Chapter 191: Evil Female Executive ~For the First Time~ (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 191: Evil Female Executive ~For the First Time~ (3)
About a month had passed since Seira moved in. While she still hadn't quite grown accustomed to A’s uncontrollable high spirits, being dragged along by him to play had somehow become a natural part of her daily life.
“…I’m sleepy.”
On their way home from school, the two of them had gotten off the bus and were walking side-by-side toward their houses. A was walking in a daze with his eyes half-closed, yawning, while Seira watched his precarious steps with an anxious gaze.
“That’s because you kept sleeping in class and then slept the whole way on the bus, too.”
“They were showing an anime special on TV. I stayed up all night watching it.”
“That’s your own fault, A. I’m going to tell your mom.”
“Ugh….”
Because he had stayed up until dawn watching his favorite anime special the night before, A had tried to nap during class whenever he could, but he simply couldn't overcome the waves of drowsiness.
Since it was indeed his fault for watching TV so late, he couldn't argue back. He merely glared at Seira with narrowed eyes, looking disgusted at her threat to tell his mother.
“You say you’re sleepy, but you were running around just fine during lunch break.”
“You have to play when it’s time to play.”
Even during lunch, when he could have caught up on much-needed sleep, A had bolted his food and rushed out to the playground. Since he wasn't in top condition, there was no telling what might happen, so it had recently become Seira’s job to keep an eye on him as she followed him around.
“Go to bed early today.”
“Tomorrow is Sunday, so it’s okay if I stay up late.”
“I’m really going to tell your mom.”
“I told you not to!”
He could handle Seira’s nagging, but he desperately wanted to avoid his mother finding out that he was staying up late.
As they walked along with their backpacks on, a bus headed toward the city center passed them by. A’s eyes followed the departing vehicle.
“Seira.”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t you want to go downtown?”
“What?”
The place where they lived was relatively far from the city center. It was a residential area without high-rise buildings or corporate offices; to reach the heart of the city, with its tall buildings and brilliant lights, one absolutely had to use some form of transportation.
The only transportation A and Seira ever used in the neighborhood was the bus to school. Although A was very active, he didn't quite have the resolve to head into the unfamiliar city center all by himself.
Most importantly, since they had no proper way to contact anyone, A himself had thought that going downtown would be difficult.
“You haven't been there yet, right?”
“Well, no, but….”
Even A, who spent a lot of time with his parents, didn't go downtown that often. He was always running around the neighborhood, and even when a trip to the city did happen, it was usually just his parents going to buy groceries and coming straight back. Whenever they had suggested he come along, A had usually refused, preferring to play in the neighborhood instead.
Unlike A, Seira spent less time with her parents, and though a month had passed since she moved in, she had yet to leave the neighborhood. She was curious, but the anxiety of going to the city center—a place she’d never been—without an adult outweighed her interest.
“Want to go together?”
“What if we get lost?”
“You have a cell phone, Seira, so won't it be fine?”
A, being young, didn't have a phone yet, but Seira had one because she needed a way to contact her parents. As A said, if they got lost, they could just use the phone to call for help and find their way back.
Of course, they wouldn't be able to avoid a scolding, but as long as they kept their wits about them, it was possible to play downtown without getting lost.
The anxiety didn't vanish completely, but as solutions were presented one by one, Seira began to think that going at least once might be a good idea.
“But how will we get there? We have to take the bus to go downtown. If we ask our moms and dads for allowance to go to the city, they’ll definitely say no.”
Playing downtown sounded nice, but finding a way to get there was the first priority. When they took the bus to school, they just got on without paying.
However, the bus to the city required a fare, which meant they needed pocket money. Seira brought up the obstacles one by one out of lingering unease, but A stopped walking and crossed his arms with a triumphant expression.
“I’ll just raid my piggy bank.”
“Your piggy bank?”
“Yeah. I’ve been saving up the money Mom and Dad gave me to buy snacks.”
With the travel costs and a means of communication sorted, Seira couldn't think of any more reasons why they couldn't go. She fell silent. Sensing his chance, A grabbed Seira’s hand and looked at her with sparkling eyes.
“Let’s go together. Please? I think it’ll be so much fun if I go with you, Seira.”
“……Really?”
She wasn't completely used to playing with A yet, but she was gradually adapting. And since it was true that she enjoyed playing with him, her heart wavered at the promise of doing something even more fun.
