Chapter 22: 22

“Noo! I want to be with Riku-chan! I don’t want to leave!”

The city was at dusk. In front of a house.

Haruno-chan’s arms and legs are flailing about and she’s whining. Her hair, which was tied up a little on the side of her head, was out of control.

Haruno-chan’s mother, who was standing next to her, gave a troubled smile and squeezed her hand.

I was standing there, not knowing what to do.

There are four people on the street in front of this house. Me and Haruno-chan, first graders. Then there is Haruno-chan’s mother and my father.

Haruno and I live next door to each other, and it has become normal for us to be together.

“Noo! I’m not going home! I’m staying at Riku-chan’s house!”

“Stop it, Haruno. You’re bothering Kuromine-san.”

“I want to stay with Riku-chan!! Riku-channn!”

Haruno-chan was waving her mother’s hand around, crying and screaming.

At that moment, my father, who was standing next to me, patted me on the head.

“Hiyuu, you’re popular, Riku! Hey, what do you say, Popular-san! Want to invite Haruno-chan over to our house?”

“Either way…is fine.“

“Riku-chan, you idiot! Tell me you want to be with me! You can’t be so vague as a man!”

“Um, then……I want to be with you.”

“Riku-chan, you idiot! You can’t be a man who’s easily swayed by other people’s opinions!”

“Wh, what am I supposed to do!?”

I held my head and lamented.

“Harukaze-san. If you don’t mind, shall I take care of Hino-chan today?”

“I apologize for the inconvenience……”

“No, no, it’s not an inconvenience. I can invite such a lovely princess to my home, isn’t it great!?”

Haruno-chan’s mother smiled bitterly at my father, who was needlessly high-strung. It’s a little embarrassing.

Dad said and did strange things to many people. But I noticed that he was liked by everyone.

I heard from my mom that dad is adored by everyone in the company.

“I’m on it, Riku!”

“Eh?”

“I’ll take care of your youth, I promise!”

“…….”

He slapped himself on the chest and smiled confidently.

I, still in elementary school, did not understand what he meant.

○

My dad and I took Haruno back to the house. My right hand was clasped tightly by her.

“What’s wrong, dad? You’re home late——Oh, Haruno-chan.”

Upon entering the living room, mom, who had been sitting on the sofa, stood up, her stomach heavy.

Her belly was big, round and swollen. My little sister was there inside.

“I know this is out of the blue, but I’ve decided to let Haruno-chan stay at our house!“

“It’s really out of the blue. I wished you would have……No, it’s no problem.”

Mom smiled kindly when she said this. It was a familiar expression.

“Auntie! You have a big belly!”

“That’s right. I have a baby in my belly.”

“Wow! Can I touch it?”

“Fufu, sure. Her name is Azusa, so you can call her that.”

Haruno-chan let go of my right hand and rushed to my mom’s side.

She gently touched my mom’s belly and then put one ear to listen to the sound.

“Ah, it moved! Azusa-chan, I’m your older sister~”

“Hoho, I wonder if Haruno-chan will become Azusa’s big sister. I guess we can expect grandchildren from her.”

“Grandchildren? Why is that?”

“Haha! That’s of course with Riku———”

“What are you saying to a kid, Papa? Any more than that and I’ll get angry.”

“Oh, excuse me. I was imagining my son’s glorious youth.”

What is a glorious youth?

I don’t know, but he seemed happy, so I was happy too.

“Auntie! I’m hungry!”

“Right. I’ll make dinner then———”

“Hold on, Mom. I’ll cook! Sit down.”

“Sorry…”

“Don’t worry! I’ve got magic and the curry will be ready in a few minutes!”

“Sugoi!”

Haruno-chan, her eyes shining, claps her hands in delight.

But I knew.

“You’re just heating retort curry……”

○

“Fuun, fuun, fuuuun, Riku-chan, it feels good to take a bath~”

Haruno-chan was in such a good mood that she was humming a tune. She washed herself with a body towel and covered herself with bubbles.

After finishing dinner, we took a bath together.

I had been going in alone since I was in elementary school, so it was a new experience for me to go in with someone else.

“No, Riku-chan! You have to wash your armpits and stuff more carefully!”

“Un.”

“Ah, that’s right. I’ll wash your body!”

“I, it’s fine. I can do it by myself!”

I pulled myself away in a hurry as she approached me with a big smile on her face. I can wash my body by myself.

After that, we continued scrubbing our bodies.

I suddenly remembered the dinner we just had.

When Haruno-chan and I were feeding each other curry and rice, dad grinned and said, “I can seriously expect grandchildren from them!” He was so excited.

Why is it that just because we get along, they start talking about grandchildren? I don’t know.

We rinsed ourselves off in the shower and soaked in the bathtub. The water seemed a little hot, but Haruno-chan was squinting her eyes as if she was feeling good.

“I want to live in Riku-chan’s house forever!”

“Why?”

“Because I can always be with Riku-chan! We can even take a bath together like this!”

“Un, that’s right.”

