The soft glow of a ntern flickered inside Hiro’s small room, casting shadows against the walls as he poured over his academy curriculum. His brows furrowed in concentration as he scanned the text, occasionally making small notes on a scrap of paper beside him. The orphanage had grown quiet, the sounds of ughter and footsteps from earlier now faded into the stillness of the night.

  A gentle knock on his door made him pause.

  Kaya stepped inside, rolling up her sleeves as she walked over to where Hiro sat at his desk. "Still studying?" she asked, leaning against the edge of his table.

  Hiro nodded. "I’m almost done reviewing the basic chakra control theory."

  Kaya gnced over his notes, nodding approvingly. "You’re doing well. If the written exam were tomorrow, you’d probably pass it already."

  Hiro looked up, pleased with the praise. "I don’t want to just pass. I want to be ready."

  Kaya smirked. "You sound like someone I know."

  For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence. Then, as if remembering something, Hiro looked up. "Kaya, I learned something new today. A skill."

  Kaya raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What kind of skill?"

  Hiro hesitated, searching for the right words. "It’s called Summoner Storage. I—I don’t really know how it works, but I can store things inside of it without a scroll or a seal."

  Kaya frowned slightly. "Summoner Storage? What do you mean?"

  Hiro expined, detailing the green glow he had seen on certain objects, the voice that had guided him, and the effortless way he had stored sunflower seeds. He even mentioned how it felt simir to how he sensed Chūta when the squirrel was away.

  Kaya listened carefully, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. When he finished, she exhaled softly. "Hiro… that doesn’t sound like any summoning or storage technique I’ve ever heard of."

  "I thought maybe it was like a storage scroll?" Hiro offered.

  Kaya shook her head. "Storage scrolls use sealing formus to store objects, and you have to release them with chakra. What you’re describing is… something else entirely."

  Hiro frowned. "Do you think it’s dangerous?"

  Kaya hesitated for only a moment before shaking her head. "No. But it is unique. And unique things draw attention. That’s why you need to keep this hidden from people I haven’t told you to trust."

  Hiro nodded seriously. "Like how I don’t tell anyone about Chūta’s chakra abilities?"

  Kaya smiled slightly. "Exactly."

  "Can I show you?" Hiro asked.

  Kaya nodded. "Go ahead."

  Hiro held out his hand, concentrating. The faint glow of orange flickered in his green eyes, and with a soft poof of smoke, sunflower seeds appeared in his palm.

  Kaya’s eyes narrowed slightly. No seals, no scrolls—just raw intent. The orange glow in his eyes… something about it was strange. Could this be a kekkei genkai? A dojutsu? If so, it was unlike any she had ever seen.

  She didn’t let her thoughts show as she reached forward and plucked one of the seeds from his hand, inspecting it. "You performed that effortlessly. Does it take chakra?"

  Hiro shook his head. "Not that I can tell. It feels natural, like picking something up and setting it down."

  Kaya nodded thoughtfully, then smiled. "That could be incredibly useful in the future. But for now, we need to keep it between us."

  Hiro beamed, pleased with her approval. "I will."

  A moment ter, his face shifted in thought. "But… I don’t know why I can only store sunflower seeds."

  Kaya’s lips pursed. "That is strange. Let’s test something."

  She left the room for a few moments before returning with a burp sack full of sunflower seeds from the orphanage’s garden. She opened it, shoveling out ten handfuls onto the floor until a massive pile of seeds sat between them.

  "Try storing all of this," she said, watching closely.

  Hiro focused. His eyes gleamed orange for a brief moment, and with a soft poof, the entire pile disappeared in an instant.

  Kaya whistled lowly. "You might just be the Sunflower King if you can do that on command."

  Hiro grinned at the joke before deciding to retrieve them all at once.

  Another poof of smoke filled the air, and the rge pile reappeared on the floor. Chūta, who had been asleep on the window sill, stirred at the noise. His nose twitched.

  Then, with a squeaky battle cry, the squirrel unched himself into the pile.

  Hiro and Kaya both ughed as Chūta burrowed through the seeds, rolling in them, stuffing his cheeks full.

  "I think we may have just made his day," Hiro chuckled.

  Kaya shook her head in amusement. "Alright, one st test. Try storing them again."

  Hiro focused once more, and with a final poof, the seeds disappeared—leaving Chūta behind.

  The squirrel, who had been mid-roll, squeaked in surprise as he tumbled onto the floor.

  For a second, there was silence. Then, Chūta unleashed a flurry of chirps, clearly displeased.

  Hiro clutched his stomach, ughing at the betrayed look on his tiny friend’s face. Kaya, too, chuckled at the sight. "I think you’ve just made an enemy, Hiro."

  "I’ll make it up to him ter," Hiro said, wiping at his eyes, still grinning. He reached out, scooping Chūta up and pcing him back on the windowsill, where the squirrel huffed and turned his back to him.

  As the ughter faded, Kaya studied Hiro for a moment. He looked so at ease, so happy in this moment.

  Then, Hiro gnced up at her. "I’m gd you’re the one taking care of me, Kaya. I always feel safe with you."

  Kaya felt her breath hitch.

  For years, she had told herself she was just giving Hiro a home until the right family came along. That he deserved better. That maybe, someday, the right parents would find him.

  But as she looked at him now, she realized she couldn’t imagine him with anyone else.

  He was already hers.

  She pced a hand on his head, ruffling his hair softly. "You’ll always be safe with me, Hiro. Always."

  Hiro smiled, nodding as he returned to his seat. Kaya lingered a moment longer, then stepped toward the door.

  It was time to make it official.

  As she left the room, her decision settled firmly in her heart.