Volume 9 - Chapter 15 – Hometown (2/2)
Jin slowly walked towards Hannah.
So as not to hinder him, the villagers made way. Tears welled up in Hannah’s eyes. She looked downwards as she didn’t want to show her teary face to Jin.
And when Hannah once more raised her eyes, Jin was already in front of her.
The words she had been thinking she’d say if Jin came back had disappeared somewhere, and the only thing that came out of Hannah’s mouth was simply
“Welcome back, Onii-chan.”
Facing Hannah, Jin softly smiled and,
“I’m back.”
He said just two words.
“Onii-chan!”
Hannah couldn’t take it any more and leapt at Jin with all her heart after a running start. Jin gently caught Hannah.
“Onii-chan, onii-chan…”
Hannah’s face was already completely tear-stained. Jin tenderly hugged her and kept stroking her back gently.
“…Don’t disappear again, okay.”
Hannah pleaded while tears still welled up in her eyes, and Jin looked a little bit bothered but the next moment he smiled and nodded.
“Onii-chan.”
Hannah once again clung to Jin.
Meanwhile, Reiko was looking at the two while smiling amiably.
“…Jin-nii.”
Hearing the voice, Jin looked up and there stood Elsa.
“Elsa, I’m glad you’re okay. I realized you were here last night, but there was no way I could come here in the middle of the night so I came in the morning.”
Jin said, Elsa was also moved to tears and,
“You’re not, angry?”
She asked. Jin looked puzzled.
“Why should I be angry? You disappeared, I searched, and found you. That’s all. You’ve probably already reflected upon this by yourself, right? Then there’s nothing more for me to say.”
Jin replied and at last tears began pouring out from Elsa’s eyes too.
“I’m, sorry.”
Elsa said, leaned on Jin and silently cried.
＊ ＊ ＊
Jin waited for Hannah and Elsa to calm down, then stood in front of the villagers.
And then,
“I’ve caused you worry.”
He made a deep bow.
The first one to rush over to Jin was Rock. He put his arm around Jin’s head and put him into a headlock.
“Owowowow, R-rock-san!?”
“You arsehole, just disappearing without saying nothing like that. Ain’t nothing more unfriendly than that!”
Rock said while smiling.
Then Jonas, Linus, Bill, and Jeff too, everyone laughed while watching the spectacle.
And next Jin was lifted up.
“Jin! Welcome back!”
“Jin! Welcome back!”
While several people said so, Jin was tossed in the air.
While being jostled Jin too cried silently. This was his second hometown, he realized.
Not a single person asked where from and how Jin came back.
Everyone had realized that Jin wasn’t just a normal magus, but despite that no one kept him at arm’s length.
Jin had come back, and that was enough to make everyone happy.