Date
I reluctantly followed Sugar.
She said it was to take a mood break, but it felt a bit suspicious. Still, I followed her anyway.
But the path was strange.
It always stopped at the trees gathered in the backyard, then crossed the orphanage fence. Sugar usually climbed trees well, but after learning magic manipulation, she got much faster.
“Come up quickly.”
“Where are we going…”
“I told you. To take a mood break.”
“So, where exactly is the place?”
“You’ll see when you go.”
With that, we crossed the fence and came out of the compound.
Walking through the old, damp slums, it was a familiar direction.
Clearly, when I first met Rubshi, we went to the bustling area through this path. A few more blocks and we'll be there.
“Why here… If this is the case, why not go out the front gate.”
“Then my mood won't be good. There's no fun in sneaking out.”
“That's ridiculous…”
Even if I go out, there's nothing I can do. Basically, I have no money. I can't buy anything to eat or nice clothes, so no matter where I go, I always get side-eyed. Those slum kids, orphanage kids.
If I had a human wallet like before, but now I don't. Originally, that human was someone I didn't want to see again, whether rich or poor.
If I frowned, Sugar waved her hand towards the front.
“Look, look. It's mid-October now… it's in full swing.”
Thinking about it, there are more people than usual. From afar, you can see it. The street lamps are decorated with flowers, and golden cloth is draped everywhere, making it vibrant.
Sugar, excited by the atmosphere, picked up speed, and I ran after her.
At various stalls, they sell ice cream, waffles, candies, and other foods, and people dressed up to the nines walked around the streets. Each face had a blooming smile flower, giving the feeling of 'enjoying themselves'.
What kind of festival atmosphere is this at this time.
“Harvest Festival!”
Ryly also knows that a harvest festival is held at this time.
“So.”
No particular interest.
“What do you mean 'so'? It's a festival.”
“So. It's a festival, but what. What can we do.”
In other words, I have no money. No matter where I go, I'm not welcomed.
These festivals are for the people who are there to enjoy, and us lowly people like us don't have the qualifications to join in.
Without even saying it in words, I conveyed that meaning with a nonchalant attitude.
Still, Sugar held my hand and led me.
“What can I do. Just enjoy the atmosphere!”
The face looking back at Ryly was overflowing with energy.
Her sparkling eyes. Her mouth open in excitement. There's no way to resist this. No matter what I say or tease, it will all be blocked. And my hand is even held.
I gave up and silently followed where Sugar led.
***
Along the street with accordion melody. Walking along the red bricks, various sights come into view.
Sweet food smells. Mixed with the autumn breeze, it tickles the face pleasantly, and the mood is very good.
With the intention of hoping the other person feels the same, I look at her with a sullen expression.
Sugar, for her part, had recently experienced something that upset her mood and doesn't seem to be sleeping well these days, so she brought me out with the intention of giving me a mood break.
But, well, I don't seem to be enjoying it at all.
“Tommy, look over there. They're doing a magic show.”
“Magic tricksters…”
“Hey. Following along similarly is amazing.”
These people are ordinary people, right? - I added, and she shut her mouth.
Then, on the opposite side, an exclamation burst out, so I turned my head, and there were water droplets floating in the air.
Following the magician's command standing below, those water droplets dispersed and gathered, became swans, became unicorns. Emitting dazzling multicolored light, they made people's eyes happy.
“Wow, can we do that too?”
“If you practice.”
“It's not easy.”
“Of course. How detailed the manipulation needs to be… Especially you, it's really hard.”
“That's a shame.”
“… Why. Do you want to?”
“Yeah. Look over there.”
Following Sugar's gesture, looking at the magician's feet directing the water droplets, there's a box full of money inside. Probably thrown in by the spectators coming and going.
“Jealous…”
“…”
It's been 2000 years since the Saint spread magic widely in this world.
Once there was debate on whether using magic as simple entertainment was right or wrong, but a record emerged that the Saint himself enjoyed fireworks with magic, and the matter died down.
Still, Ryly didn't like the idea of using magic that only talented people can use as entertainment for common people.
“… Want money?”
Since I like sweets, I can buy a snack or two.
Thinking of when I went to the cafe and inhaled desserts.
“No. It's fine.”
But Sugar refused with quite a firm tone.
Today I came out for my friend's mood break, but to have her take a mood break herself, what is this.
Even if I earn money, I have to earn it myself, I can't use my friend's hand. Besides, it seems like I'm not enjoying the atmosphere properly, so how could I make her do unnecessary labor.
