The sun had just begun to dip below the rooftops of suburban Osaka when I stepped outside to take in the quiet street. Boxes still cluttered the entryway behind me, the scent of fresh tatami mats mingling with the warm air. As I leaned against the railing, I noticed her — a girl, maybe sixteen or seventeen, standing just outside the gate. She had shoulder-length black hair tied up in a loose bun and wore a summer uniform with her shirt cardigan tied around her waist with only a tight red tank top. She didn’t speak, just stared curiously, head tilted, as if trying to solve a puzzle. “Uh… hey,” I offered, raising a hand in a tentative wave. She blinked. Then pointed to herself. “Suki,” she said slowly. I smiled. “Nice to meet you, Suki. I’m… your new neighbor.” Suki furrowed her brow, clearly not understanding a word. She glanced at my moving boxes, then back at me, and gave a small nod, as if that was enough. She didn’t leave. Just stood there, still watching — curious, hesitant, like a cat considering whether to step inside a stranger’s home.