Everyone has a season they dislike.
For this woman, that season was clearly winter.
She never said it directly, but after spending many years together, there's a subtle sense of discomfort that naturally arises.
I admired her not only for her beautiful appearance but also for the depths of her heart, so I was sensitive to any change in her, no matter how trivial.
Whenever winter came, she would sink into deep contemplation. Her worried profile would bow slightly and grow darkly shadowed.
Especially on days like this when snow had accumulated, that mood grew even thicker.
"I heard it's unusually cold tonight. When we return home, I'll prepare some warm black tea."
"……Yes. Thank you, Yushiro."
Her delayed answer seemed as if she was lost in thought somewhere. That voice melted into the night's chill.
Tamayo walked with her shoulders slumped, head bowed, staring blankly at the snow at her feet. Matching her feminine, cautious steps, I walked slowly, very slowly, a little behind her.
The path, stepping on freshly fallen snow, was very difficult to walk on.
If this were a bustling street or in front of a shop, someone would have considerately cleared the snow, but this was a rundown slum. Everyone was busy with their own affairs, and the snow remained piled up.
I was careful not to slip while also paying attention to the snow at Tamayo's feet. So that she wouldn't fall, or if she did, I could catch her at the last moment.
Normally always beautiful and composed, but in truth, she had a slightly cute side, so it was entirely possible she might struggle with the snowy path. Therefore, no amount of excessive care was too much. I always wanted to be fully prepared for her.
"It snowed quite a bit on the way here, but it's a relief it stopped for the return."
"Yes. ……But I think it will snow again."
It seemed Tamayo truly did not like snow. She said so in a genuinely anxious voice, with a sighing tone.
Her willow-like eyebrows, curved so pitifully thin, made my heart endlessly ache.
She possesses a clear beauty that never fades no matter what expression she makes. Even when shadows fall on her face, she transforms those shadows into beauty, a truly rare person.
But the sincere sadness of a truly beautiful woman is itself the greatest tragedy. Like an icicle that sharply pierces the viewer's heart.
So, just seeing Tamayo's profile, with her red lips tightly closed as if holding something back, made my heart feel as if it were tearing apart.
Angry at my own helplessness to comfort her sorrow, I unconsciously gripped the umbrella handle tightly, which I had brought because it was snowing on the way here but was now unnecessary.
What use would it be to blame the sky, but why did it have to snow today of all days? I glared up at the thick snow clouds, even though it was night.
Today, we had to go out to get blood. It was about time hunger would start to creep in.
In the slum lined with abandoned houses, only those who considered selling their bodies or children to survive breathed. Such people had no hesitation in selling their blood.
Since they willingly gave blood as long as money was paid, there was no place more grateful for us, who had to obtain blood while avoiding the eyes of the Demon Slayer Corps.
"……Let's hurry back. Before the next snow falls."
Just when I couldn't bear to see Tamayo's face filled with anxiety and urged her, it happened.
A sudden presence from the alley right ahead almost collided with Tamayo. Who would be wandering around on such a chilly, deep night?
Tamayo hurriedly apologized in a low voice, "I'm sorry," but the presence—a man with a harsh impression from the start—just clicked his tongue and didn't even pretend to bow his head.
How could he be so rude? My eyes naturally narrowed, but it wasn't a situation to make a fuss with a human.
As we stepped aside and waited for him to pass, suddenly, what was in the man's hand caught my eye.
It was a rope.
The rope, pulled taut as if bearing weight, led into the darkness of the alley behind the man, and from its end, a dragging sound could be heard.
What in the world was he transporting at this hour of the night? Wondering beside me, Tamayo also tilted her head suspiciously. And the moment we saw it, we both held our breath.
The thing being dragged was a child with bound arms.
A body limp and unconscious. The child's hair, dry, thin, and very small, was whiter than the snow covering it.
Seeing that hair, the unconscious face, Tamayo said in a pitiful voice, softly,
"Meichiro."
