Chapter 73 - Volume 5 (1/2)

Volume 5, Chapter 2: I became Yuzu, Part 2

It’s been a week since I got permission to go out. Up until then, I hadn’t taken a step from home and haven’t even gone to kindergarten.

That’s right. I am a “Kindergartener” now.

…… what kind of face should I make if I want to go to kindergarten?

Because I was still sick, I heard that I would be accompanied by Kotone-onee-chan when I went out. In other words: I can’t be allowed out alone. Onii-chan wanted to come along, but his schedule and onee-chan’s didn’t match, and it had been arranged to match her schedule.

It seems that I’ll be escorted by the chauffeur instead.

……eh? This is such a big household that we have a chauffeur?

Well, I heard that Father ran a food processing company with around 500 employees, and Mother was a director of accounts in a foreign company that did cosmetics.

How did the two of them even meet…?

Our family wasn’t one of those conglomerate households, nor were we among the rich, but since onee-chan and onii-chan were going to prestigious schools, I think that it was a necessity to commute by car.

I’m afraid of stepping into high society. I didn’t realize it since I usually ate convenience store pudding and natto at home.

……By the way, did you know? Natto without its flavor is just rotten beans.

Anyway, since I seem to have gone off on a tangent, I’m going out for my rehabilitation.

If I was a genuine high-class lady, I think I’d be wearing custom-made clothes when I head out into the neighborhood, no? Still, although I’m wearing ordinary clothes I still feel unwilling to buy new items at the department store each time my size changes, since I’m a child.

……My way of thinking is surprisingly plebian.

Anyway, Kotone-onee-chan… sorry, that’s too troublesome to say… “Kotone-chan” and I headed to a municipal park that was about 30 minutes away by car. Oh, but of course I’ll usually call her “Kotone onee-chan,” though.

As for why we were going to a remote metropolitan park, it was because they thought that it would be less dangerous in a more populated park than in a small park that was nearby.

Outside the window, the scenery of the city flowed by…… But since we didn’t talk at all about my memories, we arrived at the park just like that. Dropping Kotone-onee-chan and I off at the entrance, the driver went to park the car.

Although it’s a large park, I don’t see anyone sunbathing on the grass like in a foreign country. Instead, there’s housewives jogging normally and people who were walking their dogs, and there’re also signs for hot dog stands and shops selling soft-serves.

“Yuzu, don’t walk off on your own, okay?”

“Yes~”

I was afraid that my legs would atrophy because I hadn’t gone about in a week, but as I ran around a little, I was relieved that I could run normally.

It seems that it’s dangerous if I wander out of sight of Kotone-chan, and there’s a little freedom.

“I should have brought some toys to play with Yuzu.”

“What kind of toys?”

“Hmmm~…… Frisbee…?”

Please stop. I can’t retrieve it.

Somehow my strides were different from how I thought they should be and I fell down rolling, but since it was in the grass it didn’t hurt. While I fell a few times, I got used to running quite a bit.

But I have no physical strength. Come to think of it, I think I was told that my body wasn’t very strong, and that I would run out of breath when I ran about 100 meters.

This must be what they meant by having no physical strength. With myself in such a condition, there’s no way I can go with other children in kindergarten. While I was thinking while running, it seems I’ve gotten a distance away from Kotone-chan.

“……ah,”

A small noise leaked out from my mouth.

In front of me, there was an older man with no defense on his scalp that was pulling along a very big dog that had short fur. If it was a medium-sized dog it’s all well and good for it to be seen in the park, but I think that to bring such a large dog into a park where there’s a small infant is a breach of etiquette.

In short, the problem is that I just jumped out in front of this huge dog that looked like a hunting dog.

“Yuzu!”

I heard Kotone’s voice coming from the distance.

But the dog owner didn’t even notice my existence even with that yell.

Although this is just my perspective, I had the impression that people that were larger in height and width were oblivious to their surroundings so that they didn’t have to look around too much.

This man was exactly that type. Even though he knew that the dog that he owned could easily kill an infant with a bite, he thought that his dog was different, and even if it wasn’t, he believed that others would avoid him and be wary.

…… in this case, it’s my fault for being careless.

“[……Guruu…]”

The big dog saw me. I, too, looked at the dog.

It’s a big, black dog… but, I’m not too scared.

In spite of myself, I stretched out my hands to pat the dog, and smiled gently. Hey… it’s not scary?

“[Kyaaaaaain!!!!]”

“Betty-chan!?”