I was suddenly woken up by the ringtone of my phone.
The caller was Kaori, and she sounded flustered over the phone.
“Yuuto, sorry for calling while you’re asleep. Yuuka-chan’s gone missing, and we’re looking for her. Can you help us search?” (Kaori)
She quickly explained the situation.
Just as I replied with an “Okay,” I noticed my bed was oddly puffed up.
“Kaori, I think I might’ve found her.” (Yuuto)
I said that to Kaori over the phone.
“Huh? Where is she?” (Kaori)
Kaori sounded eager to know.
“I think she might’ve crawled into my bed. I’m going to check now.” (Yuuto)
I said that and lifted the blanket.
There was Yuuka, sleeping with a blissful expression on her face.
“Kaori, I found her. Come pick her up.” (Yuuto)
I quickly ended the call and gave Yuuka a chop on the head.
Yuuka jolted awake in surprise.
“Hey, Yuuka, good morning. You do know where you are right now, don’t you?” (Yuuto)
Yuuka was still a bit groggy, her eyes unfocused, and she clung to me with a dreamy “ehehe~” kind of sweetness.
I lightly patted her cheeks to bring her back to full awareness.
“Yuuto, good morning. You were sleeping so soundly.” (Yuuka)
From Yuuka’s words, I was convinced.
“Yuuka, you intentionally snuck into our room and crawled into my bed, didn’t you?” (Yuuto)
When I asked her, Yuuka averted her eyes.
“Yeah… I just couldn’t sleep well without Yuuto nearby, so I snuck in.” (Yuuka)
Yuuka spoke with an awkward look on her face.
“I see. But back in elementary and middle school, you didn’t sneak in like this. Why now?” (Yuuto)
Thinking there must be a reason why things had changed so much in high school, I asked her.
“Probably because… ever since Papa and Mama were gone, I started craving warmth, being close to someone. I realized people can disappear anytime.” (Yuuka)
It was true that Yuuka had been very attached to her parents.
At school, she mostly clung to me, but when it came to family time, she’d always be doted on by her parents—and I guess me too.
After the car accident, I became the only one she could cling to.
She must be afraid now, constantly haunted by the thought that someone close to her could suddenly die.
This was something buried in Yuuka’s heart, and I hoped that, with time, she could gradually heal from it.
But… that and what she did this time were separate matters.
“Still, I’m angry about what happened this time. You acted on your own and caused trouble for Kaori-chan. So you need to properly apologize to her, okay?” (Yuuto)
When I scolded Yuuka, she looked downcast.
A little while later, Kaori came to pick her up. When I explained what had happened with Yuuka—
“Then I’ll just have to do my best to become someone Yuuka-chan can lean on too.” (Kaori)
She said that with newfound determination.
TL Notes:
Thanks for reading!
Footnote:
- None