-KOONG!
-WIIIIIING…!
-BEEP! BEEP!
“…Hmm.”
“…Hmm.”
I was really thinking about how impressive and tremendous power can be.
Just a little while ago, I contacted the boss.
“…It seems like things are moving along quickly.”
“True that.”
Corbin and I were watching the construction with amazement.
Well, it had only been two days, after all.
The moment I reported to the boss that we would build facilities for the company’s childcare benefits, it turned into this.
I honestly thought it would take a bit longer.
I never expected the construction to start this quickly after the report was submitted.
Of course, it’s a good thing, but still… it’s a bit… ridiculous.
“How long did they say the construction would take?”
“They said it would probably be completed within three days.”
“…That’s pretty fast.”
“Except for the wall demolition, there aren’t many structural changes, and there aren’t any major renovations needed for the facility’s interior space…”
“Well… compared to the indoor garden and other facilities before, it makes sense that it’s faster.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
If it was a facility where kids would spend time and be managed, it wouldn’t take too long.
But still, I was truly surprised that things were progressing this quickly.
It’s certainly a good thing, right?
“Anyway, it seems like the agents are working hard… I’m relieved.”
“Yeah, I didn’t expect everyone to volunteer like this.”
“…Is it because they often see Charlotte?”
“…Maybe.”
Originally, there were agents from the company working with the headquarters, but this additional construction involved not just them, but our agents as well.
Of course, it wasn’t because we asked them to; they volunteered to help on their own.
Honestly, I didn’t get it, but since they said they wanted to do it, there wasn’t much to complain about.
In any case, the construction of the in-house kindergarten was going exceptionally well.
Even beyond our expectations.
“Easter, could you bring me a strawberry lemonade and an espresso?”
“Yes, I’ll let you know when it’s ready.”
“Great.”
After confirming that the construction was going smoothly, we went to the cafe.
Originally, I should have returned to the office, where Corbin would work and I would take Charlotte home.
But by now, my colleagues were probably surrounding Charlotte, adorably enjoying their time.
So, I decided to let her play a little longer.
“Oh, right.”
“What is it?”
“Did you just buy glasses?”
“Glasses?”
The sudden topic piqued my interest a bit.
Someone with normal eyesight suddenly buying glasses?
“Why did you order glasses out of the blue?”
“Well? I look at a lot of monitors and read a lot, you know?”
“That’s true…”
“So, I got one for eye protection.”
“Um… when did you buy them?”
“I bought them yesterday on my way home from work. They arrived this morning.”
“Oh.”
I couldn’t have known, then.
It was the first I had heard of glasses, and I was a bit surprised he suddenly talked about them.
It’s not like his eyesight was bad.
“So, is this what you pulled out of your pocket?”
“Yep.”
“…Couldn’t you just have told me yesterday?”
“Surprise?”
“…Hmm.”
It felt more silly than surprising.
Since Corbin himself seemed to like it, I just let it slide.
Buying one pair of glasses with his own money wasn’t a bad thing, and it was just funny that he hid the fact he purchased them all of a sudden.
“Well… it looks like just an ordinary pair of glasses.”
“Yep. The lenses don’t even have a prescription; it’s just for eye protection.”
The glasses placed on the table were indeed very ordinary.
There was no prescription, just… a simple, basic-looking design.
The frame was just plain black… truly, it was very ordinary.
“Try wearing them once.”
“Should I?”
Corbin put on the glasses as I suggested.
He looked a bit more… intellectual compared to when he wasn’t wearing them?
Not that he was exceptionally different… um…
“Hmm…”
“…Not great?”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just that it feels pretty ordinary… no particular excitement.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yep.”
While they didn’t look completely out of place, they just seemed normal.
The style of the glasses itself was inherently basic.
“…Hmm.”
“Why?”
“Uhmmm…”
It seemed like he was inspecting them, but the ordinary vibe was quite strong.
They fit adequately, and the glasses were just decent enough to feel mundane.
It gave off more of a ‘working person’ vibe…?
No, he looked like a working person, but…
There was just a peculiar feeling that kept me staring.
Corbin seemed to feel a bit embarrassed as he avoided my gaze.
But I was also indecisive and continued to stare.
“Hmmm…”
“When are you going to stop staring like that?”
“Is there a problem with staring? It doesn’t wear them down, you know.”
“…That’s true.”
“Hmm… Well, they do suit you. Definitely look good on you, for sure.”
“…Then I’m glad.”
“But I think it might not really suit the way you’re dressed, without a shirt like that.”
It fits the working person vibe, but it seemed to clash a bit in casual wear.
Yeah.
