That evening, loud laughter and cheerful chatter filled the halls of the orphanage.
The children, dressed in their best formal clothes—newly purchased and perfectly pressed—clustered near the front room, fidgeting with shiny buttons and straightening their collars.
"The party's starting in the evening, right, Miss Kisha?" asked a little beastkin boy, his tail wagging excitedly.
"Yes~," Kisha replied with a warm smile, smoothing down a little girl's ribbon.
"Yayyy!" the children cheered together, bouncing on their heels.
"Where's Uncle Hazuki?" Chasia asked, tugging gently on Kisha's sleeve.
"Hm? Maybe he's still in the back? Probably changing," Kisha guessed.
All of them looked down the hallway.
Suddenly, a loud snore echoed through the walls.
The kids froze.
Chasia's eye twitched in annoyance.
"…He's not changing, is he?" she asked.
Kisha broke out in a nervous sweat.
"…I don't think so," she mumbled.
"He's still sleeping!?" Elvia gasped.