The bell-like voice whispered a man's name I didn't know.
＊
Tamayo asked.
"What will you do with that child?"
The man answered.
"I'm going to sell him."
He said there was an eccentric who coveted children with white hair and red eyes and would buy them at a high price.
As the man twisted his smile and said, "Want me to sell him to you guys?" and Tamayo took out a wallet from her bosom, it happened almost simultaneously.
"Keep the change!"
Hit by the coin wallet slap, the man flew away as if rolling on the snow. He flew about as lightly as three tatami mats.
Tamayo, without even a glance at such a man, quickly picked up the child. Yushiro had never seen the kind-hearted Tamayo raise a hand against anyone until now.
Although surprised enough for his eyes to pop out, seeing her holding the unconscious child and smiling brightly as she said, "It's okay now," was so beautiful that Yushiro's heart soon regained its calm.
Tamayo is beautiful today as well. Then, since it's no different from usual, there's no problem.
"Hey, you bastard! What do you think you're doing!"
Even after flying like that, the man was fine. Springing up, he had not a single scratch. Only the mark of the coin wallet was clearly left on one cheek.
'Even sparing such vermin, Tamayo is indeed kind and beautiful,' Yushiro admired, but at the man's next curse, that thought vanished instantly.
"Wait, you hag!"
"How dare you call Tamayo a hag, what nonsense is this!"
A running start followed by a two-footed drop kick. The man flew away on the snow again. He flew spinning about five and a half times in the air. While the man staggered, unable to gather his senses, Yushiro immediately chased after Tamayo.
Tamayo running at full speed, her hem fluttering unrestrainedly.
To Yushiro, who had observed every aspect of her without omission until now, that was a rare treasure video of domestic first-release grade.
Someone bring a camera! No, a motion picture! Ugh, frustrating! I'll draw it myself! Give me paper and brush right now!
But what in the world was the reason she was putting in such full effort?
Yushiro was curious, but soon stopped thinking about it.
Because Tamayo's profile, running straight ahead through the snow she so disliked, was too beautiful.
・
・
・
The condition of the child moved to the clinic was disastrous. The emaciated body was covered in wounds, and it was hard to find a spot without bruises, as if he had routinely suffered violence.
Especially the lump on his head was severe, swollen enough to clearly show traces of having been roughly hit.
Whether that wound was the cause or not, after several days of nursing, the boy who woke up had completely lost his memory. He couldn't remember his past, his parents' faces, or even his own name.
When she learned that the boy remembered nothing, Tamayo, with a complex expression as if she wanted to cry, yet somewhat relieved, and lonely, murmured, "I see." That moment's face was deeply engraved in Yushiro's heart.
Tamayo brought him home, calling him 'Meichiro'. She brought a human child into a house where two demons lived.
Yushiro, who valued the time spent alone with Tamayo above all else, was greatly opposed inwardly but didn't voice it. Of course, it showed terribly on his face.
Because Tamayo looked so happy. Her face, smiling softly at Meichiro, was beautiful enough to lose one's soul. It shone brighter than any smile he had seen until now.
Yushiro could vaguely guess the reason for that light.
—It was motherhood.
Yushiro didn't know Tamayo's past. He knew nothing of her memories as a human, how she became a demon, nothing. Being a discerning man, he never asked unless she spoke of it.
But looking at Tamayo's face now, it wasn't hard to guess that she had once been someone's wife, someone's mother.
Surely, Meichiro must have resembled her family from when she was human. The original Tamayo's smile must not have been a fleeting one tinged with worry, but one full of vitality like a freshly bloomed flower.
How could he take that smile away? Yushiro was a man who knew how to prioritize Tamayo's happiness over his own feelings.
Above all, he wasn't selfish enough to drive out a child with nowhere to go. Especially one with white hair and red eyes, nourishment for demons.
