Ch.351IF Side Story: Seems I’ve Arrived a Bit Early (48)

The next morning.

I woke up at dawn, probably because I wasn’t used to this sleeping arrangement.

“Mmm.”

Finding it difficult to move my body, I tossed and turned a bit before realizing I was completely trapped in Kagami’s embrace.

I had brought a summer sleeping bag, but it was still a bit too hot to sleep inside it. Kagami, being thoughtful, had brought a separate summer blanket so the three of us could sleep under our own covers.

Next to me, my uncle was sleeping, facing the tent wall rather than us—and next to him, my blanket was rolled up and pressed against him.

I must have rolled around in my sleep, causing the blanket to get half-rolled up.

But despite that, I was still covered with a blanket—indeed.

I was sharing a blanket with Kagami.

“Mmm…”

I hugged Kagami tightly with both arms.

Usually when people raise children, they can’t maintain their figure and gain weight in various places, but Kagami wasn’t like that at all.

Maybe she doesn’t eat much, or perhaps she works hard enough to offset it.

Or maybe her genes are just that impressive. After all, Kagami is quite tall for a woman.

It’s a bit… disappointing that I didn’t inherit much of those genes?

When I was in the lower grades of elementary school, I was a bit self-conscious about being shorter than both Harumi and Yuu, but as we played together, those thoughts mostly disappeared.

Even though I’m still a bit shorter than both of them, my height isn’t actually short in absolute terms.

Kagami’s embrace was always warm.

When I was still a little child, when I was a high school student, and even now. Regardless of Kagami’s appearance, her hug was always a mother’s warm embrace.

It’s summer, so the dawn isn’t very cold. Rather, it’s a bit humid, and it feels like I might sweat a little if I move, but somehow I didn’t want to leave this embrace.

How long can we live like this together?

Even if everyone else around me leaves, I don’t want to be separated from Kagami.

“Kotone.”

Kagami mumbles in a sleepy voice.

Yesterday was busy. After setting up the tent, we had to arrange things around it, and I helped prepare meals too. And after eating, we cleaned up as well.

Even though Mako and I tried to help, the adults said they would handle everything and told us to go play.

Kagami works hard all week, so it would be nice if she could rest on days off like this. Well, the only people who enjoy camping are those who come along to have fun.

…When I’m this age, that’s the kind of atmosphere that will develop wherever I go to play.

“Are you awake?”

Realizing that I was hugging her tightly, Kagami hugged me back just as tight.

“I want to sleep a little more.”

When I said this in a whiny voice, Kagami made a slight laughing sound.

And while still holding me, she seemed to fall back asleep, breathing evenly.

Just as Kagami is someone who calms me down, I seem to be someone Kagami can be comfortable with.

That’s… fortunate, I thought.

Being able to have family by your side wherever you go is nothing short of a blessing.

*

When I think of camping, I imagine a one-night, two-day schedule. There’s no particular reason, but considering we’re sleeping outdoors, we probably can’t stay too long, so that’s likely why I think that way.

However, our schedule is for two nights and three days. We’re leaving tomorrow morning.

Come to think of it, we even came in a truck. Since we could load plenty of luggage, bringing enough supplies to last for two nights and three days wasn’t that difficult.

Mako’s car isn’t small either. With two people, they could comfortably pack enough for four.

Mako’s father and my uncle seem to have become somewhat friendly. They weren’t loudly chatting like some men do, but they were having a pleasant conversation with light beers in hand.

I think they went fishing at the stream yesterday too.

Considering my uncle’s personality, I guess it’s not that difficult for him to make friends.

“Kotone, Kotone.”

Mako called me, gently tugging at my wrist.

I liked it when children called me that way. Calling my name twice means they have something they want to tell me, right?

And it also meant that I had blended in well with the children.

“You know what? I think we’ll sleep together tonight.”

“Huh?”

“I told my dad. That I want to sleep with Kotone.”

