College: the next big step in life, especially for such a bright, respectable girl like herself, her grandmother had said tearfully. Truthfully, Tsubone had remained misty since her acceptance letter had arrived up until now, when she was dropping her only granddaughter off in front of the dorm. It didn't look as intimidating as she had fearfully imagined; in fact, it looked pretty quaint. Little brick buildings, maybe five floors tall, lined the street that eventually led further into the campus. Windows were already framed with different, colorful shades and small items, like houseplants or books, decorated the sill. Manicured bushes and well-tended flowers bordered the walls, and the smell of newly spread mulch crept through the half-open window. Other students were littered across the lawn and talking politely to one another. It was unlikely many knew each other: this was the freshmen dorms. Somehow, it all gave her a rush of excitement, but when Amane turned back to her grandmother, she found a handkerchief was already dabbing running eyes. They hadn't even said goodbye yet, and her heart was tugging in her chest.
"I'll visit, you know." She offered encouragingly, taking Tsubone's hand in hers. "And you can come see me whenever you want, too!"
"You think I didn't know that?" Her joking voice came out strangled, but a smile and another hand clasped on top of Amane's recovered her smiling face quickly. "But when you live with your granddaughter for so long and then she decides to fly off, you can't help but be a little sad."
Amane's features twisted into a concerned frown, but Tsubone laughed it off as quickly as her lips could turn down. "But look at me! Crying at my old age, at your first day of college, no less. You should be having fun! So give me a hand with your stuff, huh?"
It was true that her six-foot grandmother could probably lift every box in the car and then carry Amane, but she politely let her handle some boxes of her own. She had been sure not to bring more than what was needed (dorms were pretty small, after all), but things like a picture frame of her and Tsubone and a penny wishing jar she had had since she was young somehow found themselves into the cardboard boxes. It was hard to suddenly transform into an adult the second you received an acceptance letter, and as mature as she thought she was, adulthood still seem a long shot away.
Her room would be on the fourth floor, Dorm 128, and as they traveled through the hallways and stairs, avoiding other students and parents ladened with moving boxes and furniture, she could see many roommates had already found each other. Both fights and giggly conversations could be seen, and she couldn't help but wonder which she'd walk into.
Not to sound conceited, but Amane thought she was pretty nice. When she was silent, she was polite, and if it made it easier, she'd bend their way to avoid confrontation. Tsubone was tough and resilient, and wouldn't bow before an emperor, but Amane was raised on her softer and maternal side (not to say she wasn't trained just as she was, but in a more supportive environment than what she had been exposed to). Amane could choose either side to take, but being stubborn and fighting people only made them dislike and exclude her. She had enough of that in high school, so maybe it could be different this time. She just hoped her roommate would agree.
Finally, they had made it to 128. Like all other doors, a small dry erase board hung from it, made for letting other students know who was in which room and when. Already, a rounded, small signature was written onto the board, 'Canary', and the black marker was placed neatly back into its holder. Just like checking in and out. Tsubone watched her granddaughter as she contemplated the board, as if gauging what would happen the second she opened the door. At least Amane wouldn't have to wait til the end of the week to meet her roommate, when the last-minutes finally arrived.
Either way, she was ready. A summer spent dreading and hoping for the moment had finally delivered her onto its doorstep. She took a deep breath in, shifted the box in her hands, reached out and twisted the doorknob, and stumbled quickly back as a ginger streak blew past her as fast as the wind. The box, already unbalanced in her hand, fell towards the floor, and just as quick Tsubone snatched it up. Amane could feel embarrassment written in her face, but thankfully, instead of acknowledging it, her grandmother mercifully nodded after the mysterious creature.
"I don't think your new roommate would appreciate that much."