Ch.369IF Side Story: Seems I’ve Arrived a Bit Early (66)

Shii and Souta were often invited to our house and frequently shared various meals with us.

Kagami, who had memories of running away without adults to protect him in his childhood, and me, who had spent a somewhat anxious childhood under Kagami’s care. Even a father who now had a daughter he rarely got to see—our house was full of people who cared about Souta and Shii.

Kagami’s cooking skills are amazing. After working in kitchens for years, his skills steadily improved until eventually his home cooking occupied all the spots on my list of favorite dishes.

It’s not that our family never ate out, but honestly, if Kagami could make it, I didn’t feel the need to go out to eat. When I grow up and become independent, what I’ll miss most will be Kagami’s cooking.

Souta and Shii loved our home-cooked meals. Shii in particular seemed eager to learn the cooking secrets.

Seeing the children’s reactions, Kagami would often deliver his cooking to Shii and Souta’s home, claiming he “made too much.”

And whenever he visited, he would discreetly check the condition of their house, helping to tidy up or offering advice.

I was concerned too, so I occasionally stopped by Souta’s house on my way home from school.

And each time, what I felt was—

Souta and Shii were doing better than I expected.

……

Well, to be honest, “Shii was” doing well.

No, I’m not saying Souta was incompetent. Rather, considering his age, Souta was supporting Shii with his resilience. If Souta hadn’t been there, Shii probably wouldn’t have been able to express such positive emotions.

However, Shii was excellent at housework. Souta, like a typical elementary school student, would leave things scattered around and not put used items back in their proper places, but Shii would clean up right away whenever she saw such things.

“……”

I decided not to think about where Shii’s habit came from.

“Shii.”

“Yes?”

One day, as this routine continued, I spoke to Shii while helping her clean the house as usual.

Souta was at least somewhat considerate. Though he didn’t particularly enjoy cleaning, he would diligently help when Shii was cleaning.

I wasn’t particularly concerned about how the two felt, but I wasn’t heartless enough to lie on the sofa watching TV while two elementary school students cleaned the house.

Shii’s expression was bright as she answered me.

No, Shii’s expression had always been bright since she started living with Souta. As if she was experiencing the happiest time of her life.

“How are you doing these days? Are you getting along well?”

Though I could tell from her expression, for some reason I wanted to ask out loud.

“Yes!”

Shii answered with a beaming smile.

An expression like a blooming flower.

“I’m so happy to be able to live with my brother!”

“…I see.”

I nodded.

I was the same.

If someone had asked me the same question when I was living with Kagami, I would have answered exactly the same way.

Souta is a few years younger than Kagami was back then, but I’m sure he can manage well. This isn’t just because I’ve read the novel.

Shii has a much more decisive personality than I did when I first came to this world, and Souta has someone to help him.

Having experienced such times myself, I know how much it means to have someone by your side.

That’s why I wanted to help.

When the house cleaning was mostly done, Shii took out three puddings from the refrigerator.

Though Kagami had brought them for the two of them, I felt it would be awkward to refuse alone, so I decided to eat with them.

The second-floor detached house without adults felt somewhat empty, yet—at the same time, it didn’t feel lonely at all thanks to the warm presence of the two.

If there were a kingdom of children, perhaps it would feel like this.

I quietly watched Shii and Souta chatting happily as I took small spoonfuls of pudding.

*

“Kotone.”

Since I had asked people to skip the process of calling me by my surname when introducing myself, everyone around me called me that.

Whether they were close friends or just acquaintances.

I liked my name.

When I heard the surname “Kurosawa,” or the fake surname I used, I didn’t feel anything special. Both surnames had an awkwardness that didn’t feel like they were calling me.

Was this awkwardness because I had lived in another country in my previous life? If so, it seems that even about ten years of time hasn’t been enough to completely cover those past memories.

“Kotone?”

“Yeah.”

As I was lost in thought and not responding, Souta called out to me again.

“What were we talking about?”