For such reasons, Yushiro reluctantly accepted Meichiro into their dwelling.
With white hair and red eyes, Meichiro had sensitive skin, so he quickly grew accustomed to the demon lifestyle of avoiding sunlight.
He was a bright and cheerful child, just as the name Tamayo gave him, and after a few months, he became a full member of the household.
"Hey, Meichiro. What are you hiding behind your back?"
"Ah, nothing! It's nothing! Ah, don't come out!"
"It's a cat! You brought such a thing again!"
"But it was meowing pitifully! It's so small, it's pitiful!"
"Put it back in its place right now. We don't keep cats like that in our house! Right, Tamayo?!"
"Oh my, a male calico cat is rare. And it looks very clever. What should we name it?"
"How about Chachamaru, Tamayo!!"
"As expected of Yushiro, truly consistent palm flipping. Well done, Chachamaru. Now, you should greet Tamayo too."
"Meow~"
Both Yushiro and Tamayo knew. That this life wouldn't last forever.
Since Meichiro was human, a day would come when he would doubt the identity of the two who never aged.
Yet they believed.
That at least for the next few years, this peace would continue.
・
・
・
"I want to help with cleaning too!"
Looking down at Meichiro blocking the stairs saying that, Yushiro clicked his tongue.
He was about to go up to the second floor with a bunch of cleaning tools. He had planned to finish cleaning while Meichiro was having a snack, expecting this to happen.
"What about the snack?"
"I ate it!"
"The plate?"
"I washed it!"
"Teeth?"
"I brushed them!"
"Good, go play quietly over there."
"No! I'll help too!"
"Ugh, don't throw a tantrum! Annoying!"
Meichiro seemed to feel uneasy if he didn't work, wanting to lend a hand to anything.
The only one who would smile softly and say, "What a good child," to such a child was Tamayo. To Yushiro, who wanted to complete the tasks given by the respected Tamayo alone, it was just a nuisance.
Yushiro (2X years old), a man who became particularly bothersome when it came to Tamayo.
"If you're that free, go play with Chachamaru."
"Chachamaru is sleeping on Tamayo's lap."
"Huh? You left it like that and came here?! Go turn that thing into a shamisen right now!"
"Animal protection groups won't stand for it."
The kitten that was meowing when first picked up had become quite brazen after a few months.
Being male, that fellow followed Tamayo the best, ignored Yushiro as bothersome, and treated Meichiro, who took care of him, like a subordinate or younger brother.
Even with an attitude of 'I'm playing with this guy,' when Meichiro shook a cat toy, it would make a 'Haa, this is...' expression and reluctantly play.
For reference, in Tamayo's case, it would come running with a cooing voice and purring, and for Yushiro, it wouldn't even give a glance. It would yawn once and leave.
That guy is really annoying. Should I have him neutered? Yushiro didn't know how many times he had thought that.
"What's going on, Yushiro? And Meichiro too. Your voices can be heard all the way here."
This house, which also served as a clinic, was neither narrow nor wide. At the echoing sound, Tamayo peeked her face out from the room. The moment Yushiro saw Chachamaru sleeping soundly on her chest, his killing intent rose even higher.
"I'm sorry! It's Meichiro's fault!"
"I want to help, but Yushiro keeps saying no!"
"Oh my, oh my."
Tamayo chuckled. At that moment, Yushiro's heart never failed to pound. Her smile was always dazzling.
"Yushiro, it's okay even if it's a simple task. Could you entrust something to this child?"
Yushiro wasn't a man who would stubbornly refuse the request of the woman he loved, saying, "No!" He was a man who nodded firmly.
Meichiro's dubious gaze was ignored, ignored.
"A patient gave us some sweet potatoes. Let's have them as tempura for dinner tonight."
"Yay!"
"Help a lot and empty your stomach."
"Yes!"
Watching Meichiro jump around with both hands raised, Tamayo smiled once more and went back into the room to continue her research.
