Chapter 190: Evil Female Executive ~For the First Time~ (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 190: Evil Female Executive ~For the First Time~ (2)
Seira, who had just moved into her new home, spent the entire week in a daze. After her first meeting with A, she had played until she was exhausted enough to collapse, and the very next day, she ran into him at school.
Since they lived close by, they walked home together after school. Even after returning home, she would be called out again by A, who had already changed and was ready to play, and the cycle of running around until dark repeated itself.
Her resolve not to make friends with the other children remained unchanged, but for Seira, who was at an age where she needed to run and play, the opportunity to do so with others was an irresistible temptation.
In the end, she would follow A outside, play until her body felt like lead, return home to fall into a deep sleep, and then meet A at school again the next day. As these days repeated, the weekdays blurred past, and the weekend finally arrived.
"Seira!"
Early in the morning, Seira was curled up under her covers, trying to sleep. However, a loud voice disturbed her peaceful slumber from not too far away. She wriggled deeper into her blankets, trying to shake off the noise and sleep a little longer.
"Seira—!"
When the voice called out again, she realized immediately that this wasn't a sound she could ignore until it went away. She threw back the covers.
"Seira!"
The boy’s loud, relentless voice called her name once more. Seira approached the window and saw A standing by the gate at the edge of the yard, calling out to her.
"Let's play!"
Seeing Seira looking at him through the window, A loudly and succinctly stated his purpose. Predicting that today would be another exhausting day, Seira turned her head away, still feeling the grogginess of sleep.
Her eyes landed on the clock hanging on the wall; it was 8:00 AM. She was dumbfounded to see it was even earlier than when she woke up for school on weekdays. She looked back at A, who was still standing in front of the yard.
Despite the early hour, A was brimming with energy as he waved his hand, waiting for her. The young girl let out a sigh, went downstairs, and opened the door.
A was still standing by the yard, and she trudged toward him, dragging her slippers.
"Why are you here so early?"
"Because it's better to start playing early on days off."
"What about the other kids?"
There were many other children in the neighborhood besides A. Since the other kids were surely closer to him than Seira, who had just moved in, she asked as if she couldn't understand why he had come straight to her house.
"Because your house is the closest. And the other kids don't wake up early."
Seira realized then that as much as the other kids were friends with A, they already knew what he was like. While playing together was fun, A’s shouts to come out and play early on a holiday when they wanted to sleep in wouldn't be welcome.
The reason A had come to Seira’s house was partly because it was close, but also because he figured Seira, who hadn't adjusted to him yet, would actually agree to play.
"Are you home alone?"
"Yeah."
"Did your parents leave early today too?"
"Mom and Dad are busy with work."
While playing with Seira for a week, A had never seen her parents. He had asked her about it while they were playing and learned that her parents left for work early and returned late.
He thought that might be the case on weekdays since many adults worked then, but he hadn't expected it to be the same on the weekend.
"Don't you want to play with your mom and dad?"
When the curious A asked with wide, sparkling eyes, Seira tilted her head as if she didn't understand the question.
"They're busy, so how can we play?"
Seira understood that her parents worked hard, and she had long since given up on the idea of going somewhere or spending time together like other families did.
"It’s nice to eat with your parents on the weekend and talk about stuff."
"I just eat what my mom makes and leaves for me."
"...By yourself?"
"By myself."
"Really all alone?"
"All alone."
Seira answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world, while A looked on, unable to comprehend. The two of them tilted their heads, failing to bridge the gap between their different lives, but A soon cleared the complicated thoughts from his head.
"Then let's play now!"
"What? You said the other kids aren't even awake yet."
"That's true."
"Then what are we going to do?"
He had come out with the intention of playing early since it was Sunday, but since he hadn't actually decided what to do, A fell into deep thought.
Exhausted from watching A stand there and ponder, Seira let out a sigh and turned back toward the house.
"Where are you going?"
"I have to wash up and change. You want me to play in my pajamas?"
