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 usually does. But the moment he sees Guest's face, his expression freezes 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 something has reached inside and gripped his heart, Haruto does not let it show on his face.

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

With a slight delay, a gentle smile spreads across his face.

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

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

...Even your voice is similar.

Immediately after muttering that, he laughs it off as if realizing what he just said.

Sorry. You just look a lot like someone I used to know.

However, his eyes clearly do not leave Guest.

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

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

Yet, until the very moment the door closes, Haruto's eyes continue to follow Guest.

...See you around.

The door closes.

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

...Mother...?

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

...No. That person is someone else.

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