“If we go tomorrow, I’ll go to bed early today. Okay?”
Finally, worn down by A’s relentless urging, Seira let out a sigh and nodded.
“Fine. But you have to go to bed early, okay?”
“Yeah!”
At the confirmation that she would go downtown with him, A answered loudly with a beaming smile.
*
The following day.
Even after making the promise to go downtown, they had played all day. Seira had worried whether A would actually go to bed early after they parted, but the next day, A showed up at the meeting spot at an incredibly early hour.
Since he always woke up early on Sundays to go out and play, his parents didn't say anything, so he had no trouble leaving the house.
Seira’s parents had also left for work early, so there was nothing stopping her either.
“Did you go to bed early yesterday?”
“Yeah. I was so excited that I just lay in bed until I fell asleep.”
He was filled with the kind of swelling anticipation one feels the night before a school field trip. Seira was excited too, but a part of her was still wondering if this was really okay.
“You brought the money, right?”
A pulled a wallet full of coins from his pocket to show her, then started walking ahead as if there were no problems left. Seira glanced back at A’s house for a moment before quickly chasing after him.
The neighborhood was quiet. A and Seira sat at the bus stop, waiting for a bus that could arrive at any moment.
“There’s lots of yummy food downtown. And tons of fun stuff, too.”
Excited by the thought of the city, A sat on the bench and worked hard to explain everything he had seen during his previous visits. Since this was her first time going downtown since moving, Seira listened to his words with maximum focus.
Before long, a bus pulled up in front of them. A stood up first and held out his hand; Seira took it.
They boarded the bus, A paid the fare, and as they sat in their seats, they kicked their feet in excitement while watching the scenery outside change.
How long had they been on the bus? As soon as the familiar city landscape entered A’s view, the two of them got off. Standing at a bus stop in the middle of the city, they looked up at the towering buildings.
“Whoa….”
It wasn't the first time she’d seen tall buildings, but the novelty of the location made Seira gasp in admiration.
“See? Wasn't it a good idea to come?”
Seeing Seira’s awe, A puffed out his chest and spoke proudly. He gave her a bright smile as she nodded, then looked around to find their first destination.
“It’s that way.”
As soon as he spotted the market alley he had visited with his parents, he grabbed Seira’s hand and headed toward it. Knowing nothing about what was around or how the area was laid out, Seira relied on A and followed behind him.
As they entered the market alley, pungent and delicious aromas stimulated their senses.
“A, what’s that?”
The lined-up stalls were selling all sorts of food, many of which Seira had never seen in her life.
As if she had never been anxious at all, a fully excited Seira asked A about every unfamiliar thing she saw. Having been to the city a few times, A explained everything with a voice full of confidence.
“They sell skewers there. It’s a shop that sells fried chicken with a delicious sauce. When I came out with Mom and Dad before, Dad bought me one in secret and got in trouble with Mom. But it was super tasty.”
“Whoa….”
“…Should we try one?”
“Yeah!”
As he explained with joy, recalling the delicious memory, Seira became captivated by his description. Seeing her eyes filled with anticipation, A gained even more confidence and went to the stall to buy two skewers.
Then, another shop caught their eye. After buying hands full of food, they sat down on a bench in a park next to the market.
“!!!”
As soon as she sat down, Seira took a big bite of the skewer they had bought first. Her eyes widened in surprise at the crispy texture and the sweet sauce. A, who had been hoping Seira would enjoy it, only felt relieved enough to bite into his own chicken skewer after seeing her reaction.
“There’s lots of other fun stuff, so let’s go play after we eat this.”
“Okay.”
Seira nodded, savoring the happy feeling as she stuffed her cheeks until they were full. They had bought more food than necessary and were almost too full to move, but nothing could stop their excitement.
“A, what’s that?”
After that, the two of them began to wander all over the place. They went to a large electronics store and looked at gadgets they had never seen or used before.
They entered an arcade—a place that had looked fascinating but off-limits when A was with his parents—and played games for a long time. They also watched street performances with great interest. Whenever they saw something new, Seira would ask a question, and A would do his best to explain what he knew, or they would learn about it together.
As the fun continued, their excitement only grew. A, who had suggested the trip in the first place, was having the time of his life, and Seira, who had initially been anxious but now felt there was nothing to worry about, raised her voice in delight whenever she saw something amazing.
