The doorbell chimed with a clatter. "Welcome." I called out as usual. The moment I looked up───. My hands stopped involuntarily. The person who walked in was a young man.

Someone I was seeing for the first time. And yet. For some reason, I couldn't take my eyes off him. He, too, had stopped moving, staring back at me. For just a few seconds. His eyes were wide with surprise.

But it was only for a moment. He slowly lowered his eyes and, as if nothing had happened, offered a gentle smile.