When I heard the voice, I looked up and saw a woman with a gentle smile looking down at me in a blank space.
The woman’s silver hair, dainty appearance, and the mysterious atmosphere she wore made me open my mouth.
“Tenshi-san…?” [TLN: Tenshi is Angel btw]
“My, my, you’ve got a way with words for such a young boy, don’t you?”
When she heard my words, she looked surprised for a moment― But then she smiled very gently and in a cute and friendly way.
I thought she was really an angel in my mind at that time.
“What are you, six years old? It’s getting late now and it’s not safe for you to be alone.”
She didn’t ask what happened to me when I was crying.
She sat beside me on the bench with her knees in her arms and gently patted me on the head, warning me for being alone.
“I don’t want to go home…”
“Don’t you like your house?”
“I hate everyone…”
“Why do you say that?”
“…………”
“Well, if you don’t want to say it, don’t say it.”
She didn’t ask me any more questions and continued to pat my head gently until the people from the facility came to pick me up.
I’m sure that the arrival of the orphanage staff made her realize that I was a child of the orphanage.
She has visited me every day since that day.
She didn’t ask me any questions, but kept gently patting my head until I fell asleep.
I later heard from someone at the facility that she had arranged for me to be delivered to the facility so that she could do whatever she wanted with me.
Normally, such a proposal would not have gone through because of safety concerns, but I guess Onee-san was someone the facility trusted.
I didn’t know why she was so willing to do this, but I think it was the first time I felt someone’s warmth.
The people at the facility were kind to me, but I didn’t like the way they looked at me with pity, as if they were looking at something pathetic.
Most importantly, when I beat back the people who had been bullying me and made them cry, they just apologized to the parents who yelled at me and didn’t protect me.
In fact, they didn’t believe me and even took the other side, saying it was my fault.
From then on, I was not allowed to fight back, I was just beaten.
I didn’t have any adults around me that I could trust anymore, and they all seemed like enemies to me.
It was around that time that I met Onee-san.
After a week or so, she had become someone I could trust.
I could feel her warmth as she gently stroked my head without asking me any questions and was always there for me.
I think that’s why I told Onee-san everything about my situation.
She listened to me without saying a word and then showed me the way.
She told me that I had to become a person who could compete with anyone in studies and sports.
I thought she was telling me something absurd, but she didn’t just say it, she accompanied me in my studies and sports.
I think that’s why I was able to do my best.
―But that relationship didn’t last forever.
About a year later, the day came when Onee-san had to leave Japan.
“You’re going away, Onee-chan.”
I don’t know with what expression I said these words.
However, when she heard my words, she had a very painful expression on her face.
When I saw the expression on her face, I understood that what I said was wrong, and although I was a little boy, I hurriedly tried to cover it up.
Then she smiled kindly at me and reached out her hand to my head.
“I’ll come back to Japan again. And when I do, I’ll bring my family with me, so we can live together this time.”
“Really?”
“Yes, so Akito, no matter what someone does to you, don’t lose. Do your best and be a nice boy. Promise?”
Then I cut my fingers with Onee-san and we parted ways.
I didn’t believe in other adults, but I knew that Onee-san would keep her promise.