I brought up the topic of glasses out of nowhere, but it turned out to be more ordinary than I thought.
“Lindera, do you want to try them on too?”
“Um… not really… I don’t want to wear them.”
I had never worn glasses before.
The thought of what I would look like with them didn’t really spark my interest.
Um…
“…Do I really have to try them on?”
“I think it’ll be fine.”
“…Alright.”
I figured if I said I wouldn’t try, they would probably insist more.
So, I decided to just put them on once, as Corbin suggested.
Since it didn’t hurt when I wore Corbin’s glasses before.
Anyway, I took the glasses Corbin wore and put them on.
Hmm.
Something felt off… my nose felt squished.
“What do you think?”
“…They suit you.”
“Is that so?”
I wasn’t sure, but if that’s what they said.
Um… is that a good thing?
Honestly, I didn’t think glasses would suit me, and my eyesight was fine… so I wondered if I even needed to wear them.
But since I was told it looked good, that had to mean something.
“Though, they are uncomfortable.”
“Oh really?”
“The pressure on my ears, and around my nose. It just doesn’t feel… comfortable at all.”
“Well, that can happen.”
I took off the glasses.
Honestly, they just felt uncomfortable.
There weren’t any other reasons; it was just uncomfortable.
“Hmm…”
“Why are you in deep thought?”
“No, I was just thinking it might look great if I wore a formal suit and glasses together.”
“……..”
“Is that not it…?”
“Something about that feels a bit off.”
It kind of gave me that vibe.
It felt eerily similar to when I was once asked to wear a maid outfit or something like that.
I had never been asked to wear a formal suit, but I often got requests to wear things like button-up shirts and pencil skirts.
I figured he might have brought it up for similar reasons.
I didn’t know for sure, but my instinct was telling me that.
“…Hmm.”
“…Why can’t you deny that?”
“Haha.”
“…Ugh.”
Seriously.
*
“KISS!”
“Why am I the fool?!”
“KISS!”
“Charlotte…? You can’t say that to your sister…!”
“KISS!”
“……..”
As soon as I entered the office, I saw Midori arguing with Charlotte.
It was a bit awkward to watch.
Midori was so absorbed in her interaction with Charlotte that she didn’t even notice we had walked in.
Was Midori just playing with Charlotte well?
Or was Charlotte the one who enjoyed playing with Midori?
“KISS KISS!”
“I told you I’m not…?!”
“KISS!”
“Yikes…!”
“KISS!”
“Dolores?!”
“…”
“Oh, um… when did you come in…?”
Our eyes met.
Upon making eye contact, I felt a twinge of empathy.
It was truly just a deeply pitying moment.
Arguing with a one-year-old baby was indeed… truly something else.
Sitting on the sofa, Dolores looked at Midori with a similar expression as us…
“…Hmm.”
“Ch- Charlotte keeps calling me a fool!!!”
“KISS!!!”
“Ughhh!!!”
“Hmm.”
Watching a 1-year-old behave like that…
Could she actually be the one who’s a fool…?
“Um… Midori?”
“Dolores…!”
“…Seeing you so earnestly engaged with a one-year-old, you might look a bit foolish…”
“…What.”
“…I admit it.”
“I do too.”
“What…?”
“…Midori, this time it’s a bit… understandable.”
“…N-No, it’s not?!”
Midori was dramatically crying in front of Charlotte.
Of course, it didn’t literally mean that Midori was foolish.
It was just amusing to see her react that way to Charlotte’s teasing.
In fact, among us, Midori handled electronic devices pretty well.
She was quite capable with computers and phones.
It wasn’t that she was genuinely clueless or foolish.
“Puhehehe!”
“…Ah.”
Charlotte looked at Midori and was clapping in delight.
Was Midori that entertaining?
Well, Midori’s reactions were quite… genuinely amusing.
Seeing a one-year-old tease her and her respond like that was inevitably going to be entertaining.
Neither Corbin nor I could react dynamically like that.
“KISS! KISS KISS!”
“Ugh…”
“Midori, you can’t hit the baby just because you’re frustrated.”
“That’s not true?! I really like Charlotte!”
“KISS!”
“Ugh!!!?”
One definite thing was that when Charlotte grew up, she wouldn’t be placid in any way.
Even now, she didn’t exude a calm vibe.
If she met kids around her age, I thought it’d be a fun time.
Yeah.
Regardless of anything else, I was certain it would be entertaining.
“KISS!”
“Lindera!!! Why are you teaching your daughter those bad words!”
“…I didn’t teach her; Midori was the one who started it in the office.”
“That’s true, but!”
“KISS!”
“UAAAAH…”
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