Ch.446IF Side Story: Seems I’ve Arrived a Bit Early (143)

Not everything has been resolved, but I feel a bit more at ease.

That’s because I’ve learned, one by one, that the things I was most worried about are okay.

…Well, there are still many more unresolved issues.

Let’s think about Mako.

She’s still treating me gently, and at least in front of me, she doesn’t show any signs of trauma.

But such experiences can’t be easily forgotten.

Since I don’t know when or how it might surface, it would be good to keep an eye on her consistently.

Besides, we’re still in the early stages of the story. I couldn’t be certain what might happen next.

And most of those “unresolved issues” were also entangled with Kagami and Koko.

“Kotone.”

As I was spending time at home, having returned early for once, Kagami called me.

Kagami calling me at home is a common occurrence. If I had to be specific, it might be more accurate to say it happens “all the time.”

But usually, she doesn’t just call my name; she often approaches me first.

She comes over and hugs me tightly, or sits beside me. And then we have conversations about ordinary daily life. I liked those times.

But today was a bit different.

Kagami called me while sitting at the dining table. Her expression was even serious.

She didn’t seem angry or anything.

I know that expression. Since childhood, Kagami’s serious moments usually came when our situation wasn’t all that good.

“Mom?”

I carefully went to the kitchen and sat across from Kagami.

“Wua?”

“Koko.”

Koko, who naturally followed me, took a seat at the empty corner of the table.

“…”

Kagami was lost in thought for a moment, then slowly opened her mouth.

“Kotone, Koko. I’m sorry… that I haven’t been much help.”

I blinked.

The emotion I felt upon hearing Kagami’s words was fear rather than bewilderment.

I don’t think Kagami is someone who isn’t helpful. What’s wrong with just living normally? Just because I struggle a bit doesn’t mean my family should struggle too.

Kagami has been a great help to me just by being at home. Especially, she was the reason my heart didn’t collapse.

Saying she hasn’t been of any help doesn’t suit a “devoted mother.”

“Mom.”

I reached out and placed my hand on top of Kagami’s.

Koko, who had been hesitating while reading the atmosphere, also placed her hand on top of mine.

A slight smile formed on Kagami’s lips. Seeing that, I felt somewhat relieved.

At the very least, among the people around me, Kagami shouldn’t think she hasn’t done anything for me. Just raising a newborn with that young body, doing her best, Kagami has already done everything she could.

Fighting against yokai, or standing against forces chasing her.

I hope she doesn’t do such things.

I didn’t want to lose Kagami.

“Here, take this.”

Kagami handed over a yellow envelope. It was the size that made me think there might be bills inside, so I stared blankly at Kagami.

But Kagami just looked at me silently, meeting my eyes.

I carefully opened the envelope.

Inside, there were several talismans.

They’re quite different from the talismans I knew in my past life. Not yellow talismans with red writing, but white paper with ink writing.

I’ve seen them before. I’ve seen Yuka use them a few times.

“What is this…?”

“I thought it might help if Kotone ever has to fight.”

Kagami rummaged through her clothes again and pulled out two small pouches. I’ve seen these before too. They’re also Japanese-style talismans. The kind you carry around.

Kagami’s hand moved, gently holding near my wrist.

And her thumb touched the magic circle tattoo drawn there.

A simple star and circle shape that might make someone think I was poorly imitating an occult enthusiast.

Kagami seems to have been bothered by it. As if it were an indelible scar on my body.

“Mom.”

I was about to say it’s not Mom’s fault, but Kagami spoke first.

“I tried writing them by reviving old memories.”

She was talking about the talismans.

“Actually, it didn’t work well. Because those memories were ones I tried to forget.”

“…”

“But thinking about it again, that’s not entirely true.”

Kagami turned her head to look at Koko. And she gently placed her hand on top of Koko’s head.

“Whatever the memories, they were ultimately memories involving my family.”

“Mom…”

Family.

It doesn’t simply refer to blood-related beings. Kagami wouldn’t consider Kosuzu her real sister.

