Ch.374IF Side Story: Seems I’ve Arrived a Bit Early (71)

No matter how things unfold, one must do what needs to be done.

Especially Kagami seemed to think that way.

Although I had worn a uniform of sorts in elementary school, Kagami seemed extremely excited about me becoming a middle school student.

I’m now undeniably becoming a proper teenager.

Back in elementary school, even though I had technically become a teenager, it wasn’t so easy to feel the difference, but things change starting from middle school.

Particularly Kagami, she gazed endlessly at me in my uniform.

In her eyes, various complicated emotions were all mixed together. Pride in me, concern, and a bit of self-pity.

After all, Kagami never got to wear a uniform like this.

When I graduated from university, I put graduation caps on Mom and Dad and took pictures. Neither of them had graduated from university.

But doing something like that for Kagami at this point would be too insensitive. No, it would be something I shouldn’t do. Unless Kagami herself expressed a desire to try it on.

It probably wouldn’t fit her anyway. Well, maybe her arms might somehow fit.

“Kotone?”

As I stared blankly at Kagami, she tilted her head and called my name.

“Yes.”

I looked up at Kagami and said that, then spread both arms wide. Seeing me like that, Kagami smiled brightly, then put the camera down on the table and came over to embrace me tightly.

This warmth always makes me feel secure, no matter when I feel it.

“…Mom.”

“Yes, Kotone.”

When I called Kagami, she gently stroked my back.

Yes, right now, there’s no need to make a big fuss. We’re just a normal family, right?

I’m just going to school like everyone else.

And I plan to go to high school, and university too.

It might seem strange to be thinking about university when I’m just entering middle school, but I thought Kagami would want me to do so.

Though we say we’re normal, living a normal life doesn’t mean not living the best life possible. I’ll do my best as far as I can go. While I don’t plan to go to graduate school, I’ll study hard to get into the best university I can, and there too, I’ll study diligently to get the best grades possible.

Kagami has worked so hard for me, so I should at least do that much.

If it were up to Kagami, she’d tell me not to push myself too hard—but I wanted to make Kagami feel proud that she raised me well.

…Is that too selfish? Well, I can’t really tell. Am I just selfishly wanting Kagami to love me? Or am I sincerely trying to repay Kagami’s love?

Throughout my life in this world, I’ve never really been able to figure it out.

But that’s okay. I’ll know for sure someday. I felt a bit impatient, but that was just because I’d experienced some extremely unlucky, unfortunate events.

“…”

After staying in Kagami’s embrace for a while, I hugged her waist even tighter.

“Mom.”

“Yes.”

“Thank you. For raising me until now.”

For some reason, I wanted to say these words.

From birth until now, the only reason I could exist was because of Kagami. And the reason I’ll continue to exist from now on is also thanks to Kagami.

“…”

Kagami’s hand that had been stroking my back stopped.

For a while, Kagami couldn’t say anything. As if she didn’t know how to respond to my words, she just stood there blankly.

Then Kagami tightened her arms and hugged me firmly.

It was, from any perspective, the embrace of a mother who deeply loved her daughter.

*

Comments about holding my mom’s hand despite being a middle schooler now mean nothing to me. Because, counting my previous life, I could be considered older than Kagami.

Although I’ve adapted to my life and learned to behave like a child, and have adjusted to the children around me to ultimately live as a child, if I had been concerned about my age, I wouldn’t have held Kagami’s hand from the beginning.

I know because I’ve lost it before. Time is always limited. I just feel it more acutely because I have a clear memory of losing it midway, but the time when you can hold your mother’s hand will eventually come to an end.

Everyone dies someday. And people older than me naturally have a higher chance of dying before me.

Ah, but Kagami isn’t that much older than me. So we might be able to live our whole lives seeing each other’s faces.

I have no intention of dying before Kagami, but I was happy about the prospect of that time being extended.

“Are you in a good mood?”

Souta, walking beside me, looked at me and asked.

“Hmm, well.”

After thinking for a moment,

“Just that it’s my first day of school. And the uniform is pretty.”

I gave such a mundane answer.

Souta seemed to have thought a bit about which school to attend, but in the end, he enrolled in the same school as me.

If we were still in elementary school, Souta and I would have continued going to separate schools, but since this was a completely new school for both of us, it didn’t seem necessary to worry about such relationships anymore.

No, rather, I wonder if the adolescent kids will misunderstand again.

But since neither Souta nor I have any particular thoughts about it, it should be fine—well, if Souta ever gets a girlfriend, I can keep my distance then.

Though I doubt that will happen.

“I hope we’re in the same class.”

When I heard Souta say that, I narrowed my eyes and looked at him.

You know what? Kagami actually has quite a sharp appearance. Although she looks completely harmless when she sees me, her expression melting into a smile, her eyes are basically slightly upturned and somewhat narrow.

For me, I rarely see it, but when Kagami gets angry, her expression is truly fierce.

And I, proudly, have inherited almost all of Kagami’s facial features. Even now, I could be called a pretty girl, and when I grow a bit more, I’ll definitely become a true beauty.

If I narrow my eyes, it might look a bit scary. Though since I’m not actually that powerful, most people probably wouldn’t be too afraid.

“Come on, you don’t have to glare at me like that.”

Souta was like that too.

Although he looked momentarily intimidated, he didn’t seem genuinely scared. Instead, he just grumbled complaints.

If there’s one way Souta has improved in front of me, it’s this.

He no longer treats me awkwardly.

This is partly because I kept visiting Souta and Shii, taking them around various places, but actually, Dad played a significant role.

Dad genuinely tried to prevent Souta from becoming my boyfriend. Even though I’m not related to him by blood, by this point he seems to truly consider me as one of his own children.

Of course, when I felt Dad was crossing the line, I would slap his arm, and for some reason, at some point, Kagami also started slapping Dad’s arm to restrain him. Each time, Dad would scratch the back of his head and laugh awkwardly.

But for Souta, who was an elementary school student, it seems to have been genuinely scary, because from some point on, Souta seems to have decided not to see me as a girl anymore.

Thanks to that, we can now talk like siblings.

“…”

Come to think of it now, Kagami also gives off the vibe of being more like Dad’s “eldest daughter” rather than his “wife.”

While she might be considered an older sister to me, she’s a bit too old to be Dad’s daughter.

Maybe it’s because there’s only one man in the house. Well, I prefer it that way too. If Kagami were to fall for Dad, I’m confident I’d be bedridden for at least a week.

“Don’t you like it?”

Souta asked.

“Huh?”

“Being in the same class as me.”

“…”

I looked at Souta and smirked.

“Well, as long as you’re not sitting next to me, I don’t mind.”

“I don’t want you sitting next to me either.”

Souta responded with a disgusted expression.

Oh, by the way, Dad’s kindness to Souta is directly proportional to the distance between Souta and me. Recently, we all went fishing together, and when I took Shii and moved far away, Dad was kindly teaching Souta how to fish.

Well, I’m not sure whether I should thank Dad or what.

…

Personally, he’s really someone I’m grateful to.

Yes. It will take much more courage than what I said to Kagami. Plus, we haven’t known each other for that long.

But still, I should tell him someday.

To the person who’s risking his life to protect me.

I should say thank you.

I looked at Souta and smiled brightly.

To Souta and Shii too.

And to my friends whom I’ll meet again someday.

Yes, that would be good.