The afternoon sun streamed through the high windows of the school corridor as Hozuki Nozomi made his way to the Service Clubroom. Pushing the door open, he found the space unusually quiet. Yukino Yukinoshita and Yui Yuigahama were absent. The only occupant was a girl with a distinctive eyepatch, sitting perfectly still in a chair by the window, a book open on her lap.
It was Misaki Mei.
Following the resolution of her request concerning her sister, Fujioka Misaki, Misaki Mei had formally joined the Service Club as a member.
"Yo, good afternoon, Mei," Nozomi greeted, using her given name with casual familiarity.
"Mm. Good afternoon, Nozomi-kun," she replied, her tone as flat and uninflected as ever. Yet, her single visible eye drifted almost imperceptibly toward his lips before flicking away. The memory of how he had… roused both her and her sister at the hospital lingered, a strange, unclassified data point in her mind.
"Mei, why are you alone? Where are Yukinoshita and Yuigahama?"
Misaki Mei closed her book with a soft thump. "Yukinoshita-san and the others went to the restroom. They will return shortly."
"I see, a group expedition," Nozomi mused. His gaze then drifted to a large, rectangular box resting on the floor beside her chair. It was wrapped in simple brown paper. "What's this?"
Misaki Mei leaned over, picked up the box with both hands, and offered it to him. "A token of gratitude from my mother. It is to thank you for liberating my sister." She paused, her voice gaining a faint, almost imperceptible softness. "I have been preoccupied with my sister's condition for a long time, which led me into… dangerous situations. My mother was always worried. Now that the matter is resolved, she insisted."
"A thank-you gift? May I open it?"
"Of course."
Nozomi carefully removed the wrapping paper, revealing an antique wooden case about half his height. It was beautifully crafted, but what caught his attention were the intricate patterns carved into its surface. They weren't mere decorations; they resembled arcane sigils or magical inscriptions, pulsing with a faint, dormant energy.
Finding the brass clasps on either side, he released them and lifted the lid.
His eyes widened slightly.
Inside, nestled against dark velvet, lay a doll. But it was no ordinary plaything. It was a masterpiece—a doll girl approximately half a person's height, crafted with breathtaking realism and artistry. She was dressed in an elaborate Gothic Lolita gown, primarily black with stark white accents and intricate lace. Her long, silvery hair was meticulously styled and adorned with black ribbon bows, and her delicate form was decorated with miniature rose ornaments and more ribbons.
A powerful sense of déjà vu washed over Hozuki Nozomi. A name surfaced from the depths of his memory, escaping his lips in a whisper.
"Suigintou…?"
Misaki Mei's eyebrow arched slightly behind her eyepatch. "You know this doll?"
"I'm… not entirely sure. She feels familiar. I believe she is called Suigintou." He looked up at Mei, his curiosity piqued. "Did your mother mention anything about her origin?"
"My mother only said she discovered this doll while cleaning the abandoned warehouse of her master. It was incomplete at the time; my mother repaired and restored the body herself." Misaki Mei's head tilted a fraction. "I do not know why she wished for me to give it to you. Perhaps she sensed you would understand its nature."
"May I ask… what was your mother's master's name?"
Mei thought for a moment. "I believe it was 'Rozen.' He was said to be a genius doll maker."
Hearing that name, Hozuki Nozomi's lips twitched. Of course. It all clicked into place. The doll before him was indeed Suigintou, the first of the seven legendary Rozen Maiden, created by the master craftsman Rozen.
He carefully closed the lid of the case. As a high school boy, openly admiring a life-sized doll girl in the middle of the clubroom might send the wrong message. He would examine her more closely at home.
Neither of them noticed that in the instant before the lid sealed away the light, the doll's slender, porcelain fingers gave an almost imperceptible twitch.
"Then I'll gratefully accept this gift, Mei. Please convey my sincere thanks to your mother when you return. Tell her I am truly fond of it."
"Mm. I will."
Soon after, the door opened, and Yukino Yukinoshita, Yui Yuigahama, and Asuna Yuuki returned, their quiet conversation filling the room. Nozomi's gaze immediately sought out Yukino, and the intensity in his eyes made her steps falter slightly for a second. Under his focused attention, a faint, telltale pink tinged her cheeks. If they were alone… she had a strong suspicion he would have already closed the distance between them.
The Service Club afternoon resumed its usual rhythm of peaceful lethargy. The soft chatter of Yui and Asuna provided a gentle backdrop. Yukino, though initially flustered, soon found herself drawn into Yui's infectious energy. When it came to creating a warm, lively atmosphere, Yui Yuigahama was undoubtedly the club's secret weapon.
"Huh? Nozomi-kun, what's that big box next to you?" Yui's curiosity was piqued, her eyes sparkling as she pointed.
"It's a doll. A gift from Mei's mother," Nozomi explained, reopening the case.
The exquisite Gothic doll was revealed once more, drawing collective gasps of admiration from the girls.
"Her name is Suigintou," Nozomi continued. "She is said to be the first doll created by the master doll maker Rozen, and one of the seven Rozen Maiden."
"Suigintou… what a beautiful, elegant name! And she's stunning!" Yui's eyes shone with delight. She turned eagerly to Misaki Mei. "Mei-chan, do you have any more dolls like this at home? Other Rozen Maiden?"
Her expression plainly screamed 'I want one!'
Misaki Mei glanced at Hozuki Nozomi with a slightly peculiar look—how did he know all that?—before shaking her head at Yui. "I am sorry, Yuigahama-san. This doll was the only one left behind by my mother's master. There is just the one."
"Ehhh? That's a shame!" Yui pouted, then her expression shifted to one of mock suspicion as she looked at Nozomi. "And is it really okay to give such a beautiful doll to a boy? Are you sure you'll take good care of her?"
Following her lead, both Yukino and Asuna turned to regard Nozomi with identically dubious stares.
Nozomi felt a wave of exasperation. "Hey, don't look at me like I'm some kind of deviant! You don't seriously think I'd… do anything untoward to a doll, do you?"
"It is… difficult to say with certainty," Yukino Yukinoshita remarked, her tone dry and her gaze meaningful.
"Just what kind of image do I have in your mind, Yukinoshita?!"
"Hmm." Yukino brought a slender finger to her chin, pretending to ponder deeply. "The image of a rather… opportunistic individual, who tends to 'pounce' on cute girls upon recognizing an opening?"
"But this is a doll. An inanimate object. Not an actual beautiful girl," Nozomi argued, though his protest lacked conviction.
Yukino didn't seem convinced in the slightest. After all, he possessed abilities that defied common sense. Who was to say he couldn't animate a doll? Of course, her rebuttal was less about the doll and more a playful jab at his… prolific romantic tendencies. She knew that if she pushed the teasing too far, he would inevitably find an excuse to pull her aside somewhere private and subject her to a thorough, flustering "counter-attack" until she was breathless and blushing.
And indeed, that exact thought was crossing Hozuki Nozomi's mind. Since my fiancée has already labeled me a 'lecher,' I suppose I should live up to the title…
But just as he opened his mouth to issue a retort that would surely lead to him dragging a sputtering Yukino away, a familiar, long-dormant chime echoed in the depths of his consciousness.
[Ding!]