Me and Koko.

She must be talking about the moment when the two of us were born.

While I at least had a human appearance, Koko was not at all.

That memory must have remained a wound for Kagami for a long time.

“I don’t think I can deny the blood flowing in my body.”

The hand holding mine, the hand on top of Koko’s head. Both slowly moved away.

“Surely, we were destined to be entangled like this.”

Is that why she thinks she hasn’t done anything?

Does she think that she made it so that Koko and I couldn’t grow up as normal children?

“I haven’t succeeded in anything properly, and I haven’t been able to do anything… but I still want to do what I can. Even if it’s only a small help, I can’t not try anything.”

“I’ve already received… so much.”

I opened my mouth with some difficulty.

“The fact that I’m here, that Koko is here. It’s all thanks to Mom…”

At my words, Kagami smiled slightly at the corner of her mouth.

As if she was grateful for me thinking that way, she lowered her slightly reddened eyes.

I imagined.

Kagami in my earliest memories, from when I was very young. From those blurry memories, the face of a young Kagami seems to emerge.

The memory of a girl, not even properly a middle school student yet, holding me and running.

Black hair fluttered over my small outstretched hand.

What kind of clothes was Kagami wearing? Did she dress properly before leaving?

In the middle of winter, did she wander the mountains wearing just one thin piece of clothing? With only the thought of saving the child in her arms, holding that life tightly to her chest, forcibly ignoring the frightening sounds of people chasing from behind.

Hiding behind trees, behind rocks, under the soil, breathing roughly and running, getting wounds all over her body, she must have run while holding me.

An impossible maternal instinct shown at a time when she herself was still a child.

So, the current me exists thanks to Kagami.

Being able to laugh and chat among friends, hug Koko, be hugged—all of it was entirely due to everything Kagami had accomplished.

Yet Kagami still thinks she hasn’t done anything for me?

“…”

I carefully put the talismans back into the envelope.

And I picked up the talismans inside the small pouches.

“Here, Koko.”

I handed Koko’s share of the talismans to her. Koko blinked, received the talisman, and stared up at me.

Then she looked at Kagami.

I stood up from my seat.

And I went to Kagami’s place and hugged her. Since Kagami was still sitting in the chair, the posture was a bit awkward, but I didn’t mind.

Koko blinked her eyes, then came over to us and hugged us tightly as well.

It was warm.

“…”

Although Kagami’s breathing trembled a bit, I decided to pretend not to notice.

*

A few days later.

Kagami still seemed to think she hadn’t done anything for us, but it seems that giving us something like that wasn’t entirely useless.

Would it be strange to say that her expression seemed a bit more relaxed?

And Kagami’s mood affected me too, making my mood that much better.

“You really love your mom, don’t you?”

Yuka asked incredulously.

She didn’t say it outright, but Yuka seemed to know who wrote my talisman.

Well, the only person I would be so happy to receive a talisman from was my mom. It’s not like I had a boyfriend.

…And definitely not a girlfriend.

Come to think of it… this is a bit strange, but everyone around me is from single-father households. And I was from what was almost a single-mother household.

Is it too obvious that I like her?

“No, it’s even weirder if you apologize for showing it so openly.”

“Is that so?”

“Is it weird?”

When Koko tilted her head and asked from the side, Yuka was lost in thought for a moment, then smiled.

“No. Liking your mom is a good thing.”

“It’s a good thing?”

Koko’s face immediately brightened.

She’s so cute.

“Wua!?”

When Yuka and I simultaneously ruffled her hair, Koko exclaimed in surprise.

As we were chattering and heading to the top floor of the old building where the literature club room was—

“Huh?”

Today, there was no bread bait on the thread.

I wondered if Kaoru had forgotten today.

“No, I’m telling you!”

Since the literature club room door was slightly open, we could hear our club president loudly denying something inside.

“We do have a male member!”

Ah.

Yes, they were in the middle of discussing the greatest mystery of the current literature club.

Yuka and I simultaneously shook our heads and headed to the literature club room.