“Ah…”

Hearing that, I tilted my head and thought.

How?

“Your mom, me, and you can sleep together.”

Ah.

That makes sense. It would be strange if the two of us slept with my uncle or Mako’s father, and… it would also be odd if the three adults slept together. Even though I believe nothing would happen, from others’ perspective…

“I see.”

I nodded.

Looking back at my uncle, he winked at us, slightly raising his beer can. Had the conversation already ended?

Mako doesn’t completely think of Kagami as her own mother, but since she’s visited our house often and seen her face frequently, she doesn’t seem to feel uncomfortable.

When I first met her, I thought she was a bit timid, but actually, she just speaks gently—she’s practically like a capybara.

Looking at Mako’s bright smile, I also giggled softly.

*

We weren’t camping just anywhere; it was a proper campsite with adults around.

There were already quite a few people on the path we were walking.

Not as many as in a busy downtown area, though.

The main camping area and the management building were quite far. It would take just under 10 minutes to walk there at our pace.

Since it’s a campsite inside a mountain, it seems they found it cheaper to create paths rather than clearing the entire mountain.

We had come out briefly to buy some snacks, and as we walked toward the management office, somehow we ended up alone on the path.

Since the path wasn’t that long and we knew we’d see people again soon, we weren’t particularly scared.

Kagami would probably catch up soon. She told us to go ahead while she looked for her wallet, saying she’d follow.

But that short time might have been some kind of opportunity for Mako.

“Kotone.”

“Yes?”

“I’m glad I became friends with you.”

“…”

I looked at Mako with a slightly surprised expression.

I hadn’t done anything special.

Wasn’t it Mako who approached me first and became friends?

“You see, I couldn’t easily make friends with my classmates… I transferred at an awkward time…”

Ah, I see.

It takes about a month for friendships to form properly.

And above all, that neighborhood isn’t very big. All the local children gather at the school.

Naturally, more than half of them already know each other’s faces.

For a child coming from far away, it might feel difficult to fit in.

Mako’s story was that I was in a similar situation, so we became friends. And before we knew it, we were playing with the other children.

…

Hmm, but I still don’t think I did anything special.

I was a bit puzzled, but well, it doesn’t matter. It’s a nice thing to hear anyway.

Yes. Even though we’ll be separated at the end of the year, I’ve made another friend I’ll remember for life. Especially with Mako, there was no reason to break off our relationship.

So—

“…”

My thoughts were suddenly cut off.

“Kotone?”

When I didn’t respond and stared intently at Mako, she became a bit frightened.

The warm atmosphere was abruptly broken.

“Mako.”

“H-huh?”

Mako answered with a pale face, thinking she had done something wrong.

“…Go back the way we came.”

“Huh?”

“Go and… call an adult. No, don’t. Tell them to call the police.”

“Kotone?”

“Go, hurry.”

“Why, why are you like this, Kotone…”

“Bear.”

I said quietly.

“…”

Mako’s face turned deathly pale.

I stared intensely past Mako’s shoulder.

Come to think of it, wild bears in Japan’s mountains… haven’t gone extinct yet, have they?

Surely if it’s a managed campsite, they would have checked for such things in the area—

“Go.”

“Ko-Kotone—”

The bear moved its paw with a jerk.

Clearly toward us.

Even in broad daylight, the animal’s eyes gleamed from between the dimly lit trees, its mouth split open with a reddish gap.

Ah,

Kagami is also on her way here—

Goosebumps kept rising on my back.

Something is strange.

While thinking this could be a common accident and therefore dangerous, some part of my mind felt that something, somewhere, was very wrong.

But, more than that strangeness.

Before I could finish that thought, I was pushing Mako to the side.

The mouth of the bear with unnaturally black fur was opening wide.

Without realizing it, I was approaching with my arms extended forward.

I need to buy time for Mako to escape.

That was all I could think.

The next sound I heard was something heavy charging forward.

Then something snapping with a crunch.

A scream.

A scream.