A felt a bit out of his element when seeing things he’d never experienced, but because Seira was with him, he didn't worry at all. Seira felt even more out of place, but because A was by her side, she wasn't afraid.
“A, what about this?”
At least, that was true as long as they were next to each other.
“A?”
Seira, who had been looking around in excitement, called out to A again, only to realize that he, who had been right beside her a moment ago, was gone.
She had no idea when or where he had disappeared. Panicking, she looked around.
There were countless people in the middle of the city, and A was nowhere to be seen.
They had been playing for so long that it was already late afternoon. She couldn't think of a way to find A among the massive Sunday crowds.
“A….”
The anxiety of being left alone in an unfamiliar place washed over her. She called his name in a small voice, continuing to look around for him.
The voices of the people. The loud music blaring from the shops. The brilliant lights of the signs. Everything that had been fascinating and fun just a moment ago turned into a strange terror the moment she was alone.
Her body felt frozen, unable to move from the spot, and her heart felt like it was racing with fear. She might have been able to find him if she shouted his name loudly, but she was so paralyzed by fear that her voice wouldn't come out.
Then, the moment her feet finally moved, Seira began to walk to find A.
“A. Where are you?”
Unable to speak loudly, she muttered to herself as she searched for him with her eyes. With every step she took, she found herself in places she didn't recognize, her feet leading her further into the unknown.
After walking without rest, Seira found herself a bit away from the crowds. She sat on a nearby bench and looked toward the mass of people she had just walked through.
If I can’t find him like this….
The fear that she might never find A again made her feel like she was about to burst into tears.
“Hey there, little girl.”
She looked up at the voice coming from in front of her. Standing before the bench where Seira sat were two men in police uniforms. The sudden encounter with the police made Seira recoil in fear.
“Why are you here all alone? Did you lose your parents?”
Seeing a young child sitting alone on a bench away from the crowd, the officers had approached thinking she might be lost. But to Seira, who was already feeling vulnerable, meeting the police was not a welcome situation.
Her lips trembled at the thought that she would get in trouble if she told them she had come downtown with A without telling anyone.
“I think she’s lost.”
“Looks like it. Do you know a phone number where we can reach your parents?”
The officers spoke as kindly as possible so as not to scare her, but Seira kept her mouth shut.
“I think we should take her to the station for protection and find her parents.”
Her heart sank at the mention of going to the police station.
“I, I….”
She opened her mouth, thinking she had to say something to avoid going to the station. As the silent child finally spoke, the two officers turned their full attention to her.
Receiving the gaze of two strange adults at once, Seira’s voice continued to tremble with tension.
“Seira!”
Just then, a loud voice called her name. She turned her head at the familiar voice and locked eyes with A, who was running straight toward her.
“A!”
The moment she saw him, the anxiety in her heart vanished, and she cried out his name. A ran up, immediately grabbed Seira’s hand, and spoke to the officers watching them.
“We came out to play together!”
He shouted loudly, panting for breath that had reached the tip of his throat. Seeing the two children together, the police realized she wasn't a lost child and nodded.
“Alright then. Don't leave your friend alone, and make sure you head home safely after you're done playing.”
A watched the officers walk away, then looked at Seira, whose hand he was still holding. Seeing the trembling in her eyes as she stared at him, the tension of having finally found her seemed to break, and he sat down beside her.
“Thank goodness. I looked for so long, I really thought you were gone.”
“I was worried because I lost you too, A.”
Perhaps because the anxiety had been so intense, neither of them had the energy to return to the fun they had been having before they were separated.
“A. Can we go home now?”
The thought of losing him again took away all desire to play. A nodded at Seira’s request.
“Yeah. Let’s do that.”
He took her hand, and together they headed toward the bus stop.
They didn't speak while waiting for the bus, but their tightly clasped hands seemed to say they wouldn't lose each other again.
Eventually, the bus arrived. Smiles spread across their stiff faces at the thought of going home. Before boarding the bus, A reached into his pocket for his wallet.
“Huh?”
At the short sound, Seira looked at A. A’s face turned pale, his hand still inside his pocket where he had reached for the wallet.
“It’s gone….”
The wallet he had been carrying just a while ago while they were playing was nowhere to be found.