"Got it. I'll wait here then!"
Seira didn't answer and went inside with a pout. Perhaps feeling uncomfortable leaving the waiting A alone, she began to get ready a little faster than usual.
After a quick wash, she stepped into the capsule that changed her clothes, put on her outdoor outfit, and stepped back outside. She found A swinging a long stick he had picked up from somewhere.
"What are you doing?"
"Roleplaying a cartoon character I saw yesterday. Want to join?"
"No. I don't even know what it is."
"I'll teach you!"
When she expressed her reluctance to play a game she didn't know, A dropped the stick as soon as she stepped out the gate and grabbed her hand.
"Where are we going?"
"My house."
"Huh?!"
"My house. I'm hungry."
"Then you should have met me after you ate."
"But then you'd have to eat alone, Seira."
Just as A said, if they had agreed to meet after eating, Seira, who was alone at home, would have eaten the side dishes her mother had made yesterday by herself. She had considered it normal and saw no problem with it, but she couldn't find a way to argue with A's logic.
And so, A led Seira by the hand to his house a block away and pressed the passcode on the gate to open it.
"Our house passcode is my birthday. If you want to eat together next time, just come over."
"...I don't think I will."
She quietly declined his offer, but A, who had no intention of listening in the first place, crossed the yard and opened the front door.
"Mom!"
Seira jumped at A's loud shout. Being used to being home alone even on Sunday afternoons, she hadn't realized until they arrived at A's house that his parents would actually be home.
"Are your parents here?"
"Yeah. Why wouldn't they be?"
In the living room, where she had been practically dragged by A, a man with short black hair was sitting on the sofa. And in the kitchen connected to the living room, she could see a black-haired woman wearing an apron, preparing a meal.
"Hm? A. I thought you went out?"
"I came back because I'm hungry. When did you wake up, Dad?"
"A little while ago."
A's father, who had been talking to A with his eyes fixed on the TV, turned his gaze to the side. Only then did he notice the young girl hiding behind A, looking nervous.
"Who's this? A friend?"
"Yeah. Her parents went to work early so she was going to eat alone, so I brought her over."
"You didn't just drag her here against her will again, did you?"
"Of course not."
Seeing A answer so shamelessly, Seira looked exasperated, and soon her eyes met A's father's.
"Ah, hello. My name is Seira."
When she greeted him cautiously while gauging his reaction, A's father gave her a bright smile.
"Right. Welcome. It might be a bit uncomfortable, but please make yourself at home."
His kind voice and friendly attitude helped Seira relax a little. Then, the woman in the kitchen, hearing the voices in the living room, wiped her wet hands on her apron and approached.
"A. Didn't I tell you to eat before you went out?"
"If I eat before I go out, I'll be late to play. Mom, you just don't get it—ack!"
A had been speaking proudly, as if his actions were all part of a grand plan, but his mother promptly smacked him on the head.
"You go out this early every Sunday, but you forget how to get to school?"
"That's in the past!"
"What do you mean 'in the past'!"
Just as she was starting to relax, Seira tensed up again watching A get scolded by his mother. For a moment, she worried she might get scolded too when their eyes met, but A's mother’s expression immediately brightened.
"Oh my. Are you A's friend? You're so pretty. Where do you live?"
"The house with the blue roof, one block over."
"Oh, you're the child from the house that just moved in. You're eating with us?"
"Ah, A said we should eat together..."
"I see. Go wash your hands and wait. I'll make something delicious for you."
Seeing A's mother show a radiant smile, so different from when she was smacking A, Seira began to think she didn't need to be so nervous.
Still, she didn't fully let her guard down and kept glancing around as A took her to the sink to wash her hands.
"My mom's cooking is really good."
"Okay..."
For Seira, who wasn't used to having a cozy meal with a family, the entire situation was foreign. Yet, she didn't dislike the feeling, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.