With that in mind, looking at her with burning eyes, Ryly subtly avoided her gaze.
Sugar is frustrated.
How am I supposed to make him feel good…
I know how to make him angry and shout, but I don't know how to make him laugh.
Hug him? That's comforting, not making the mood good.
At first, I thought just going out recklessly, getting fresh air, and showing him people would be enough, but it turned out to be harder than expected.
Thinking about it, I can't remember the last time I saw Ryly smile. I thought if I smiled every day, this kid would get used to it and have more smiles, but it wasn't easy.
Especially these days, he's been more gloomy and prickly, so I don't know even more.
Letting out a small sigh, I was pondering, and suddenly, since there were many people, I looked around.
People were dancing in the square. Everyone wearing fine clothes, with flowers pinned, spinning around.
Among them, the girl dancing in the center was not ordinary. With a youthful face, her body was extremely curvaceous, so an 'wow…' exclamation came out naturally.
Wave-like movements. It expressed the body's curves even more beautifully, so anyone would stop to watch for a moment.
“Hey, Tommy. Look at that person. She's really pretty.”
When there's such a rare sight, you have to look. Even in such revealing clothes, oh. Every time she turns one round, her chest, wow.
Sugar looking with eyes wide open, Ryly also lifted his head and glanced.
After a while, he turned his gaze to Sugar.
“… That's about it.”
Then, lowering his head and muttering, hearing it, a snort came out.
Sugar clicked her tongue at the friend with high standards from the beginning, but Ryly had only been captivated by one person.
“A kid. You shouldn't be like that from the start.”
“What?”
“Yeah. You are quite handsome too. Since you see me every day, you have no choice but to have high standards.”
“… What?”
“Me. I'm pretty, right?”
Pointing at herself and smiling, it was absurd.
Ryly, who inwardly acknowledged that he could overlook her, but openly like this was baffling.
“Suddenly gone crazy? No, you've always been weird…”
“Who was it that went out with the director every day? Me. Who made your cheeks red every day? Me. Now, try to refute it.”
“My, my, when did I, make your cheeks red?”
Clenching his teeth and asserting, it seems impossible to refute beyond that. He couldn't say anything, trembling. Because there were many things he had endured in the meantime.
These things or those things. Such things or such things.
“All because I was pretty, it was possible.”
Sugar tilted her head at a strange angle and lifted the corners of her mouth. A smug, boastful expression.
Then, it seemed like the switch was on, but suddenly, she changed her expression.
This won't do…
I came out to cheer up the mood, so if I stir up anger, it's no good. Bad habit.
Sugar lightly patted Ryly's cheeks and immediately grabbed his hand.
“Sorry, Tommy. I forgot today's plan.”
After giving medicine and taking medicine. After doing everything, this. Glancing, she had a faint smile, which didn't sit well.
Holding his hand tightly and going ahead, there was no way to shake him off. For Ryly, the only thing he could do was grumble. The hand holding was sweating more and more, making it more annoying.
So, they were walking the streets together.
“… Huh?”
There was an old man bending over in the middle of the crowd, so Sugar narrowed her eyes and watched the situation, then ran over.
“Tommy, wait a minute…… Grandma! What are you looking for?”
Ryly wanted to say 'just go' because he didn't want to get involved with other people, but Sugar put her hand to her mouth as if to tell him to be quiet.
“Ah… I seem to have lost my wallet… It's hard to find because there are too many people.”
“Oh.”
Immediately, she made a V sign with her back hand.
What? I didn't know the meaning, so the boy raised his eyebrows. But for now, I just watched quietly with the intention of seeing what happens.
“Then, I'll help you find it. What does the wallet look like?”
“Um… Brown base with white dogwood embroidery…”
“Did you lose it around here?”
“Probably something like that… I don't remember well…”
“Wait a moment.”
“Be kind…”
Sugar used her small body to weave in and out between the people.
Ryly stood with arms crossed in a place that was neither here nor there next to the grandma and watched the scene.
“… Sister?”
“No.”
“Then girlfriend?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Cute girlfriend.”
“I said no.”
“I remember when I was young. From then on, I met my husband and have been together ever since…”
“Ah, yes…”
With this strange Q&A, soon Sugar popped out from among the people.
Her expression was bright, which seems to mean good news. She ran over waving her hands wildly.
Seeing that, from the side,
“They are dating…”
The sound of the old lady laughing heartily from the side. If I pay attention, the facial muscles pull, so the corners of my mouth must have gone up.
I laughed because I was an idiot, I was an idiot.
Ryly quickly hardened his expression before Sugar noticed.