The sky is clear at this time. The plump fluffy clouds that adorn the vast blue space above are bright in color. Thanks to the location of Tantoris, which is surrounded by the highlands, the temperature it’s not that hot. So, Vanilla doesn’t mind waiting longer at the bus stop. She is swinging her legs back and forth since this afternoon is one of the moments she is waiting for.

This is the first time the little girl has set foot at a stop near the Tower Café, allegedly one of the city’s most popular spots. So, Vanilla got off the bench and walked over to look back at the tall nearby building.

To the point that she tried to keep looking up to see the top edge of the tower.

“It’s really high,” she murmured.

Soon, a bus arrived for a moment at the stop. Three students are getting off while in the middle of their banter. Vanilla turned her head as soon as she heard a familiar voice calling her name.

“Vanilla, do you wait for a long time?” asked the girl with an ice cream-shaped accessory.

The little girl shakes her head. “Not really.”

Arisa nods and turns to her classmates. “I’ll introduce her to you girls. Her name is Vanilla, my adopted sister.”

Vanilla’s eyes widened slightly when she heard it. She didn’t know that Arisa would immediately tell her classmates about her whereabouts.

“Hey, nice to meet you, girl. My name is Nita, Arisa’s number one friend, because she always comes to me when it comes to homework,” said one of the girls with a wide grin.

“That’s right, that’s right. We often hear stories from Arisa about you. Greetings, I’m Tesa.”

“... I’m Vanilla.”

The two girls smiled at the little Vanilla. When those two leaned closer, she was unsure what to say, and Vanilla lowered her head.

“Awawa... Are you afraid of Nita?” asked Tesa worriedly.

“Impossible! I guess we just recently met, so it’s a bit awkward for her. Well, in that case, come on, Arisa! we’re going to the café now.”

“Okaay,” Arisa replied as she brought Vanilla together by embracing her petite shoulders.

Vanilla followed the three girls going up by elevator to take them straight to the floor where the Tower Café is located. She was unfamiliar with the presence of such a friendly new person. Since before she met Arisa, only the figure of a self-ignorant adult was around him. Aside from Arisa and her family, who welcomed Vanilla, Nita and Tesa were the only ones Vanilla felt comfortable with.

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When the elevator door was opened, Nita and Tesa walked first into the café, followed by Vanilla and Arisa behind.

“Hmm? You don’t look enthusiastic, Vanilla. Do you not want to go here, by chance?”

“It’s not that. I… Are your friends a good person…?”

Arisa smiled. “As far as I know, I really enjoyed the moment when I was with them.”

“Hey, let’s go in! I’ve found the right place!” called Nita.

Arisa pulls Vanilla’s hand so they can join the other two as she whispers.

“It’s alright.”

Nita is waving to Arisa and Vanilla from the tables on the terrace that happens to be empty. As the four of them finished with their order, Tesa and Nita returned to their excitement with a far-view scene they could enjoy.

“Look! Look at that, Tesa. No matter how many times you’ve seen this, small buildings are always cool to gaze to! Look, that’s our school, isn’t it?” Nita exclaimed so excitedly.

“Awawawa... please be careful. You can fall,” Tesa suggested. Although there are strong fences around for safety, she is still worried.

“The view… is good,” Vanilla responded softly.

“Is the view here pretty different from what you saw from the dam, Vanilla? This is your first time here. So, take a look at more,” suggested her adoptive sister.

“... right. The building I saw here... is different.”

Vanilla’s eyes twinkle as she enjoys the brand-new view of the city. When Vanilla ganders at the scenery in the northern part of the city, the dam she recognized is quickly visible even though it is located far away.

Soon, the order arrived. Arisa’s two friends paid particular attention to what was on Arisa and Vanilla’s side of the table.

“Tesa, look. Do you see what I see?”

“Mhhm, mhm. I know, Nita.”

“Hmm? What’s the matter?” asked Arisa with her mouth full of ice cream.

“I have no question anymore with your order, Arisa. But, I want to ask why Vanilla’s order is not much different from yours?!”

In front of Nita and Tesa was some kind of ice cream snack with various flavors, a lot of them.

“Uhm, is it wrong to order ice cream...?” asked Vanilla in a soft tone.

Tesa forced her smile. “No, really. It’s not wrong at all—”

“Haah! Arisa, what are you doing?! You’ve brainwashed this innocent kid!” Nita got furious suddenly and snatched the ice cream that Arisa enjoyed and ate a few mouthfuls in front of the rightful owner.

“Aah! Mine!”

“Shut up! This is as punishment for poisoning Vanilla’s pure mind!”

The little girl was confused to see the ruckus of the high school girls. Tesa tries her best to calm the other two, even though it is useless. Nita and Arisa keep on their banter until it slowly catches Vanilla’s sense of humor as she laughs at what her adoptive sister is doing with her friends.

Until she also laughed at the silly jokes that had never been felt before.

“Ah, I don’t realize that my ice cream has run out,” said Arisa as her spoon couldn’t bring anything anymore to her mouth. “Do you want to have an additional snack or something? I’ll call the waitress to come.”

No one asked Arisa’s question. Nita and Tesa still joked while occasionally asking Vanilla’s answer while still being overwhelmed. Once again, Arisa is excluded from her social interactions due to her unstable record of the past.

“Ah, my existence is gone again?” she said flatly.