Ch.241Epilogue. Hello (2)

Good. At least thanks to this, the stigma of being a “mama’s girl” who brings her mother to a Christmas party with friends has somewhat weakened.

Of course, my friends understand. Kagami is just that… whether you’d say she really loves me and Koko, or is a bit overprotective, anyway, that’s the kind of person she is.

If she kept us locked up at home and didn’t let us go out, naturally my friends would worry about me, but Kagami wasn’t that kind of mother.

She trusts me to hang out with friends, and if I say I’m staying overnight somewhere, she’d probably allow it as long as it’s not at a boy’s house.

It’s just that there are certain things Kagami herself ‘can’t back down’ from.

For example, special occasions like Christmas. Especially widely celebrated holidays – Kagami seems to not want to miss those.

Moreover, this was also the last Christmas we could fully enjoy during our high school years.

Since Kagami missed the opportunity last Christmas, she seemed to want to have a moment with me and Koko today no matter what, so I couldn’t stop her from coming along.

To be precise, it’s still Christmas Eve… which actually made Kagami’s tagging along feel even more excessive.

Now that she’s here, won’t Kagami stay overnight too? Even though it’s Aunt Yuu, now that there’s someone else who will take the lady of the house position, it felt quite brazen in many ways.

But even so, as I mentioned earlier, Kagami’s visit wasn’t completely unexpected.

On the other hand, Mr. Fukuda—

“Sigh… Dad…”

Deeply immersed in her moment of clarity, Harumi sighed heavily while staring into the distance.

“Is my mom okay?”

“I expected her to come along.”

I asked Harumi, but Yuka answered.

“Well, it is Christmas after all.”

She seems to understand Kagami about as well as I do. Well, she is a person with fairly consistent behavior patterns.

“There’s a big difference between someone you expect to come actually coming, and someone you never thought would show up appearing.”

At Yuka’s words, Harumi’s face turned even redder.

Mako patted her back from beside her.

When we came in earlier, Mr. Yamashita’s expression was already full of annoyance at having to talk with Mr. Fukuda.

It seems he couldn’t refuse because Mr. Fukuda had come with him that day to rescue us.

Plus, it seems like they really do have things to discuss.

If anything, Kagami would be more fitting for the description of “coming along uninvited.”

“…It’s okay.”

I patted Harumi’s back.

That’s right. There’s no need to show such embarrassment here. I don’t need to feel embarrassed too.

“Ah, whatever!”

Harumi shouted that, then stomped off to the room where we would be staying.

We followed behind her with small smiles.

*

“Wow!”

“Whoa!”

Inside, there was a Christmas tree, just like last year.

So they didn’t throw it away. Well, it’s not like they don’t have storage space, so there’s no real need to throw it away. They can use it like this every year.

Mr. Yamashita might seem a bit gruff at first glance, but he actually cherishes his daughter Yuu very much.

Yuu takes after her father in that way too – she might seem aloof at first, but she’s actually quite thoughtful and cares about others in her own way.

Otherwise, would she have bothered wearing that shrine maiden outfit back then?

“Let’s decorate the tree first!”

Harumi, who had been a bit upset about her father following her here, seemed to have cheered up considerably after entering the room.

Well, it’s not like our parents would come into this room anyway.

Watching Tsuneda and Koko approach the tree first at Harumi’s words, I briefly wondered if Santa Claus would be prepared this year too.

“…There is.”

Yuu, who had been watching my reaction beside me, suddenly said that.

“This year too?”

“Yes.”

When I asked back, Yuu nodded.

I see.

So there is one this year too.

Yuu glared at me as I grinned for no reason, but I wasn’t scared.

We’ve known each other for a year now. We’re cousins too. It’s too late to be afraid of her now.

I smiled back at Yuu, then approached the Christmas tree where everyone was gathered.

The kids were already hanging various things on the tree.

Calling it an event schedule seemed a bit grandiose, but we had discussed the schedule beforehand.

What the kids were doing now was the first item on that schedule. Decorating the tree.

We wrapped tiny lights around it and attached lots of Christmas-themed decorations like stars, unicorns, and gingerbread men.

There was no system or rule to how these decorations were attached. Everyone just hung whatever they wanted. I helped with some of them too.

As a result, when we stepped back, the Christmas tree was somewhat excessively decorated.

“It’s beautiful…”

And our junior, Tsuneda, muttered that while looking at it.

Well, sometimes decorations look prettier when there are no rules to them.

The tree was actually pretty.

We stood in a line and admired the tree for a while.

After that—

—After that, well, there wasn’t really anything specific planned.

