Sato shut the door behind him and let go of the suitcase handle, finally turning his attention to the blinking exclamation mark in the top-right corner of his vision. With a flick of thought, a translucent system interface gently unfolded before his eyes.
As someone with a system, it was obvious that Nohara Sato was a transmigrator.
Nohara Sato, male, sixteen years old. A transmigrator.
His past identity had long faded with time, so much so that even he couldn't remember the details and he didn't care to.
He possessed the standard gift for any transmigrator, a system.
But this system… wasn't exactly dependable. Who knew where the god of transmigration had picked up this piece of junk? Did it even pass the Transmigrator Council's quality check?
The system had a tendency to bug out randomly. Most of the time, it was nearly nonexistent.
Still, it retained a few basic functions like this one, which created profile cards for people he met. A handy tool to better understand those around him.
The most prominent thing on the screen now was a profile picture of Gabriel.
But… why was there a halo over her head?!
Sato frowned, puzzled, as he examined the profile card.
Something about it gave him a vague sense of unease.
[Name: Gabriel White Tenma]
[Job: Exchange student from Heaven]
[Race: Angel]
[Age: 16]
[Threat Level: S]
At first glance, the layout of her profile seemed like anyone else's. But then his eyes caught a few key words that made his pupils tighten.
Gabriel Tenma White. Okay, that name checked out.
But… "Heaven"? "Exchange student"?
Wait a second!
Why does it feel like this fanfic just changed genres?!
Sato stared at the display in silence, his expression turning complicated.
After scanning through the rest of Gabriel's information, he couldn't help falling into deep thought.
An angel?
Was that even real?
He wasn't so far gone as to start pinching himself to check if it was a dream. He knew this world felt real. He could tell the difference between reality and illusion.
Truth be told, he'd already come across a few individuals with strange jobs before.
But this? This is beyond human comprehension.
An exchange student from heaven… Was the world really this wide before?
Silence settled in the entryway.
After a long while, Sato let out a heavy breath.
Even if she's an angel, what does that have to do with me? Better an angel next door than a demon, right?
He exhaled again, deeper this time.
Stepping fully into the room, he explored each area before rolling up his sleeves and diving into a thorough cleaning.
Nothing like honest labor!
…
By the time everything was neat and tidy, the sun had already begun to dip. The sky in the west was awash with the glow of sunset, golden rays pouring into the room and turning the floor into a field of light.
Sato straightened his back, wiped the sweat from his brow, and checked the time on his phone.
Six o'clock, sharp.
He raised his brows, yawned, and stretched.
Looking around, he nodded in satisfaction. After putting away his cleaning supplies, he grabbed his wallet and stepped outside.
The breeze that greeted him carried the scent of cherry blossoms, along with a lingering chill.
He instinctively shrank into his jacket. Still a bit cold.
His gaze drifted toward the room next door. He hesitated, debating internally, then shook his head and decided against it.
But fate, it seemed, had other plans.
Just as he turned away, the door to the neighboring unit swung open. Out stepped the petite golden-haired angel with the cowlick, Gabriel.
Their eyes met. Both looked a little surprised.
"Nohara-kun."
After a blink of surprise, Gabriel greeted him with a radiant smile.
It was sweet. Pure.
An angel… Sato mused silently. As cute as she looked, he really wasn't keen on getting too involved with a supernatural being. But there wasn't much he could do now.
He could move out, maybe… but was that really necessary?
Deciding to face it head-on, he returned the greeting.
Sure, Gabriel was small and looked like a middle schooler, but she was pretty adorable.
What was that line he'd heard once? Oh, right... soft, sweet, and easy to push over?
Coughcough. What was he thinking?!
This was an angel. With an S-rank threat level.
Keeping his face serious, Sato greeted her politely. "Tenma-san, are you heading out to eat too?"
It was the only reason he could think of for her to be leaving now.
"You too, Nohara-kun?"
A flicker of delight passed through Gabriel's eyes. She wasn't very familiar with the human world yet, so having someone to guide her was perfect.
But… how should she ask?
The angel paused, deep in thought.
Of course, Sato couldn't read minds, so he had no idea what she was thinking. He just casually suggested, "Why don't we go together? I was just about to grab some dinner myself."
The moment he said it, regret hit him.
Not because he thought inviting a girl he just met was too forward but because he was clearly contradicting himself. Hadn't he just sworn off interacting with supernatural beings?
And now here he was, betraying himself in under an hour.
Guess I really can't resist cute things…
But hey, isn't there a saying? People who love cute things must be kind-hearted?
Maybe he was just too kind?
He tugged at the corner of his mouth. Even he found that excuse a little absurd.
Meanwhile, Gabriel beamed at his offer.
"Okay!"
Her answer was so quick, he didn't even have a chance to back out.
…
The streetlights flickered dimly, casting shadows that danced like they belonged in a ghost story.
But nothing spooky happened here. And even if it did, he had an angel by his side, one who wasn't just for show. Probably.
The world seemed peaceful. Probably.
That was what Sato believed, before meeting Gabriel.
But if angels were real, then demons and dragons probably existed too. Maybe even ghosts…
Wait... ghosts?!
A shiver ran through him as a cold breeze swept past. He glanced at the girl beside him.
Surely angels can handle ghosts… right?
He felt a bit more at ease and made small talk. "Tenma-san, is there anything you want to eat?"
Gabriel's expression instantly grew awkward. "I'll leave it to you, Nohara-kun."
Although she'd studied human customs, she didn't want to slip up and reveal something.
Sato didn't think much of it. His eyes suddenly caught sight of a lively shop down the street, full of voices and warm light.
Intrigued, he looked at Gabriel. "How about we check that place out?"
"Mm!"
She nodded, golden hair bouncing as she moved.
The diner glowed brightly, standing out from the surrounding darkness like an oasis.
Looking up at the sign, Sato read it aloud.
"Yukihira Diner?"