Ch.393IF Side Story: Seems I’ve Arrived a Bit Early (90)

I wonder if it’s right to play this kind of prank on someone who truly worries about me, but honestly, it’s hard to resist.

Kagami is my mother.

I absolutely don’t think she failed in her role as a mother. Rather, I believe Kagami’s efforts and kindness are more than abundant.

But Kagami wasn’t just a perfect shield protecting me, or a massive shade hiding me from the scorching sun, but something a bit more…

A bit more, yes.

Like family.

Some might ask why I need to say she feels like family when she already is family, but that’s truly how I felt.

When describing their parents, people sometimes say they’re like siblings or friends—that’s what Kagami was to me.

The closest friend in the world who would never leave my side no matter what.

Because of this, our relationship wasn’t always so heavy.

Besides, I felt I owed Kagami for her youth. She had to dedicate all those shining years to raising me when she was young.

…Last time, I hadn’t planned on speaking to Kagami.

But now that I’m here, I don’t want to just watch her and leave without doing anything. That would just be wasting time because of me.

“…So, you want to follow your mother in reverse?”

“Yeah. Is that possible?”

“Sometimes, I really don’t understand what you’re thinking.”

“You don’t need to understand. Just go with the flow.”

“Is she always like this?”

When Yuka whispered this while looking toward Souta, he laughed awkwardly and said, “Ha ha.”

Then with a serious expression, he answered:

“Yeah, sometimes.”

I frowned at his response.

“…Says the guy who goes on dates with his little sister in Akihabara?”

“No, that wasn’t a date!”

Souta answered in shock at my question.

That’s something that would disappoint Shii if she heard it.

…Let’s not tell her.

“And what’s wrong with Akihabara? You two went there too.”

“We both liked manga to begin with.”

“…Wait, doesn’t that make it sound even weirder?”

Yuka responded to my words with disbelief.

“Fine, whatever. So, how good is your mother at following people?”

Yuka asked me, seeming somewhat amused.

“See for yourself.”

I glanced back slightly. Kagami quickly ducked into a nearby alley, then peeked out at me, but honestly, it was ridiculous to think she wouldn’t be noticed by us.

“……”

The three of us looked forward again.

“Well, it doesn’t seem impossible. I walked around here earlier this morning, so I’m familiar with the streets.”

“Hey, you two have been talking like experts this whole time.”

At Souta’s valid point, both of us fell silent.

Even though Souta would eventually learn Yuka’s identity in the main story, there was no reason to reveal it prematurely. From Yuka’s perspective, it was something that shouldn’t be discovered in the first place.

“That’s true. Why are you asking me for this favor anyway?”

Now Yuka pretended to be an ordinary person.

Well, I’m not really criticizing her. Seeing her eyes smiling, she seems to be enjoying this situation.

Isn’t she just having fun with friends? On a school trip, no less. She’s lived a life far removed from these kinds of experiences for various reasons.

Though Kagami is a friend’s mother… she doesn’t seem to feel entirely uncomfortable about her.

“She’s starting to move again.”

Yuka said without even looking back. I have no idea how she noticed, but I decided not to ask right now.

“Then, this way.”

Yuka led me and Souta toward another alley.

*

As Yuka had confidently stated, Kagami couldn’t follow us very quickly.

Kagami’s physical strength is average. Well, she does have some stamina from working for many years, but not exceptionally more than others.

When we moved quickly and hid between alleys, Kagami soon lost track of us and looked around in confusion.

I quietly approached Kagami from behind and—

“Mom.”

“Eek!?”

When I called her from behind, Kagami turned around in shock, as if she never imagined this could happen.

Then she froze as our eyes met.

“Ah, you knew?”

I noticed last time, so why wouldn’t I notice this time?

It was honestly a bit funny.

“Um, well, you see, Kotone, I…”

As Kagami stammered, trying to explain herself in great confusion, I silently approached her.

Then I spread my arms wide and hugged her tightly.

“…Kotone.”

Kagami murmured in bewilderment at my action.

“I’m here, Mom. So you don’t need to worry so much.”

“……”

Kagami slowly raised her hand and touched my back.

Her fingertips were trembling slightly.

“A-are you okay?”

Kagami asked cautiously. Her voice quivered a little.

“I’m fine.”

I’m not really going through puberty anymore.

Rather, I’m just happy to see Kagami here too.

Knowing that my life could disappear at any moment, Kagami acts this way. To protect me wherever, whenever.

“I’m fine, Mom.”

At my words, Kagami let out a long breath.

And the hand that had been gently touching my back hugged me tighter.

Though we were in an alley, Kyoto is a famous tourist spot. People passing by glanced at us.

But, though it might sound strange to say…

Both Kagami and I were beautiful enough that no one looked at us as if we were making a scene.

I broke the embrace with Kagami, stepped back slightly, and said:

“Mom, let’s go somewhere and eat something delicious.”

“Is, is that okay? I…”

“It’s fine if we say we ran into each other by chance when you see my friends. This is Kyoto. It’s perfectly plausible.”

“……”

Though it was a bit of a stretch, I had no intention of hiding Kagami from my friends.

Well, considering that Kagami might feel embarrassed, it might be better to go somewhere a bit farther from here.

Looking back, I saw Souta and Yuka watching me from a distance. Both had complex expressions, as if unsure exactly what face to make, which ultimately made me burst into laughter.

*

In truth, both Yuka and Souta have plenty of reasons to feel uncomfortable around Kagami.

For Yuka, just considering her position is enough. She’s in a position where she takes me along on missions where I might get hurt or die.

It would be complicated even with siblings present, but Kagami is my mother. Naturally, it would be even more uncomfortable.

Souta is far from such guilt, but there’s the etiquette required around a friend’s mother, and above all, I’ve been vigilantly keeping him in check for quite some time, so he feels somewhat that way.

But by that logic, Souta should find me uncomfortable too. My father was extremely vigilant whenever I was with Souta.

……

Maybe I take after my dad.

Well, anyway.

Even so, they don’t seem to feel that discomfort in this setting. The travel destination probably plays a big part. When your heart is light, you tend to ignore slight discomfort.

“This is delicious.”

As I ate green tea ice cream with a spoon, Kagami nodded.

Somehow her eyes were sparkling.

If I’d known, should I have prepared a school uniform? Since Yuka and I are going around together despite being from different schools, we could pretend Kagami is a student too…

Hmm, that might be difficult.

Though Kagami looks somewhat young and has a very attractive appearance and body, she wouldn’t look like a student in a uniform. No matter what, there’s quite a difference between faces in their 20s and teens.

There might be demand for that sort of thing, but…

I don’t want my mother to be seen that way by others.

I was sitting next to my mother.

Kagami smiled happily with each bite of ice cream. As if the very fact that we could be here like this was extremely enjoyable.

Across from her, both Yuka and Souta sitting beside her looked at Kagami with somewhat dumbfounded expressions.

“Mom. Is there anywhere you want to see?”

I asked while taking out a pamphlet from my bag.

“Is, is that really okay?”

Kagami quickly returned to reality and asked, but I nodded with a smile.

“Since we’re here anyway.”

“……”

And Yuka and Souta stared at me as I said this.

“Should we call this filial piety…?”

As Souta muttered, Yuka jabbed his arm with her elbow.

Probably because she had heard to some extent what kind of lives the two of us had lived.

“I came here last time too.”

I said, looking up at Kagami.

“This time, let’s properly go around together.”

“……”

At my words, Kagami blushed shyly but smiled as if somewhat excited.

The look of her lost childhood appeared slightly on her face.

…The face of Kagami I remembered from my childhood.