episode_0284

“Paching-!”

Like a special effect from a cartoon, I jumped out of bed.

It didn’t actually have that effect, but it meant that my current appearance suited that effect.

So I tried to imitate the sound effect with my mouth.

A smile never left my face as I imagined all the fun things that would happen in the future.

I checked the time right away.

It’s a little past 6 in the morning.

Perhaps because I woke up so early, even Amy hadn’t woken up yet.

I jumped out of bed right away and ran through the darkness of the living room.

Even the cold morning air couldn’t stop me.

After heading to the bathroom and doing a quick wash, I ran straight to the closet.

At first, when Amy bought me a huge wardrobe, I didn’t understand it, but now I think I understand it.

Even though there was a shortage of clothes, there was a severe shortage.

What should I wear today?

Amy’s picks were pretty, but today was a day when my friends and cats were coming over, so I wanted to show off my own cool outfit.

As I stick my head inside the closet and start rummaging through things, a light comes on behind me.

“Jeff?”

“Huh?”

A familiar voice.

It was Amy.

When I pulled my head back from where it had been in the closet, Amy was leaning against the wall, looking at me with tired eyes.

I waved at her.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah. Jeff. You woke up earlier than usual?”

Haaam- Amy yawned lazily.

The weekend was Amy’s day off.

I deliberately didn’t wake Amy up because I couldn’t stand to embarrass her.

“Today is a special day.”

“Special day?”

“Yeah… Uh…”

I nodded confidently and then closed my mouth.

weekend.

today.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t told Amy that I was going to visit Grandpa today.

Could it be because I was too excited?

I crawled into the closet, keeping an eye on Amy.

Soft, fluffy fabric covered me.

“Hmm~ What day is it?”

I held my trembling heart and stuck my head out to check the situation outside.

Amy was walking slowly and looking at me, as if she was really curious.

“That’s right, I said I was going to visit my grandfather today.”

“To Grandpa?”

“Yes.”

“Did you say the time was okay?”

As expected, Amy’s first question was about her grandfather’s time.

I nodded.

Then Amy’s expression suddenly crumpled.

“Did you really say you had time?”

“Yes, yes!”

“What, I see. So that’s why you were so excited?”

“Yes, that’s right. Today is the day my friend comes.”

“Friend?”

I avoided eye contact with Amy’s subsequent questions.

Amy gave me a disappointed look as if asking why I didn’t tell her that fact yesterday.

I just forgot that I had to say it.

“Okay. My friend is coming. I can’t just go. I’ll help you.”

“No. I want to do my own coordination.”

I locked myself in the closet and shook my head at Amy, but Amy’s expression was not good.

She, who had been looking at me as if she was not pretty, sighed and started to approach me.

The more I did that, the deeper I went into the closet.

As I was hiding in the corner from Amy, a white hand flew through the darkness.

Whoosh, a hand grabs me near the nape of my neck, lifts my body, and drags me away in an instant.

I couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly, dangling in front of Amy’s eyes.

“Are you really going to wear that?”

Amy’s words made her look down at her clothes.

The chick t-shirt that Lane bought me, and the jeans that Amy bought me.

And even the scarf that Shine bought me.

Isn’t this a pretty good coordination?

Amy swept her forehead as I nodded and put on the hat I was holding.

“Complete your look with this witch hat.”

Since these were all precious clothes, it was natural to want to show them off to my friends.

However, Amy started to take off the clothes I was wearing with a serious expression.

“Ouch. Aah! No! Don’t take it off!”

“You can’t send it to Grandpa like that! If you send it like that, I’ll get in trouble.”

Swish- swish- the clothes I was wearing flew away and fell onto the bed.

***

The girl in the mirror stood with a heartbroken expression.

It was me.

Amy’s perfect coordination made me look really pretty, but this wasn’t the outfit I had prepared.

“Did you really intend to wear something like this…?”

Shine picked up the clothes I had prepared with a look of disbelief.

I nodded.

What does that mean?

Shine, who woke up late, was also in perfect condition wearing the clothes Amy had prepared.

The two girls standing in front of the mirror nod their heads as they look at each other.

I didn’t like it, but it was the most perfect look anyway.

I sat down on the floor and took my notebook out of my pocket.

Today was the day’s schedule with Appleton.

Since it was my first time having a friend over to my house, I made a lot of preparations.

The knowledge I have gained through the Internet has been truly enormous.

“Are you really going to play according to that schedule?”

“Yeah.”

“Um…”

Shine looked at my schedule and shut her mouth tightly.

I looked at her as if telling her to tell me if she had any complaints, but she just shook her head.

“If Jeff is having fun, then that’s okay.”

I nodded.

My schedule was absolutely perfect.

“Is it okay for everyone to do that? What time is it?”

