It has been three weeks since Lumine arrived in Japan and living in the Hyoudou household.

On that time, she felt better from the companies of the family. They cared for her even during her lowest point, where her depression hit the hardest with nightmares accompanying her.

The flames that engulfed Khaenri'ah and the screams of the people...

Lumine shook her head out of the depressing thought. Right now, she has a new life to live through.

Waking up in a familiar room, she stretched her limbs and moaned cutely. As usual, Issei would knock on her door asking was she awake. Like a memorized script, she replied to him. Afterwards, she would do a quick shower and changed into a set of borrowed clothes.

Once breakfast was over, it would transition to a normal day in the Hyoudou household where she continued her studies in Japanese.

From what she heard from the mother, Lumine had reached the level of Issei's current education. High school level, whatever that meant.

"Hotaru." Lumine looked up to Miki. She had accepted that her name in Japan would be Hotaru for now despite having multiple names.

Honestly, she envied Aether for having different names but having same letter.

Regardless, no time to muse too long. "Yes ma'am?"

"I'm aware that aside from the clothes you wore since day one, you don't have other clothes, right?"

Now she thought about it, she has no clothes at all aside from borrowed ones. "I don't own any Japan's clothes at all. Aside from borrowed ones."

"That won't do." Gorou, Issei's father, broke his attention from the newspaper and shook his head in disapproval. "We need to get you clothes of your own."

Miki agreed. "We have put this off for a while already. It's about time to bring you to a shopping trip."

In a panic state, Lumine quickly deny their plan. "Oh, there is no need for it. I can look for old materials and- "

"Nonsense! You need clothes more than ever!" Miki immediately changed her aura to that of a berating mother.

But Lumine was having none of it. "I can't ask for more. You have provided me a shelter is more than enough."

Just then, she felt someone placed their hand on her shoulder. She turned and it revealed Issei who gave her an odd smile. "Don't bother fighting. You cannot win this."

Oh... it is a sad smile of defeat. One that has experienced the battle he lost.

She sighed in defeat, resigning to fate and the parents.

'I'll have to repay them someday.' She thought to herself.

Lumine examined the new outfit that was given to her by Miki in this shopping trip. She twirled around and looked at the reflection of her new appearance.

She kept her hairstyle and flower hairpin, thus nothing changed much. Her new outfit consisted of a white blouse with gold accents and an artic blue paneled short skirt. She still wears her white stocking and boots which complimented her current appearance.

"Lumine, are you done?" Miki asked.

In response, Lumine revealed herself from the changing room to the Hyoudou family. She had a light blush and smiled as the family complimented her, calling her cute.

All except Issei, who opted to just stare at her. He merely got out of his stunted mode when his father elbowed his stomach.

"You look... gorgeous." Lumine blushed even harder from that. She had pretty and cute boys complimented her before, but something about Issei's bashfulness and sincerity made her skipped a beat.

Oh no, did she fell back to what she was on her first love?

Gorou smacked his son's head while giving the boy a knowing grin. "Trying to flirt with her, Ise?"

Issei's face exploded with crimson red and bumbled his reasoning. "I-I'm just trying to be honest!"

Lumine giggled and, with a mischievous grin, pat him despite being shorter than him. "Aw... thanks Issei."

Issei grumbled slightly, muttering to himself quietly as everyone laughed at him.

"Alright, we still have more clothes to buy for Lumine."

Lumine agreed with the mother and followed her to another part of the section to find more clothing.

Gorou and Issei followed in a more brisked pace, seemingly wanted to talk about something.

"You can speak to me you know, son." Gorou opened.

"Yeah, I know... just need to gather my thoughts actually." Gorou hummed in a curious tone. "Is this about Hotaru?"

Issei nodded. While Issei tended to display degenerative behavior like being a massive pervert and generally be stupid, the boy does have his moment when being empathetic.

This was one of the rare moments where he has thought about others than himself.

"I just think some day she has to leave." The boy frowned; his heart felt displeasure as the words flowed.

Ah, so that is what happening. "You want her to stay?"

"Honestly, if she wants to. I just feel like... I don't exactly know how I feel."

"Are you having a crush on her?"

That got a blush on the boy, who vigorously shook his head in denial. "No no no! I know I am not having a crush on her. There's someone else I-" He immediately shut his mouth and took a breath.

"What I meant was... I guess I'm seeing her as someone part of my life like Iri-kun." At the mention of his childhood friend, he frowned in sadness. It has been years since they come in contact. In fact, even with the advent of internet he could not find Irina.

"So, you're scared you can't talk to her anymore?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm scared of."

Gorou understood his son completely. Ever since Irina and her family left Kuoh, Issei had became lonely over time. Sure, his degeneracy might have a hand in demolishing any chances, but he hoped someone would look past that side and see who his son truly was.

A kindhearted, honest boy who was just lonely.

"Well, we can give her a phone later and get both of you connected."

Issei looked at his father and gave a small smile. He felt slightly better, but it is a start.

"Ise, Dear, come and see what I picked for Lumine!" The father son pair jogged towards the woman and continued the shopping trip.

Lumine hummed to herself as she sorted her new clothes into the guest room's cabinet. The shopping trip itself was quite the experience for her.

The clothes and their materials are otherworldly to her. They came in so many forms that she felt slightly overwhelmed, and some of the more recognizable ones were considered 'traditional' or 'costumes.

It seemed that just as technology advance, so does the fashion culture. That includes the existence of a new form of underwear, bras.

When she found the underwear, Lumine was utterly confused at the existence of such apparel. Sure, she had seen something like bra which were the Dudou, but Lumine herself never wore one.

The new underwear made her felt comfortable yet restricting. It is an odd feeling, but she would not mind getting used to it. Though it was slightly embarrassing that Miki thought her what needs to be done whenever she needed to take off the underwear.

But there was still the question why Miki and Gorou seemingly glared at Issei, who was acting odd.

Probably something an old embarrassing story in the family. She was not here to pry it.

Another culture shock she experienced was the existence of the small device called Cell Phone. It was such an amazing device to the girl who cannot help but be amazed by everything about it.

It functioned like a phone in the Hyoudou household, but it also acted like a miniature 'camera', something she would wish to find out soon.

A knock on the door. "Hotaru, can I come in?" It was Issei who knocked.

"Sure, come in."

Issei, in his white shirt and a black short, walked into her room nervously with his phone on hand.

"So, uh... Do you want to test out the calling and texting feature of the phone?" He awkwardly asked.

Lumine just gave him a smile and nodded, which made him visibly relaxed, and his face brightened. "Alright, so you and I have to exchange our contact number."

And so, during the night the boy and girl spent their time on their cell phones, having some fun with it. The boy had fun teaching the girl how to use the intricate features of a cell phone while the girl had fun learning.

But at the back of Issei's mind, this will serve the purpose of helping Lumine understand the world even more... for the day when she must spread her wings and leave the Hyoudou family.

'I wish... it will happen when we can leave together.'

The selfish wish, I pray for it

Our wings, one healing and one growing

For once, please let my wings grow

So that we can roam the world together

For her wish can fulfilled with our wings spread