The existence of a mom is miraculous.
They say times have changed, and with increasing individualism, family breakdowns have become more common. Yet, the significance of being a parent does not easily diminish.
Of course, it’s not like Kagami was in the position of my parent from the very beginning. At first, she didn’t even think about taking that position.
But maybe it’s because she realized late that she was a mom.
Kagami started to show a little extra protection towards me.
“…….”
“…….”
Koko and I sat nervously side by side, kneeling in front of Kagami.
Even Koko, who was always cheerful, seemed to read Kagami’s mood and said nothing, only rolling her eyes around.
“……So.”
Kagami slowly opened her mouth.
“So, you’re saying you met a ghost?”
“Uh, well…”
“And that ghost might have been a sexual offender?”
“……No, it’s not like that. It might not be true.”
Apparently, Yuka conveyed all sorts of information to Kagami while on the phone.
“But you’re saying there was a possibility?”
“…….”
Wait, did I do something wrong?
It’s possible to attract a sexual offender, but that’s not my fault! I wasn’t even wearing revealing clothes when I went in there!
Maybe it was because my expression clearly showed my grievance. Kagami wiped her face.
“I’m sorry. I got too emotional…”
“No, well, I do have some past incidents, too.”
That wasn’t my fault either, though.
Kagami pondered seriously before speaking.
“Perhaps, this is Nirlas’s fault.”
“Nirlas?”
Why is the name of an existence I’ve already sent to another world coming up now?
“When I wasn’t Koto Ne’s mom yet—”
I wasn’t sure if there was a need to mention it that much, but it seemed Kagami had those days in her heart. I didn’t think pointing it out would change anything, so I just listened quietly.
“I’ve thought about the reasons Koto Ne is unhappy. …I wasn’t trying to help, but I wondered how that peculiar situation affected reality.”
“…….”
Well, that makes sense.
Nirlas really enjoyed tormenting me. Once I appeared in this world, I was tormented by Nirlas for an entire year.
“That’s not right, is it?”
But we had already talked about such things. And the conclusion we came to back then was that Nirlas hadn’t intended it.
Nirlas didn’t know why I had appeared in this world.
So did Kagami. We were only able to imagine about someone who could be on a higher level.
“No, I didn’t mean it like that.”
Kagami said.
“Rather, it’s more about the future. Nirlas ended up coming to this world. And this world must have been influenced, both good and bad, by that existence called Nirlas.”
“……Is that so?”
“And the body you’re currently using is not Nirlas’s, but…”
Kagami paused for a moment in thought before continuing.
“At least, you’ve been in the same body as Nirlas before.”
“……Ah.”
“Do you know what kind of beings Nirlas brought from the afterlife? We saw what Kosuzu did with Nirlas’s power.”
Countless souls were brought over. She even temporarily used a body to come back to life. Though everything was sent back in the end.
“If Kosuzu was able to exert power through Nirlas’s body, I wonder if Koto Ne, who briefly shared the same body as Nirlas, hasn’t been influenced in some way.”
“So, what’s chasing after me isn’t because of my appearance but because of my current state?”
“I can’t be sure, though.”
If that’s the case, it means I’ve been dodging spirits quite well until now.
It wouldn’t be strange if events like that happened at any time.
My face went pale.
“……So, does that mean I have to live like this from now on?”
Kagami looked at my face, then momentarily blanked out before suddenly bursting into a bright smile.
Then she suddenly pulled Koko and me into a tight embrace.
“Don’t worry too much, my daughter! I’ll help you out no matter what!”
“…….”
Uh, how should I say this?
I know she’s happy to be able to help, but with the way she reacted to my story, I’m not sure how sincerely to take it.
“So, about that,”
Kagami, holding us tightly, let go of me and continued.
She had a very serious expression.
Could it be something related to Kurosawa? Should we go back home and do something?
But the next moment, what Kagami said was something completely different.
“I’ll have to go to the fireworks with you.”
“……Huh?”
