The silver-haired loli walked over, and the moment she saw Mashiro, her heart was filled with endless praise.
'No, no! This is an enemy! The more charming she is, isn't she more dangerous!'
Sagiri shook her head, shaking off the thought that had immediately sprung into her mind.
"Izumi Sagiri, my sister."
"Shiina Mashiro, a friend I met when I used to study painting, Ni-san."
He introduced them to each other.
"What? Ni-san actually studied painting?"
Sagiri looked surprised.
"Well, I just went with Eriri once; I'm not very interested in painting."
Izumi Chihiro explained.
When she heard this, Mashiro's gaze lingered on him for a moment, as if vaguely remembering something.
"Sagiri? Chihiro's sister?"
Mashiro looked at Sagiri, asking as if to confirm.
"Nice to meet you. Please take care of me from now on. I will take good care of Chihiro, so you don't have to worry."
The girl said without a hint of blush.
This sentence seemed to declare her sovereignty.
This was Sagiri's feeling.
'Hmph!'
Sagiri let out a cold snort in her heart.
Ni-san is my Ni-san, and if anyone's going to take care of him, it's me!
"Speaking of which, Mashiro, you're really lacking in self-awareness! You're going to take care of me? You can't even take care of yourself."
Izumi Chihiro was completely amused by Mashiro's audacious claim.
Have some self-awareness, please!
And what evidence did you use to deduce that conclusion, hey!
However, if she had some self-awareness, then she wouldn't be Mashiro.
At least, the current Mashiro hadn't thought that many thoughts.
"Speaking of which, is this what Ni-san meant by 'unreasonably amazing'?"
Vaguely sensing the other person's unique personality, Sagiri recalled her brother's earlier evaluation and couldn't help but feel a little confused.
"Of course not."
Izumi Chihiro shook his head and raised a finger, saying, "Sagiri, you probably haven't paid attention to this kind of thing? If you had known, Mashiro is actually one of the world's foremost genius painters, even enjoying a certain reputation in many countries!"
At this, Sagiri realized she seemed to have a slight impression.
---
💯 PS = 2 bonus chapter