I thought there would be no reason to return to school again.
But I could at least attend an academy. If I wanted to work elsewhere, it might be a good idea to get a qualification or something.
However, no matter how big an academy is, I don’t think attending one can be the same as being in a proper school for one’s age.
Especially if it’s elementary school.
A group of little kids who can’t even calculate relationships sit together, and for the simple reason of sitting next to each other, or being in front or behind each other, or going home together, they become lifelong friends. That’s something not easily found once you leave school.
Um, well, if you’re an exceptionally social person, maybe it’s possible. Joining a club or making friends at work. I had a few close friends before experiencing such things.
But for those who aren’t exceptionally social, the only place where you can meet peers on the same wavelength is still school.
I can hear sniffles coming from the person next to me.
It’s been a while since I sat next to someone at the same desk. Well, it’s all been a while since I returned to school.
These days, I’ve heard that the number of students has decreased significantly, and there are generally spaces between each other. But back then, in 2000, there were still plenty of kids in class.
Harumi was swaying her legs back and forth under the desk while humming a little tune. Wearing new clothes, carrying a new bag—maybe she’s that excited about making new friends.
In front of us, there was the kid named ‘Yuuki’ I saw earlier. And the kid next to him was someone I didn’t know.
Yuuki kept glancing over at us, as if feeling my gaze on the back of his head. Like a herbivore aware of a carnivore behind them, I kept finding myself looking at his face.
Still, no matter how many times I look, it’s hard to see the face of ‘Yamashita.’ If I were to ask if blood is mixed, I could probably say it seems like it, but you can definitely tell that his mother must have been incredibly beautiful.
Harumi too is the kind of kid who seems like she would grow into a stunningly beautiful girl in about ten years, but Yuuki’s impression was different. He seems more like a typical Japanese beauty.
If I were to look around me, maybe the impression would be something like Kagami.
“Hey, hey.”
Harumi couldn’t hold back just by looking, so she poked Yuuki’s back with her finger.
Hik!
Caught off guard by the sudden attack and not knowing how to respond, Yuuki trembled and made that sound.
“W-what, what….”
“Do you like manga, Yuuki-chan?”
“U-um?”
Harumi’s sudden question left Yuuki flustered. He must be quite shy too, I guess.
The reason I’m perceived as particularly shy is actually that I have no idea how to interact with kids, but it seems Yuuki’s shyness is a fundamental part of his personality.
This is just my guess, but it might have something to do with Yamashita. They probably have fewer friends than regular folks. For the safety of the child, it may be better to be selective about whom to befriend.
…Or perhaps Yuuki’s friends’ parents advised them to keep their distance.
“Do you like manga?”
“Y-yeah.”
Taking a glance around, Yuuki nodded shyly at Harumi’s question.
“Great!”
As soon as she heard that, Harumi raised her voice, startling the kids nearby. Of course, Yuuki was startled too. The only person not surprised by her booming voice while sitting here was probably just me, who had become so familiar with Harumi’s vocal range.
“Because, Koto Ne doesn’t like manga that much, so there’s nothing to talk about.”
That’s a bit of a frustrating situation.
I like manga too. I like anime as well. It’s just that the specific category of what I enjoy isn’t something kids usually like.
Kagami is always trying to cater to my interests, but like any good mom, she has her strict sides in certain areas.
First of all, I must go to bed at night. By 9 PM at the latest, it’s time for bed, and I naturally end up not being able to watch TV programs afterward. Occasionally, unless I whined to Kagami that I wanted to stay awake, we had a very wholesome routine of going to bed early and waking up early.
Not that manga can only be enjoyed at night, but… Kagami’s ‘strictness’ has made it so that if I tried to watch shows unsuitable for my age, she quickly changed the channel.
For example, Neon Genesis Evangelion.
I’m not sure when it aired, but one evening while having dinner, I happened to see it on TV, and as soon as I saw a red giant’s belly split open and purple blood and guts splatter everywhere, Kagami switched the channel right away.
Um, honestly, I’m not sure if the content was really that cruel, but it wasn’t really suitable for dinnertime.
Besides that, the anime I truly like is still far from airing, so I decided to just forget about it until then.
“So, did you see that too? The one that airs on Saturday—”
Harumi said happily, and at first, Yuuki seemed a bit apprehensive while listening to her, but as Harumi continued, his eyes sparkled more and more.
Strangely enough, although Harumi’s stories jumped around rather than following a straight timeline from start to finish, there was a certain charm that kept me listening.
She’ll probably make many friends at school too.
Thinking about how full of peer kids Harumi would be made me feel a bit happy.
In the end, Harumi’s story continued until the teacher came in.
By the time her tale wrapped up, not just Yuuki and I but the other kids were all looking this way.
*
As I entered elementary school, my life slowly started to change.
To be honest, the changes weren’t particularly positive by the standards of ‘young children.’
There was a time when my family faced difficulties, and both my parents had to work. As a child of working parents, I often had to go back and forth alone, and once, I even picked up my little brother from daycare before heading home.
Even when I got back home, there was still some time until my parents returned.
Well, I was getting close to middle school age around then.
Since I started elementary school, Kagami has been a bit busier. To narrow it down, her working hours have become similar to other office workers.
Before, she would always come pick me up right after kindergarten, but now she can’t do that after I finish elementary school.
Is she investing more time for my future? Or has she just been a bit more considerate at work until now?
…For other kids, maybe it wouldn’t be a big deal. After all, kids in lower grades usually gather in groups to return home together, and if they live nearby, there shouldn’t be many problems.
That is for normal kids who don’t have significant issues.
“Koto Ne, can I ask you for a favor?”
On a day when Kagami had to work late, she sat me down and asked in a serious tone.
“After school, could you wait for a bit at another kid’s house? I’ll pick you up as soon as I finish work.”
“…Sure.”
That ‘other kid’ was Harumi.
Since I had already spent some time at her house a few times and she liked me, plus Fukuda-san was very considerate of Kagami, it was a decision I could make.
Most importantly, Harumi’s house is just a short walk from school.
Even by the time I’m in the upper grades, I could walk back to my home. It would take about 30 minutes even with a child’s shorter stride.
Still, it’s only natural to worry about a lower grade child walking there alone.
“I’m really sorry.”
I looked up at Kagami’s face as she said that.
“If I could always stay by your side, I would gladly do that.”
I reached out both my hands toward Kagami as she said that. She pulled me into a hug.
I leaned back, holding her cheeks with my small hands.
Kagami’s face still looks young.
The fact that her skin isn’t rough at all means she was born with those blessed genes, but with all this hardship, it surely shortened that period significantly.
I didn’t want that.
It’s not just that I didn’t want her to lose her beauty. I just hoped that all the time she lost due to me could be able to be reclaimed later.
I only wished that the ‘remaining time’ could be extended, even a bit.
“Don’t overwork yourself.”
I knew saying that doesn’t mean much.
I understand that I have no way of helping and can only rely on others.
But still.
I just wanted to say that.
Just like how Kagami is my only family, to her, I’m her only family too.
In the end, the only beings we can take care of in the last moments are family.
“…Koto Ne.”
Kagami hugged me tightly.
“I’ve never overdone it.”
In a slightly nasal voice, Kagami whispered that.
“I really… have never overdone it. How could I?”
“…”
“It’s just that I’m this happy.”
I couldn’t bring myself to respond to that.
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