episode_0028

I got out of bed and ate a banana with Shine.

Shine looking up at Amy as they sit next to each other.

Amy was repeating the story she had told me.

“Nap?”

“Yeah. Now that I think about it, I think I took a lot of naps when I was little. ”

Shine nodded.

She didn’t seem to think much about napping.

I was still dissatisfied.

“Then I’ll go.”

“Goodbye.”

“Yeah, if you have any pain, come to me anytime.”

We said goodbye to Rabin and left the room.

The hallway I came out of after opening the door didn’t look much different from any other hallway.

A place that seems familiar yet unfamiliar.

If I were to wander the hallways alone, it seemed like it would be easy to get lost.

As I returned to our room, I looked around carefully.

The structure of the building as pictured in my mind.

The small map that started out as a map gradually grows bigger.

After walking for a while, we were able to arrive at a large circular staircase.

The wide open space and corridors extending in all directions showed the backs of many people heading to different places.

I leaned against the railing and stuck my head out.

My eyes were spinning at the sight of the endless staircase.

My legs are trembling and my hands are holding onto the railing.

“Amy. Where are you?”

“It’s the 14th floor underground.”

“Underground… ?”

This time I raised my head and looked at the top of the stairs.

A gigantic pillar rising endlessly, with the vague figures of people visible on top of it.

How big of a building is this?

“Isn’t there an elevator?”

“Unfortunately, there isn’t any.”

I made a sad face.

Because it sounded like there was no elevator, meaning I had to climb all those stairs to get out of here.

“Why is there no elevator…?”

“Well.”

“Amy, where is our room?”

“We have to go down one level from here.”

Shine also seemed to be interested in the large staircase, as she came up next to me and stuck her head over the railing.

“Big.”

“Is it that amazing?”

Amy came over to us and leaned forward, resting her arms on the railing.

I turned my head, looking enviously at Amy’s long, stretched-out legs.

“Yeah. It’s really big.”

For her, who had lived her entire life in a laboratory, that small space must have been her whole world.

Shine takes in this space with clear eyes.

A slightly open mouth, a smile of excitement.

“Amy. I want to have this, but how do I do it?”

“What do you want?”

“This.”

Shine holds out her hand and points to a large pillar.

“You want that pillar?”

“No, this whole place.”

“Well, wouldn’t that be difficult?”

“Why?”

“Well… .”

A child’s innocent questions sometimes make adults feel embarrassed.

This is probably the situation now.

Amy looked embarrassed at Shine’s question.

“You can have it later when Shine becomes a very high-ranking person.”

Eventually, Amy gave an ambiguous answer.

After locking eyes with Shine, she strokes his hair and then turns her gaze to me.

“Do you want to be like that, Jeff?”

“No, I don’t like it.”

“Why?”

The question of why came from Shine.

I looked away with a puzzled expression.

Shine was looking at me with a curious expression.

“That… I have to study a lot.”

“Jeff doesn’t like studying?”

“I don’t think there’s anyone who likes me.”

I wasn’t the type of person who liked studying normally.

The math problems that suddenly became difficult completely changed my perception of studying.

“Then I’ll do it for you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. If Jeff has a hard time, I’ll take his place.”

At Shine’s words full of affection, I turned my gaze to Amy.

“Did you hear that? Amy. I’m not going to study.”

I looked at Amy with hopeful eyes.

She, who had been listening to our conversation, answered with a small smile.

“No.”

“Why?”

“What can’t be done can’t be done. Jeff. Shine. Studying isn’t something that can be done for you.”

Shine answered Amy’s words, who shook her head firmly.

“Sorry Jeff. I guess there’s nothing I can do.”

Shine spoke as if she was truly sorry.

I sat down as if I was shocked by Amy’s answer.

Slumped shoulders.

The witch’s hat on her head droops limply.

Suddenly I don’t want to go back to my room.

It was a natural thought, since I had to solve a difficult math problem when I got back.

As I continued to struggle without getting up from my seat, Amy lifted my body up and started to carry me down the stairs.

“Jeff. You have to listen to me to be a good boy.”

“I’m not a good kid.”

“Then. Are you an adult?”

“Of course. I’m an adult.”

“Hmm… Then I won’t get any Christmas presents?”

“Yes… ?”

Amy’s sudden words made me shut my mouth.

christmas?

Why Christmas all of a sudden?

“Santa Claus only gives presents to good children.”

I spoke, desperately searching my memory.

“It’s almost Christmas… ?”

“Yeah.”

I was in Amy’s arms, my mouth shut and I groaned.

Christmas presents? Santa Claus?

As with my birthday, I never received a Christmas present.

“You’re giving me a present when it’s not even my birthday?”

“Yeah. Santa Claus gives presents to children who have been good throughout the year.”

