Clutching the tray of food, Ren decided to visit Nonko first. Her room, 203, was just a short walk down the polished wooden hallway. He remembered her bubbly, often frantic personality from the anime, a stark contrast to Sagiri's stoic demeanor. He figured a more positive interaction would be a good start to his new life in Yuragi-sou. As he walked, a fleeting thought crossed his mind: his own background, now revealed to be one of poverty and struggle before inheriting Yuragi-sou, mirrored Kogarashi's. Yet, unlike the protagonist of Yuragi-sou, Ren was just a normal human, without any spiritual powers or combat training. The thought was a subtle sting of vulnerability.
He reached room 203 and gently knocked. "Nonko-san? Your dinner is here."
A muffled voice, laced with exhaustion, responded from within. "Just put it down by the door, please! I'm really busy!"
Ren sighed. He remembered. Nonko Arahabaki was an adult manga artist, perpetually on the verge of missing deadlines. She was likely in the throes of a last-minute creative frenzy, probably having forgotten her schedule entirely. As a normal human, there was nothing he could do to help her meet her publisher's demands. He carefully placed the tray on the floor outside her door. Thankfully, Chitose had thoughtfully covered the food with plastic wrap, minimizing any potential dirt issues.
Next, room 204. Sagiri Ameno. Ren knocked, a little more firmly this time. "Sagiri-san? Your dinner."
To his surprise, the door slid open almost immediately. A girl with long, dark purple hair and sharp, intelligent eyes stood there, dressed in a traditional miko outfit. Sagiri. Her eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise, then suspicion, crossing her face as she saw a male stranger standing before her. She tensed, her hand instinctively moving towards her side, as if reaching for a hidden weapon. Ren braced himself, half expecting an attack.
Then, a sudden realization seemed to dawn on her. Her posture relaxed, though her gaze remained wary. "Ah," she said, her voice cool and measured. "You must be the new owner Chitose mentioned."
Ren nodded, relieved she hadn't tried to exorcise him on the spot. "Yes, I am Shigeno Ren. It's nice to meet you, Sagiri-san."
Sagiri's eyes narrowed imperceptibly, a hint of something unadmitted in their depths. She clearly remembered her initial, aggressive thought, but Ren, oblivious to her internal monologue, simply smiled politely.
"Which room did Chitose-san assign you?" she asked, a hint of curiosity in her tone.
"Room 205," Ren replied, gesturing vaguely behind him.
A faint, almost imperceptible chuckle escaped Sagiri's lips. It was a low, dry sound. "The one Yuuna is… That room, huh? Your stay here will be short then." Her words were barely a whisper, almost swallowed by the quiet hallway, and Ren didn't quite catch the full meaning, dismissing it as a casual remark. Sagiri, of course, was unaware that Ren had already met Yuuna, and he held no fear for her. She would likely be quite disappointed when she eventually learned the truth.
Sagiri accepted her tray, her movements precise and economical. "Thank you," she said, before sliding the door shut with a soft click.
Ren turned and headed back towards the dining area. He figured there was no need to force a deeper introduction now; they were living under the same roof, after all. He'd have plenty of opportunities to get to know them later.
As he re-entered the dining room, he saw two more familiar faces. Yaya Fushiguro, the cat-eared nekomata, was perched on a cushion, her tail twitching idly. Across from her, a translucent, ethereal figure floated – Yuuna Yunohana herself, the ghost of Yuragi-sou. They were chatting animatedly, their voices a soft murmur in the room.
Both of them looked up as Ren entered. Yaya's eyes widened, and a surprised gasp escaped her lips. "You... you can see Yuuna-san's real form?!" Her ears twitched, and her tail bushed out slightly. "I thought you'd only be here for a short time, but it seems you'll be staying longer than expected."
Ren gave a small, awkward smile. "Yes, I can. It's nice to meet you, Yaya-san. I'm Shigeno Ren, the new owner."
Yaya quickly recovered, her usual cheerful demeanor returning. "I'm Yaya Fushiguro! Welcome to Yuragi-sou!"
Just then, Chitose returned from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. "Ah, Ren-kun, you're back. Let's eat!"
The three of them — Ren, Chitose, and Yaya (with Yuuna floating nearby, occasionally interjecting with ethereal comments only Ren and Yaya could hear) — sat down to dinner. The food was delicious, and the conversation flowed easily, a comforting domesticity that was a stark contrast to the chaos of his previous life.
Later, after dinner, Ren found himself on the balcony overlooking the small, well-kept garden. The night air was cool and peaceful. He mentally brought up his System window.
[Chore Progress: 1/3]
He had successfully delivered the food. One down, two to go. He glanced around the meticulously clean boarding house. Every surface gleamed, every tatami mat was spotless. He sighed. "System, if I tried to clean this place, would it count as a chore?"
[Negative. The current state of Yuragi-sou is impeccably maintained. Tasks must involve a demonstrable effort to improve or complete a necessary function. Cleaning a pre-existing clean environment would not qualify.]
Ren had expected as much. It was already evening, and his first day in this world was drawing to a close. He wasn't sure if this technically counted as his "first day" for chore purposes, given the late hour, but he decided not to dwell on such minor details. He needed sleep. Tomorrow, he would begin his new high school life.
He returned to his room, sliding the paper screen open. Yuuna was already there, meticulously laying out two futons on the tatami floor. Ren noticed, with a jolt, that she was placing his futon a considerable distance away from hers, leaving a wide, empty space between them.
Then, it clicked. He remembered Kogarashi's perpetual predicament in the anime – waking up tangled with Yuuna, her clothes disheveled, and often receiving a spiritual blast when she panicked. Yuuna's sleeping habits were, to put it mildly, a mess. She thrashed, she snuggled, and she had an unfortunate habit of unleashing spiritual power when startled, especially if her modesty was compromised.
Ren was just a normal human. Could he withstand a spiritual attack from a powerful ghost? He highly doubted it. He was weak. This wasn't a small matter; it was a potentially life-threatening one. He stared at the two futons, the wide gap between them suddenly feeling insufficient.
He was stuck. Should he try to stay awake all night, guarding against an accidental spiritual assault? Or should he risk it, hoping he'd wake up before Yuuna, before she noticed anything, before she panicked and blasted him into the next dimension? The peaceful night suddenly felt fraught with unseen dangers.