I raised my head at Amy’s voice.

Amy has now finished preparing to go out.

She seemed to be thinking of going with us.

“The time is fine. I’m waiting for Rain.”

“Rain? Is Rain going with you too?”

“Yes, of course. Rain is our friend too.”

As soon as I finished speaking, a small knock came from beyond the front door.

It was rain.

[Jeff~ Shine~ Let’s play~]

Rain came again today to play.

She came later than usual because she had no work on the weekend.

I immediately got up from my seat and ran to the front door.

When I arrived and opened the door wide, there stood Rain, dressed nicely, checking my clothes.

“Rain!”

“Jeff? Where are you going?”

Rain tilted his head because I, who would normally come out in my pajamas, was dressed up nicely.

It was a natural reaction, since I hadn’t told her yet that I was going to visit my grandfather.

I held Rain’s hand as I put on my shoes.

“Let’s go!”

“Let’s go? Where?”

I grabbed the flustered Rain’s arm and threw myself toward the hallway.

Then he shouted at Amy.

“Amy! I’ll go first!”

I wanted to rush, even though there was absolutely no need to.

My excitement made my heart skip a beat.

As I was running down the hallway, holding Rain’s hand, Shine joined me late.

***

As I passed through the black warp, what I saw was Grandfather Perman.

He looked really kind as he stood there with a small smile on his face.

“Grandpa!”

As I shouted loudly and spread my arms wide, my grandfather spread his arms wide and called my name.

“Jeff! Shine!”

It means both of you should run.

I quickly ran and jumped into my grandfather’s arms.

Unlike Amy, it wasn’t soft, but it had a different, more stable feel to it.

However, Shine just walked slowly and stood in front of her grandfather, but did not jump into his arms.

“Are you only seeing kids?”

Amy blurted out a word with a blank expression as she sat on her grandfather’s shoulders, hugging his head.

It felt like something was off for some reason.

As I was watching Amy’s expression, Grandpa smiled awkwardly and said to Amy.

“Amy. Lane. Come on.”

Rain nodded with a nervous expression.

It seemed like my grandfather, Perman, who was my teacher in the past, was still having a hard time.

“Didn’t you say you didn’t have time when I asked you?”

At Amy’s sharp question, the corners of Grandpa Ferman’s mouth begin to tremble.

I rubbed my grandfather’s forehead and whispered softly.

“You really don’t have time? Can’t we come over and play?”

At my question, my grandfather lifted my body up.

I was surprised by the body rising higher, but I didn’t struggle.

“Postponed!”

“Huh?”

“All my schedules have been postponed. That’s all.”

Is that really possible?

When I turned my head to check Amy’s reaction, she was sighing deeply, as if she was greatly shocked by her grandfather’s answer.

It was while I was spending my time like that.

A shadow appeared in the sky, and the sound of a large propeller could be heard.

Doo doo doo doo – There were two helicopters that appeared.

“It looks like Jeff and Shine’s friends and cats have arrived.”

At my grandfather’s words, I got down from his arms and stood next to Shine.

Grandpa said to Amy as he looked at the helicopter floating in the sky.

“Did you both find out?”

“Yes. There was nothing special about it.”

“Appleton, Red Star side will be fine. I have a personal relationship with the old man there.”

“Then what about the print side?”

“Well…”

The helicopter floating in the sky slowly descended and landed on the ground.

Two helicopters landed with strong winds.

Inside each one, a girl walked out.

It was Prince and Appleton.

“We’ll have to wait and see.”

Grandfather Ferman’s gaze turned to Prin.

It was just an ordinary gaze, nothing special.

At least I thought so.

But at that moment, Prince’s movements stopped.

It was a movement that was so brief that I wouldn’t have noticed it if I hadn’t been watching.

Prince, who had been slightly bowing, raised his head and looked this way.

A strange smile appeared on Grandfather’s face.

Unlike Appleton, who approached with a nervous expression, Prine had a gentle smile on her face.

Just as the two girls standing in front of the grandfather were about to bow their heads, the grandfather waved his hand.

“Okay. It’s okay. There’s no need for such greetings. You’re both Jeff’s friends, right? I hope you can have fun.”

“Oh, that, but still…”

Appleton stuttered at his grandfather’s response, but quickly composed himself and opened his mouth again.

“My name is Appleton. Please take care of me.”

“My name is Prin. Please take care of me.”

At Appleton and Prin’s casual greeting, Grandfather nodded with a small smile.

He seemed quite satisfied.

So, everyone heads to the castle together.

I looked down at Prin with anxious eyes.

What if Grandpa finds out that Prin is a cat?

What if you want to raise it at home?

Should I refuse?

or not…

Unlike my complicated feelings, Prin smiled gently and clung to my arm.