After seeing her back disappear into the door, Yushiro looked at the child filled with motivation.
"……Your job is to clean the hallway. Understood? Do it thoroughly."
"Okay!"
Snatching the broom as if grabbing it, the excited Meichiro ran up the stairs.
What in the world is so fun? An incomprehensible fellow.
Smiling wryly, Yushiro also stepped up the stairs.
It was right after that Meichiro missed his step and fell headfirst.
＊
Hello, everyone.
It was good that I hit my head and regained my memories, but with that nauseating amount of information, I ended up bursting into tears.
What is this violent discomfort like experiencing a roller coaster, flume ride, and viking all at once? The scream machine full course, my semicircular canals scream.
At least start with a merry-go-round or Ferris wheel. I'd be fine with a panda doll that moves when you put in a hundred yen.
Or, as always, like driving on a highway, recall memories gradually in that specification. Don't jumble up the beginning, development, climax, and conclusion.
"Hey, you! Are you okay?! Where did you hit?!"
Yushiro, who caught me from the lower floor, shouted with a ratio of 5 worry, 3 anxiety, and 2 anger.
I wanted to apologize for causing trouble, but suffering from the discomfort like having red bean paste, ramen, and rice topped with raw fish blended into a smoothie and poured through a funnel, I couldn't say anything.
Amidst the fighting of raw fish and red bean paste, the greasy scent of tonkotsu broth intrudes. Please let me eat them separately.
"Answer me! Damn it, it's because you were running on the stairs! You idiot!"
An original blend cocktail of condensed milk, cheese, and yogurt slides past the bar counter in my head. Who ordered this horrific substance?
Ah, of all things, condensed milk! The sourness of yogurt tangles with the smoothness of cheese, creating a dissonance in bloom! This pungent smell, are you by any chance blue cheese? But why are you blue cheese when you're not even blue?
You guys are beings born from the same cow. But why can't you hold hands? Why do you each assert your individuality and create flavors arbitrarily? Can't you go back to the milk days when you were one? Has the sunset you shared already become a different color?
Ugh, I'll switch to soy milk! I'll become vegan! Mobile Suit V Gundam, launch!
"Tamayo! Meichiro has— Tamayo! Snap out of it, Meichiro!"
Holding me as I collapsed pale and powerless, Yushiro started running at full speed.
Meichiro. My name.
The name of me who died in the snow the day my mother became a demon.
"What's wrong? What happened to Meichiro……?!"
"He fell from the stairs! He's just crying and won't answer, that carefree Meichiro!"
"Oh my!"
I wanted to object to the two's astonishment that turned pale. What is that inexplicable trust in my carefreeness? Lying on the clinic bed, I was filled with emptiness.
Certainly, if it were the usual me, I might have laughed it off, saying, "Ahaha, I fell! One more time!" but now, due to the torrent of memories, it's not that situation……
No, the memory sorting is roughly done. Then, these unstopping tears must be for another reason.
"Meichiro, can you tell me where it hurts?"
When Mother looked into my face, the corners of my eyes stung even more hotly.
By some connection that continued, in this life, I was picked up by Mother from the past. I received the name Meichiro, just like back then.
Since I had lost my memory, I couldn't call her 'Mother'. Whenever I called her Tamayo, Mother would make a lonely expression.
"Mother."
I might get scolded by Yushiro.
Thinking that, I couldn't help but call her.
I was anxious whether my voice, messed up with tears, came out properly, but it seemed to reach Mother well.
For a moment, her eyes widened, then, as if understanding everything, her face contorted.
Mother, who looked like she was about to cry, trying to apologize for the tragedy of that snowy day, I stopped with a messy smile.
"Long time no see, Mother!"
I prefer Mother smiling over crying.
Mother made a surprised expression, then slowly softened her face.
And smiling, crying just a little, she hugged me affectionately.
"Welcome back, Meichiro."
"Yes, I'm back!"
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