I also enjoy being with Haruno-chan. I was a little happy to see that she felt the same way.

“Your mother told me we’re childhood friends!”

“Childhood friends?”

“Yep! That’s why me and Riku-chan will always be together!”

Is that what you mean by childhood friends? I don’t really understand.

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“I am childhood friends with Riku-chan~. Fuun, fuun, fuu~un”

Haruno-chan is in a great mood just because I’m around her. I’m happy too.

I see, so this is what it means to be a childhood friend.

I nod my head and agree with her.

I listened to Haruno-chan’s pleasant humming while I waited for her to get out of the bath.

○

After getting out of the bath and spending time with dad in the living room, it was quickly time for bed.

Right now, I was with Haruno-chan in my bed.

The room was dark because the lights were turned off.

It seemed that my dad was still in the living room on the first floor.

“Hey, hey, Riku-chan.”

“…?”

I turned over when I heard my name called. Haruno-chan, whose head was resting on the pillow, was staring at me with a somewhat happy expression on her face.

“Let’s play something.”

“But……Dad told us to go to sleep……”

“Just for a little while, okay?”

“Hmm. But, I want to sleep……”

“Mou! Then I’ll do this!”

Haruno-chan pinched both of my cheeks and gently kneaded them. My cheeks were changing shape like rice cakes.

“Hya, Hyaruno-chan!”

I, too, was determined to win and I did the same thing. I pinched Haruno-chan’s cheeks and kneaded them.

I don’t know what the fun was in that, but we were so absorbed in touching each other’s cheeks.

“Riku-chan’s cheeks are so soft.”

“Haruno-chan’s cheeks are also very soft.”

Haruno-chan slyly smiles with a grin. I think I had the same look on my face.

That feeling, I can’t describe it well, but I felt……very happy.

“Ugaaa. Are there still bad children who aren’t asleep yet?”

“”———!””

Suddenly the door to the room was opened and a low voice reminiscent of a demon was heard.

That was——dad.

We shake our shoulders and hurriedly close our eyes.

He is usually a jovial and strange father, but when he is angry, he is seriously angry.

I closed my eyes tightly and prayed that he wouldn’t know I was awake.

“Who’s awake~”

I heard footsteps approaching little by little. I felt a presence right there. I felt as if someone was looking into my face.

“……Good, you’re sleeping. Then let’s take Riku-chan to hell while I still can.”

Large hands were placed on my sides and my body was lifted up.

I felt as if I was floating———

“Noo! Don’t take Riku-chan away from me!”

I heard her cry out and opened my eyes.

Haruno-chan, her eyes moistened, was clinging to my dad’s waist.

Then dad lets out a funny laugh, “gufufu”, and speaks in a rattled voice.

“I know you both were awake! I’ll take you both to hell!”

“Noo! Uwan!”

I am so used to my dad’s eccentricities that I didn’t think anything of it.

However, Haruno-chan was different. She was so surprised to see my dad, who was different from usual, and cried out in fear.

“Hey, Papa! What are you doing bullying a child!?”

Mom was standing at the entrance of the room. She looked very angry.

“Hahaha! I’ll take mom to hell too———”

“No allowance for next month.”

“I am very sorry.”

Dad bows his head deeply.

Even as a child, I thought it was a very beautiful bow.

“Riku-chan, I’ve got you covered.”

“…eh?”

“Remember, it’s called the suspension bridge effect.”

“…….”

I don’t know what the suspension bridge effect is, but I definitely thought you were using the wrong word.

“Hey, let’s go, Papa.”

“Ouch. Riku-chan, take good care of Haruno-chan! I’m counting on you, grandson!”

“Papa! You’re still talking like that! I’m the one who’s going to have to bow down to Harukaze-san later!”

Dad, who I had no idea what he meant until the very end, as taken away by mom, pulling him by the ear.

In the noisy, dark room, we are left alone.

“…Riku-chan’s father is strange……Gusu”

“Weird? Why is that?”

“Ah, sorry. Riku-chan’s father……”

“No, is that……people?”

“Eh, that way?”

It was a simple question. I don’t think a normal person would say “I’ll take you to hell” to a sleeping child.

After regaining our composure, we lay down in bed. We turned our bodies toward each other, and Haruno-chan’s face filled my field of vision.

“Riku-chan, give me your hand.”

“Un….?”

I did as she said and held out my hand.

Then, Haruno-chan’s left hand clasped mine. Tightly and strongly.

“It’s the only way we won’t be separated.”

“Haruno-chan…”

“We’ll be together forever and ever.”

As if to remind me and herself, Haruno-chan said so politely.

We’ve been together for a long time………I wonder if that’s what a childhood friend is to Haruno-chan.

We intertwine our hands and slowly close our eyes.

Even in the pitch-dark world, I felt Haruno-chan’s warmth.

“Suu, suu, suu……”

I can hear Haruno-chan’s gentle breath. She was so energetic earlier, but she seems to have fallen asleep before me.

“……”

My consciousness was gradually sinking.

In these hands, feeling the presence of my precious childhood friend……

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