“Who is Santa Claus?”

Amy began to explain in response to Shine’s question.

After hearing about Santa, Shine was already excited and started stamping her feet as she ran up the stairs.

“Shine. If you run, you’ll get hurt.”

“I know there is no Santa.”

I said to Amy with a confident expression.

But Amy looked puzzled as if she didn’t understand what I was saying.

“What are you talking about, Jeff? Santa exists.”

“Huh?”

At this point, I started to wonder if there was something weird about me.

Is it true? Does Santa really exist?

“What gift does Jeff want to receive?”

“I… . I am… .”

I stuttered and studied Amy’s expression.

It didn’t seem like he was playing a prank on me.

So does that really mean there is a Santa?

Confused, I turned my gaze to Shine.

Shine, who was walking down the stairs next to Amy, raised her head as if she felt my gaze.

Wrong. She didn’t even know Santa existed.

It wasn’t a good idea to ask Shine if Santa was real.

I kept my mouth shut.

I should go back and ask Victor if Santa is real.

“Jeff. If you don’t study hard, you can’t be a good kid.”

Amy whispered in a soft voice.

I nodded slowly as a hand gently stroked my back.

“Really… ?”

“Of course.”

I sagged helplessly at her answer.

Amy’s arms and legs sway back and forth as she moves.

Amy, who was going down the stairs, looked at me, who was looking listless, and then smiled and said.

“Shall we go for a quick change of pace?”

“Change of mood?”

Amy nodded at Shine’s question, which seemed questionable.

“Sometimes there is a place that makes me feel good when I go there.”

Eventually, we started climbing the stairs again.

Shine, who had been climbing stairs well, began to panting as time passed.

Amy climbed the stairs again, holding Shine in her arms.

Amy maintained her calm breathing, not even gasping for breath, as if she was struggling.

“Okay. I’ve arrived.”

After climbing the stairs for a long time, Amy dropped us off in a wide open space.

Green grass.

A cool breeze blowing.

The faint sound of water.

The chirping of unfamiliar birds can be heard from all directions.

I raised my hands to the dazzling light shining down from the sky.

“It’s a model park.”

I looked around with my mouth open.

The entire floor was a large park.

As she said, it was obviously fake, but it felt very similar to the real thing.

The warm sunlight pouring down from the sky gave me a pleasant feeling of refreshment.

“Wow… .”

Shine, who was standing next to me, her eyes sparkled and she ran forward.

She was moving her short legs diligently, then stopped in front of a large tree and stroked it.

“Wow… !”

Shine, who had been touching the tree, looked elsewhere and ran away again.

Large rocks, trees, fountains. Flowers.

Shine, who had been touching everything he could touch, lay down on the wide lawn.

The excited smile on her face never seemed to disappear.

As I was looking at Shine, I bent down and touched the grass at my feet.

“How are you, Jeff?”

“Yes… ?”

“Are you feeling good?”

I stood up at Amy’s words.

He raised both hands and touched the corners of his mouth.

“No…!”

I shook my head.

Because if I were to admit what she said here, I somehow felt like I was losing.

“Jeff.”

“Yes… .”

“Should I not solve the workbook today?”

“….Really?”

“Okay.”

“Really…? You’re not lying, are you?”

“When have I ever lied to you guys?”

I lifted the brim of my hat, which was pulled down tightly, and examined Amy’s face.

She was looking down at me with a warm smile.

“Okay. Go play with Shine.”

I carefully turn around, keeping an eye on Amy.

As if telling me to go and play, Amy’s hand gently pushed my back, and I ran straight to Shine.

The sound of footsteps resonates in all directions.

A cool breeze blows across my face.

Shine, who was lying on the lawn, noticed me running towards her and jumped up from her seat.

The blades of grass that were stuck to her body flutter in the wind.

“Jeff!”

Shine turned around and started running.

I continued to run after her without even knowing English.

I just ran without thinking.

Neither Shine nor I stopped.

We ran until we collapsed from exhaustion, then collapsed on a wide lawn, gasping for breath.

Her small chest rises and falls rapidly.

“Jeff.”

Shine, who had been panting, opened her mouth when her breathing calmed down.

“Huh?”

“It’s fun.”

“I find it fun too.”

I just kept running without thinking.

But it was fun.

I felt a refreshing sense of liberation.

“Do you like the park?”

As I was lying on the wide lawn, feeling the cool breeze, I heard an unfamiliar voice.

Shine and I turned our heads while lying down and looked at the owner of the voice.

“Who is it?”

“Who are you?”

The owner of the voice was an unfamiliar male.

He looked quite young, and he waved at us from his seat on the lawn.

“I… .”

“Amy told me not to talk to strangers.”

Shine cut off the man’s words and quickly turned her head away.

I also turned my head to follow her.