A's mother had already finished preparing breakfast, and after washing their hands, A and Seira sat in the chairs at the dining table.
The meal began with the family of three plus Seira. A, apparently hungry, started eating quickly, picking up various dishes.
Whenever he dropped food while picking it up with his chopsticks, A's mother would nag him, and A's father would smile at the scene. Seira watched the peaceful family atmosphere for a moment, then looked down shyly when she realized everyone's eyes were on her.
"Try this."
A picked up a meat dish with his chopsticks and placed it on Seira's plate.
"Oh. Thanks..."
"Don't be shy, eat a lot. The men in this house eat so much that I always make plenty."
"Yes. Thank you."
With that, Seira began her meal in earnest. Watching them talk about what happened during the week and what they planned to do on Sunday, Seira could feel the atmosphere of A's home.
It wasn't that she disliked her parents or that they didn't get along, but because they were so busy, Seira rarely had such moments. The atmosphere was both strange and enviable to her, and she found herself smiling as she continued to eat.
"Oh! Mom. Seira's parents go to work early. Can she eat breakfast with us?"
"If Seira is okay with it, she's more than welcome."
"...Yes. Thank you."
Unable to say no in that setting, Seira agreed.
"It's fine to play after you eat, but don't do anything dangerous with Seira."
"We're going to the hideout."
"I told you not to go there because it's dangerous!"
"Ah! It's not dangerous!"
It was a noisy dining table, the likes of which she couldn't remember experiencing, but Seira felt like she was part of a family, and her smile didn't fade throughout the meal.
After finishing the meal, everyone helped clean up. It seemed that since A's mother had cooked while the father watched TV, the father would do the dishes while the mother rested.
Once the cleanup was done, A finished his preparations to head out. With a shout of "We're going!" he grabbed Seira's hand and ran outside.
"A bringing a girl home. That's a first."
"Well, he can have girls as friends too."
After finishing the dishes, A's father returned to the sofa and slumped down next to his wife, completely relaxed.
"Since they left like that, they probably won't be back until lunch, right?"
"I suppose..."
Just as he was about to answer, he felt an ominous vibe and slowly turned his head. A's mother was already staring intently at her husband. And A's father thought:
'I'm screwed.'
*
Once outside with Seira, A didn't let go of her hand as they walked side by side toward a certain destination.
"Where are we going?"
"Hm? To our hideout. You've played with us for a week now, so it's okay for you to go to the hideout."
"The place you said you forgot to go to school because you were playing there?"
"Yeah."
She felt a bit anxious about going somewhere unfamiliar, but the mention of a hideout used by the kids she had played with made her feel a sense of anticipation.
Was it because her stomach was full after a pleasant meal? Seira felt like she could have a fun time all day today.
With a sense of excitement, A entered the mountain path behind the neighborhood. Instead of the main hiking trail, he veered off onto a path that skirted the mountain and began heading into a more secluded area.
"Is it okay to go here?"
There was a path, but it wasn't a properly paved one; it was a trail created by people frequenting the mountain, and it looked like it hadn't been used much lately.
"Yeah. It's fine."
His overly confident answer was actually a bit worrying, but the thought of seeing the hideout kept her from wanting to turn back.
After going a bit deeper, A stopped in front of a massive tree in a corner. There was no sign of a hideout nearby, and as Seira looked around to find it, A pointed his finger downward.
Following his finger, she saw a large pit dug beneath the massive tree. It looked as if a hole had been hollowed out between the large roots, and inside were various items the children had brought there.
"This is our hideout."
No one else seemed to have arrived yet, as the hideout was empty. Seira marveled at the hideout, which was large enough to easily fit three or four children, and A puffed out his chest proudly.
"We're going to play here a lot from now on."
"Okay."
She had intended not to make friends because she thought she would just move again, but when a fun moment arrived, Seira forgot those thoughts and focused on playing.
A looked at the brightly smiling Seira and felt truly glad that they could play together. The two of them carefully climbed down into the hideout.