The bus rolled through the winding road as Milo rested his forehead against the window, watching the sea grow larger with every passing mile. The salty breeze slipped in through the cracks of the old vehicle, dampening his hair and reminding him that he was closer to his new home than to anything familiar.
He wasn't sure whether he felt excited, tired, or simply numb after six hours of travel; everything blended into a single warm, heavy sensation pressing against his chest.
As soon as he stepped off the bus, a gust of wind struck his face and filled his lungs with the scent of the ocean. Milo felt the moisture cling to his clothes, as if the breeze itself wanted to welcome him. Still, he wasn't sure he wanted to feel welcomed.
Still half drowsy from the trip, yet captivated by the atmosphere, Milo picked up his suitcase and began walking toward his new house.
After a few minutes, the road led him to a two-story house covered in plants. It wasn't big or flashy, but there was something about it that made it feel lived in, as if someone was always coming and going. Milo stopped in front of the door, set his suitcase beside him, and took a deep breath, giving himself a second before knocking.
Milo knocked on the door…
No one answered.
He knocked again, this time a little harder.
Nothing…
Before he could knock once more, the door suddenly opened. Misaki, Milo's aunt, appeared holding a ladle covered in sauce, muttering something to herself. It took her a second to realize Milo was standing there.
"Oh, Milo! You're here already," she said suddenly, full of enthusiasm.
Misaki stepped forward and gave him a quick hug.
"Did you get here okay? Come on, come in."
Milo nodded. He wasn't a fan of sudden changes, and moving in with his aunt definitely fell into that category.
Milo stepped inside the house. He expected to find it somewhat messy; surprisingly, the house was tidy, though the kitchen was a disaster.
Misaki walked into the kitchen, ladle in hand, and began stirring a pot of sauce.
After a few seconds, she stopped abruptly.
"Ah, right!" she said. "I almost forgot, come on."
Milo walked behind Misaki. They went up the stairs and reached a room at the end of the hallway.
"Here, this is your room," she said, pointing with the ladle. "You can leave your bags and rest for a bit if you want."
Back in the living room, Milo noticed a… peculiar smell. He looked at Misaki; she was smiling, though there was a faint trace of embarrassment on her face when she realized the sauce had burned.
Misaki returned to the kitchen to deal with her small sauce disaster. Milo watched her from the living room for a moment, then looked out the window. The sound of the sea could be heard in the distance, and a few people walked calmly down the street.
Milo adjusted his jacket.
"Aunt, I'll let you handle that. I'm going out for a walk for a bit."
As he walked, he observed the houses in the neighborhood passing one after another, all different, yet at the same time strangely similar.
Some neighbors watered their plants, others simply walked their pets or headed toward some unknown destination, and the air still smelled of salt.
Milo found it strange how easy it was to walk without rushing, so different from his usual pace.
A few minutes later, as he turned a corner, Milo came across a small café. There weren't many people inside, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifted out through the half-open door.
Inside, a few people were seated, chatting quietly, while others waited for their orders at the counter.
Milo stepped up and ordered something simple: a medium latte, slightly bitter, nothing complicated.
A girl was waiting beside the counter, another person leaned against it looking at their phone, and someone else stood silently holding a drink.
The orders arrived quickly. Milo took his cup without thinking and took a sip.
Beside him, the girl did the same almost at the exact same time.
Both of them froze.
Milo frowned. She made an immediate face.
"This… doesn't taste right," he said.
"This tastes awful," she replied, without looking at him.
Milo stared at his cup for a second; it clearly wasn't what he had ordered. Then they both looked at the barista, and almost at the same time glanced at each other, a silent awkwardness settling between them.
"Who can drink that much sugar in a single drink?" Milo muttered, more to himself than to her.
"What kind of life do you have to live to be able to drink this?" she shot back.
Milo sighed.
"There's something called balance, you know?" Milo said, letting out a small awkward laugh. "That much sugar will leave you toothless someday."
"There's something called enjoying yourself," she replied. "You don't have to punish yourself."
They fell silent for a second.
"Um… excuse me," the barista said cautiously. "I'm sorry, it looks like I mixed up your drinks by mistake. I can make you new ones if you'd like."
"It's fine," she replied immediately.
Milo nodded a second later.
The barista didn't take long to bring the drinks back. This time, both of them took their cups carefully.
Then the door opened, and outside noise rushed in, mixing the aroma of coffee with the scent of the sea.
The street was calm, and the sound of the ocean slipped back in between the houses. Milo walked along the sidewalk without saying anything. A few steps away, she did the same.
They walked a couple of blocks.
Milo, almost without thinking, picked up the pace.
The girl did the same, while he glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
"Are you following me now?" she said.
"Me? You started it," Milo replied.
They both fell silent, maybe out of pride, or maybe because there was nothing left to say.
Milo noticed he had already been down that street before. That could only mean he was close to his house.
The girl stopped abruptly. He kept walking without turning around.
A few steps later, he recognized it: his house. He headed toward the door.
Before opening it, he looked to the side.
She was there, at the house next door, on the other side of the fence, pulling out her keys.
The girl turned to look at Milo.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"What are you doing?" he shot back.
"I live here."
"No, I live here," Milo said, convinced.
"Of course you don't," she replied. "Mrs. Misaki lives there…"
"She's my aunt…"
Milo sighed.
"Great. Then I guess I'll have to see your face every day..."