Like last time, we didn’t have any particular plans.

Just sprawling around the room, watching a Christmas movie on the TV the men had brought in, playing and eating some more, exchanging gifts, and then sleeping.

That’s right. It’s basically just a version of Christmas with friends that’s extended to an overnight stay.

But that added overnight stay is what makes it so enjoyable. Once you become an adult, staying up past midnight doesn’t feel like anything special, but when you’re young, it somehow feels extraordinary.

“…Want to eat some snacks?”

Yuu said.

Everyone nodded and sat down, each grabbing a pillow.

*

“Brr.”

I shivered after stepping outside briefly to go to the bathroom.

Inside the room, everyone had already laid out their futons and was chatting while wrapped up in blankets, but that wasn’t possible out here. Unfortunately, this house doesn’t seem to have floor heating or anything like that.

At least the hallway and rooms are separated, so the cold doesn’t come in as much.

The room is spacious, but the bathroom isn’t attached to each room; it’s a bit far away. Well, the house is so large, it can’t be helped.

After taking care of business with quick steps and coming back out, I hurriedly crouched down.

After crouching, I thought there might not have been any need for that, but what could I do? I’d already hidden.

The reason I hid was because I saw two people outside the window.

Kagami and Mr. Fukuda.

“…”

What should I do?

Maybe I could crawl back to the room?

Kagami was quite an important figure in social circles, but she wasn’t someone with any special abilities.

No, she did have special abilities. She gave birth to me and Koko, and she could perform rituals like memorial services that ordinary people couldn’t.

What I mean is, she’s not some kind of psychic or anything. She won’t suddenly turn around because she heard me moving carefully here.

Mr. Fukuda seems good at fighting, but he’s not superhuman either.

So, if I just went back now, we could all pretend nothing happened.

But I’m curious.

Of course I am.

Kagami is my mother, and Mr. Fukuda is my friend’s father.

If Kagami suddenly brought someone home one day saying he’s going to be my new dad, I might have trouble accepting it, though it would be a bit embarrassing.

Isn’t that a bit… weird? Well, Kagami is young, so she could fall in love with someone, but still.

And if that someone is Mr. Fukuda.

“…Hmm.”

I’m not sure if that would be better or worse. It’s hard to compare unless it actually happens. I can’t even imagine it properly.

I heard the sound of the two of them walking, so I slowly crawled along the floor following the sound.

“I’m glad to see you’ve improved your relationship with your daughters.”

“I’ve put in quite a bit of effort over the past year.”

Kagami was surprisingly giving proper responses to Mr. Fukuda’s words.

I remember Mr. Fukuda often visited Kagami when she was still working. Perhaps they became somewhat comfortable with each other then?

“I’m happy that they seem to have accepted my efforts in the end. They even understand when I’m being a bit pushy like this.”

So she admits she was being pushy.

Well, I didn’t think she wouldn’t know.

“Is that so? I also… had some difficulties when Harumi was younger.”

I was slowly crawling forward but suddenly stopped.

Wait.

Is it okay for me to hear this?

If Harumi’s past comes up, wouldn’t that be a bit…?

But fortunately, no more details came up.

“…Somehow most of the children around her have special family circumstances.”

“Haha, that’s true. The same goes for Harumi.”

“…”

Is that how it is?

I guess it is.

The two of them laughed briefly, then continued walking slowly.

“Ms. Kagami.”

Mr. Fukuda opened his mouth with some difficulty.

“Perhaps—”

“I’m truly sorry.”

But before Mr. Fukuda could finish, Kagami spoke gently.

“I may be mistaken and being rude, but I’m quite busy enjoying my days spending time with my daughters, and that’s enough for me.”

“I see. No, it’s fine. What you’re thinking is probably correct. I’m sorry for troubling you unnecessarily.”

Their conversation was that straightforward.

Maybe because it was an adult conversation, or perhaps Mr. Fukuda had anticipated the situation—

Thud.

While I was feeling a bit relieved inside, I was suddenly startled by the sound of footsteps.

I looked up to see where the footsteps were coming from.

There stood a yakuza man.

For some reason, his face turned pale when he saw me—

Oh, ah, wait…!

“Ahhh!?”

But before I could even raise a finger to my lips, the man screamed loudly.

Right, of course.

If I’m crawling on the floor, my bangs and side hair would naturally fall in front of my face.

…And the area right below the window was shadowy due to the light.

In that man’s eyes, I probably looked like a crawling ghost.

“Oh?”

A voice came from outside the window.

Ah, this.

I’m in trouble.