“I have no idea what might happen. It’s a place with a lot of people, right? There must be a ton of ghosts there.”
“A lot? Like a ton?”
“A ton!”
No, I’ve never encountered any spirits even when going to crowded places until now.
But since Kagami’s expression was so serious, I eventually couldn’t refute her statement.
*
“…….”
Yuu squinted his eyes and looked at Kagami.
Kagami’s outfit was flawless.
She was wearing a yukata that suited the fireworks. It wasn’t a fully traditional kimono, but it seemed perfect for Kagami’s eastern beauty, and I didn’t find it out of place for her to be here.
But.
……And everyone here was in yukatas, yet…!
“Hello.”
With a smile on her face, Kagami spoke.
“I’m really grateful for always looking after my daughter.”
Yuka, who was next to Yuu, stared blankly at me.
I shot a slight glare at Yuka.
This was all your fault for calling!
I can’t say I expected my mom to come along.
Everywhere, even with friends, it was a bit much.
It feels like I’m living entirely under my mom’s skirt. In this case, it was Kagami spreading that skirt and eagerly following along.
Just for reference, Harumi and Mako also had expressions that couldn’t find words.
After all, everyone who has seen Kagami knew what kind of relationship we had. They knew we had recently become close, but it was too drastic of a change to accept immediately.
The same goes for her outfit. While Yuka and Yuu might not mind, Mako and Harumi last saw Kagami in something that revealed her figure quite a lot, not in the modest outfit she was currently wearing.
And to see Kagami showing such a cheerful expression like this…
“Uh…”
I paused for a moment, trying to figure out what to say.
“……Please take care of my mother.”
At my words, the kids’ gazes all turned to me, all with shocked expressions.
“Woof?”
Koko tilted her head.
I turned to look at ‘Mom.’
Kagami was brightly smiling at me.
She looked incredibly excited, no doubt about it.
…Is she really here to help? Is that genuinely her reason?
I hope it isn’t because she wanted to experience all the things she couldn’t from her childhood.
I want to believe that, but—
“So, where do you think we should go first?”
Thump, thump, thump.
The current Kagami would fit perfectly with such sound effects.
…Yeah. Kagami doesn’t have any friends left. No, maybe she just never had the chance to connect properly.
While she might enjoy hanging out with Koko and me, perhaps she wanted to obtain satisfaction in another way by watching my friends and me have fun.
Or perhaps experience the feelings of a parent getting joy from treating their daughter.
Who knows? Only Kagami knows.
“The fireworks are still a while away, right?”
“There’s still some time, but…”
Yuka said that while glancing at my friends.
Mako, Harumi, and Yuu exchanged glances and paused for a moment in thought.
But that thought didn’t linger for long.
“I….”
Mako carefully opened her mouth.
“Right now, she is undoubtedly Koto Ne and Koko’s mother, isn’t she?”
That statement carried multiple meanings. Knowing Mako, she likely tried as much as possible to ask indirectly.
The fact that she had to ask indirectly shows just how out of the ordinary Kagami’s actions had been.
“Of course. I’m definitely a ‘mother’ now. Right, Koto Ne?”
“……Yeah.”
I wasn’t about to deny that, so I nodded.
“Koko?”
“Yeah!”
At Kagami’s words, Koko responded with a bright smile. Kagami showed a somewhat touched expression.
The expressions on Harumi and Yuu became even more complicated.
All three had spent a night at our house after the relationship between Kagami and me improved.
However, it seemed that there simply wasn’t enough time in one day for them to fully accept everything.
“Yes, I understand.”
Mako said this while smiling kindly, then slightly bowed toward Kagami.
“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Yes, thank you for today.”
Mako greeted, and Kagami received that greeting again.
Harumi, Yuu, and Yuka exchanged glances and let out small sighs.
Although their faces were flushed, what could they do?
Kagami is my mom.
She came all this way to protect her daughter…
…That has to be the reason, right?
I thought once again and ultimately failed to decipher Kagami’s smiling face perfectly.
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