When I asked, Souta looked somewhat bewildered. Sorry. I was spacing out and letting Souta’s words go in one ear and out the other.

Around sixth grade, the barriers between boys and girls were starting to break down. There was talk of “dating” and such.

Naturally, I had no intention of making a boyfriend or girlfriend, and I wasn’t interested in how far those kids had progressed, but that’s how it was.

Maybe they were increasingly feeling that our time together would be shorter as we would become middle school students next year. Whether we would part ways or not would only be known after going to different schools, but perhaps they were feeling “that possibility” for the first time in their lives.

Thanks to that atmosphere, the other kids didn’t pay much attention even when Souta and I walked together. Rather, since they knew we went to and from school in the same direction, they seemed a bit surprised that we were only now doing so.

We had always been walking that way but just not talking, though there was no need to point that out.

“Kotone, which middle school are you going to?”

That was the question Souta had been asking me.

“Anywhere.”

I answered simply.

“Somewhere I can walk to from home.”

Though it wasn’t a place I had chosen to live, one thing I realized while living in this neighborhood was that it was a surprisingly good place to live.

Good security, clean streets, a quiet wealthy area that obviously had high land prices.

I could probably attend any middle school without major issues.

So, I didn’t want one that was too far. I really hated crowded trains and buses packed with people.

If possible, I wanted to postpone experiencing such sensations as long as possible—

Yes.

At least until I became a high school student.

“Uh…”

Souta seemed a bit taken aback by my straightforward answer.

“What?”

“Well, um, you know.”

As I tilted my head in confusion, Souta hesitated for a moment, then said,

“I just thought it might be better to have a specific school in mind.”

Hmm.

Ah, I suppose in a way, I was the friend Souta conversed with most naturally.

He probably thinks it would be better to have at least one familiar friend in middle school.

But wouldn’t it be better to have more same-sex friends? That’s more natural, isn’t it? Having too many friends of the opposite sex might make it uncomfortable to move around.

“Wouldn’t it be fine even if we go to different schools? I’ll still be living in this neighborhood anyway. We’ll see each other often.”

“I guess that’s true?”

Souta tilted his head, then said,

“But Shii seems to want to go to the same school.”

“The same school?”

“Yeah. We’re attending the same school now, after all.”

I thought for a moment.

…Even if we go to the same school, wouldn’t it be for a very short time? When Shii is in first year, I’ll be in third year, and since high schools in Japan are entered through exams, we won’t have much time together.

And it’s even more so for high school. Because we’ll have to go to university.

“Looks like she wants to use the word ‘senpai.'”

That made me smile a little.

“She could use it now if she wanted.”

“She says it’s because we’re elementary students.”

Souta couldn’t help but smile as he said that.

We walked for a while, laughing.

…Well, anyway, I might hear it when I get to high school. Shii will go to the middle school run by the same foundation as that high school.

I plan to go to the same high school as Souta.

The only reason I have no particular thoughts about middle school but aim for the same high school is one:

I want to appear in the main story of that novel too.

…It might be a dangerous story. The novel “Tokyo Slayers” was one where the protagonist gets into trouble and gets hurt all over the place. Maybe I’ll end up getting into trouble alongside him at the same high school.

But at the same time, that might make it the safest place.

Because I don’t know what might happen outside the novel.

I had no idea whether the character Kotone Kurosawa appeared in the main story or not.

But in any situation, I know that the protagonist can resolve the situation.

If I help from the side, maybe even difficult situations can be resolved more easily.

…I couldn’t tell what Kagami would think, though.

And, who knows.

At that high school—I might just pass by as a nameless extra. As one of Souta’s many friends.

The protagonist was, after all, Souta. The center of events was always Souta. Or, I might be able to ask for help from the people gathered around Souta.

…Yes, it might be a cowardly story. To make such plans while looking at a child who is still in elementary school, with this knowledge.

But—

I wanted to protect Kagami.

From those strange beings chasing us.

I needed power.

Power to protect everyone.

I walked beside Souta, who still knew nothing, with a slight sense of guilt.