334 Just How Much Are These Worth? (1/2)
”Eh?” Seiji blinked in surprise. ”No… this isn't a present. It's just a drawing of mine that turned out pretty nice, so I thought I'd to show you. Of course, if you want this, you can keep it. But I think that this drawing is still insufficient to qualify as a present. If you want me to create a drawing of you for your Winter Snow Festival present, I'll do my very best to draw an even better one. How does that sound?”
”I think that this drawing is already good enough,” Shika said in a gentle voice as her eyes flashed with a hard-to-read light. ”But… I also want an even better drawing as well.”
”Understood.” Seiji nodded. ”I shall draw something even better and give it to you at the Winter Snow Festival!”
And so, the present to give his cute adopted sister for the Winter Snow Festival was decided upon.
...
'So cute.' Kaede truly believed that the child currently holding her hand was worthy of these words.
Reo Tachibana… The first time that Kaede had met her, she joked that she wanted to ”kidnap” this child, but now she really did want to do so, just a little.
Reo was cute and innocent, yet also sensible. Kaede and Reo got along very well.
Kaede could feel other people looking at her, their expressions making it obvious that they thought she was a young mother walking around with her daughter.
Kaede didn't dislike their mistaken impression, and this surprised even herself.
'Is this supposed to be a motherly nature?'
Kaede recalled her own mother, who was both strict yet gentle. Her mother raised her children strictly, while also imparting her deep love.
Kaede and her two older brothers, Zankita and Hisashi, all respected their mother as well as loved her.
All three siblings received quite a large impact when their mother passed away.
Her oldest brother Zankita's personality became violent and impulsive, and her second brother Hisashi became a NEET who never left the house. Kaede herself became rebellious and depraved, running away from home several times.
If it wasn't for her father sending underlings and even personally coming out to find and protect her in time, something terrible could have happened to her.
Her father's care as well as time succeeded in easing her pain. Although the three siblings had walked out of the shadows, their scars would forever remain…
”Juumonji onee-chan, what's the matter?” the little girl asked.
Kaede suddenly returned to her senses and discovered that she had been lost in the nostalgia of reminiscing about her mother.
She smiled at Reo. ”Nothing… I was just thinking of something.”
Reo looked at her face. ”Onee-chan, were you thinking about your mother?”
Kaede was surprised to hear this. ”Yes, how did you know?”
”Because I think that onee-chan is similar to me… I also think about mother like you.”
Reo lowered her head and said in a tiny voice, ”My mother has already passed away.”
”I'm sorry…”
”Juumonji onee-chan, where's your mother?”
”My mother's the same. She's already passed away.”
A moment of silence fell between them.
”I really miss Mommy… every time I think about her, I want to cry,” Reo said. ”But this is no good… if I always cry, Mommy will worry about me. I don't want Mommy to worry, which is why I shouldn't cry; I need to be brave…”
Kaede's heart was moved by these words. She really wanted to hug her and spoil the little girl. But she restrained herself from acting impulsively. Her grip on Reo's tiny hand tightened a little.
”Tachibana-chan… can I call you Reo from now on?”
The little girl nodded. ”Sure.”
The blonde teacher smiled and said, ”You can call me Kaede onee-chan as well.”