Harumi and Yuuki have a grateful heart towards Mako.
While spending time with them, I’ve learned how to get closer to the kids.
I can’t fully imitate those three. I don’t possess Harumi’s energy, Yuuki’s cool charm, or Mako’s kindness.
I mean, I’ve adapted somewhat to being in a child’s body and heart, but ultimately, the being inside is someone who has experienced life as an adult. That much is unavoidable.
However, I could at least imitate them a little.
I brought the kids home with me. Our house wasn’t drastically different compared to the homes of other kids; it was an ordinary house with both mom and dad present.
Kagami was very popular with the kids. Even the girls found Kagami quite charming, and whenever the kids came over, she would provide them with plenty of snacks.
When I brought my friends over, Kagami had burst into tears alone, which made things a bit awkward, but I knew it was just because she was that happy.
Still, none of the kids are as close to me as Harumi, Yuuki, or Mako. But at the same time, I’ve secured a bit of popularity with all the kids. While I’m not the class president, if they elected some committee members, I could easily sneak into one of those spots.
When I brought friends home, Sota didn’t really talk to me, but sometimes on the way home from school alone, he would strike up various conversations.
Very occasionally, when I ran into Sota while dad was home, he would look at Sota with a rather suspicious expression.
Every time I saw that side of my dad, I’d give his arm a light smack. At those times, dad would dramatically pretend to be in pain, “Ugh!”, and then pat my shoulder.
Oddly enough, the expression on Sota’s face that seemed to be genuinely scared felt too natural to me. Until then, he had completely built a wall in front of me, treating me like someone who had no relation to him; now it seemed like he was truly treating me like a daughter.
Could it be that he sees me as his daughter?
But that’s alright. That can’t be helped.
I’ve imagined my mom’s appearance over Kagami. Ultimately, after spending several years together, that thought slowly faded, but since dad had only met me for about two years, it’s different.
…Well, at least for the time being, I decided to think like that. Once I return home later, then it’ll be time to call him ‘Uncle’ again.
Kagami and dad still treat each other very politely. Honestly, if you only look at those two, it doesn’t feel like a family. If other people saw them, they would probably think that those two were a couple on the brink of a breakdown.
Not in the sense of fighting, but in the sense that they treat each other as strangers. Well, I guess it’s better that way since they don’t harbor feelings for each other anyway, which gives me a sense of relief.
Outwardly, they act like a couple, so it’s not a big deal.
During the sports meet, both of them came to support me. Even though I was the cheerleading team! Sota had also surprisingly joined the boys’ cheerleading team and was enthusiastically supporting, so both of us somehow ended up captured by Kagami’s camera.
The art festival was also enjoyable.
One good thing about moving to this house is that Kagami is always home.
During Kagami’s working days, I felt a bit guilty about going up to her while she was resting or clinging to her, but that has changed.
Rather, Kagami, who had been waiting for me idly at home, would melt with a flustered expression as soon as I said, “I’m back!”
Eventually, it seemed like Kagami had given up trying to make me sleep separately. Having spent so long like that, I didn’t want to be away from Kagami anymore.
“What will happen when I get a boyfriend later…?”
It seemed like Kagami was incredibly worried about that.
…Apparently, she’s worried I might cling to a boyfriend like this. And the direction of that worry wasn’t about my relationship with a boyfriend becoming awkward because of it.
It looks like Kagami just doesn’t want to see me interacting closely with someone else.
Honestly, I had no intention of getting a boyfriend, but… I didn’t want to pick a fight over that.
After all, there’s plenty of time left. Right?
…At least, I wanted to believe that.
*
After the red leaves had fallen and the trees stood bare,
With the weather getting a bit chilly, I took out my coat and was walking while looking up at the sky.
It wasn’t because I was lonely or had an empty heart, or feelings that I experience in autumn; the sky was just that blue and beautiful.
This time of year was my favorite.
It was somewhat removed from the year-end and summer. The autumn events were all pretty much over, making it a calming season for everyone.
Isn’t this a season where the leisurely passing of time faintly brushes against the skin?
My anxious heart was also starting to heal a bit. When I first came here, I had worried about what those government people might do to us, but at least until now, they hadn’t touched us.
I don’t know what will happen once I become an adult.
“Ah.”
Tap.
My toes slightly caught on something, but I didn’t fall over like before.
I looked down.
A heavy stone was sticking out slightly.
I pushed the stone to the side with my foot. Just in case someone else passing by might trip over it.
By the way, it’s a bit strange to have a heavy stone like this on a path with no boundary separating the sidewalk from the road. How did this stone even end up here?
I pushed it close to the wall and walked leisurely ahead once again.
Today, I didn’t come with my friends. Sometimes, it was nice to spend some time alone. Even though I sleep with mom every day, I had picked up a bit of a hobby to do in my room.
Watching cartoons and movies on TV. Well, generally, I do prefer watching together with the family in the living room.
Sota was out playing with friends for the first time in a while today. Thankfully, during the second semester, I’ve made quite a few same-sex friends. It seemed like he just hadn’t completely adapted yet; he was not someone with social issues.
I was thinking about what to do to pass the time leisurely, when—
Thud.
I heard what seemed like something fell.
“…Ah.”
And that tiny groan was so soft that I probably wouldn’t have heard it if I had taken a few more steps forward.
I turned around.
There was a small child who had fallen over.
Crushed against the alley wall.
It didn’t seem like they had come from the direction I was walking; they seemed like one of the kids coming out from one of the narrow alleys.
I quickly ran over and saw that they had tripped over the stone I had pushed aside. Had they come up against the wall?
“Are you okay?”
I quickly said that as I reached out my hand to help the child up—
Slap.
The child swung their arm in fear and hit my hand, making me back off a bit in surprise.
It didn’t hurt much. More importantly, it seemed this girl didn’t have the strength to resist.
At first, I was a bit puzzled and didn’t realize it, but after seeing her actions, I understood how serious her situation was.
She was wearing a white t-shirt with sleeves that stretched out too long. The t-shirt itself wasn’t a problem. At least it had been washed.
The problem was her arms sticking out from under the t-shirt.
On a place that could barely be covered by the shirt, there was a bruise, blue and ugly.
Was it because of something from my previous life? That bruise particularly caught my attention.
It had happened sometimes.
When I received a report from parents and went out to rescue a child, they would often have fresh blue bruises on their arms or legs or remnants of cigarette burns.
“…”
“Ah, hey. Just a moment.”
As I stared blankly for a moment, the girl started to walk forward again without giving me any eye contact. Maybe she didn’t have the strength; she was using her hands to hold onto the walls of the houses, taking a step, then another.
Even when I called out to her, she ignored me.
A trickle of blood was flowing from her knee.
I hurriedly rummaged through my bag. And luckily, I found a lollipop that I had received from a friend in my bag.
……If I were actually my age, this would have been a major problem.
I suddenly waved the lollipop in front of her and asked, “…Do you want this?”
“…?”
With hair that had grown out wildly covering her face, the little girl looked up at me.
“…Oniichan.”
“Eh?”
“Oniichan, I came looking for you.”
She must not have understood what I was holding in my hand properly.
“Oniichan?”
“…”
And then—
“Ah…!”
I hurriedly supported her as she was about to fall. Although I didn’t have much strength, this girl felt so light.
One thing was for sure.
I couldn’t just leave her alone.
Fortunately, the house was almost nearby.
I helped her up and hurried toward home.
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