“So this is...”
I murmured as I arrived at the spot where I had agreed to meet Yoshino.
Of course, I remembered exactly where this was.
“Ah, Hieta...! You came.”
“Yes, of course I did.”
I greeted Yoshino warmly, walking toward her as soon as I spotted her.
“You’re all dressed up.”
Yoshino was wearing a cute green dress and a matching newsboy cap adorned with a ribbon of the same color.
“Yes...”
She seemed happy to hear the compliment; Yoshino blushed deeply and began to fiddle shyly with her cap.
She looked so adorable that I couldn't help but reach out and pat her head.
“Still, I didn’t expect you to ask me to meet out on the street like this.”
Our meeting place was right in the middle of the road.
It was a fairly quiet spot with few people around, but I hadn’t expected her to choose such an open location.
“Um, that... Hieta... Do you remember this place?”
Yoshino asked cautiously, causing me to tilt my head in thought.
“Huh? Of course I do. This is where we first met, isn’t it?”
The place Yoshino had chosen was the very roadside where we had first encountered one another on that rainy day.
“You... remembered.”
“It was my first meeting with you, after all. There’s no way I’d forget.”
Especially since it was also where I first met Yoshinon, the talking doll; it had left an even stronger impression on me.
『For this date, Yoshino and I thought about a bunch of things! But in the end, we decided this was the best spot, right?』
“Rather than going somewhere new, I just wanted to hang out here with Hieta...”
At Yoshino’s words, I sat down so that our eye levels matched.
“You went to all that trouble for me. I don't know if I deserve it, but it makes me very happy.”
“Hehe...”
As I patted her head again, Yoshino let out a delighted little laugh.
I smiled, seeing her expression soften and relax.
“Then, shall we go, little lady?”
“Yes...!”
Our first stop was a family restaurant.
Naturally, this was also one of the places Yoshino and I had visited during our first meeting.
“Welcome!”
The employee we had seen back then was still working there.
We were shown to our seats, and we ordered a regular set meal and a kids' set meal.
“Yes! One Regular Set A and one Kids’ Set B! Your order has been received!”
The employee was still smiling as they spoke, but there was a certain kind of madness behind the expression.
What incredible professionalism.
“Your food is here!”
After a short wait, the food arrived.
Yoshino and I received our meals and slowly enjoyed them while chatting about this and that.
“Hieta... You don’t seem to be afraid of anything...”
“Where did that come from?”
We had been reminiscing about the second time we met when she suddenly brought it up.
The comment was so abrupt that I was startled for a moment, but I listened intently to what she had to say.
“Whenever something happens, you always step forward so bravely.”
Step forward bravely, huh? Honestly, I only do things like that because I know I have more than one life. If I only had one, I wouldn't be nearly as reckless.
But I didn’t say that out loud.
Instead, I told Yoshino what I truly thought.
“Like I said before, I think you're brave enough too, Yoshino.”
“...Huh?”
Yoshino seemed to receive an answer she never expected; she stopped eating and stared at me with wide eyes.
I gently wiped a bit of food from the corner of her mouth and continued, “Not attacking someone who hurts you is surprisingly difficult. I struggle with that myself. But you've kept doing it, haven't you? Even when you were terrified, you never attacked others. That’s why I say you’re brave.”
When an ordinary person is harmed or threatened, the natural instinct is to feel hostility and want to strike back.
But Yoshino wasn’t like that.
To me, that made her a truly brave girl.
“I-I see...”
Yoshino seemed to ponder my words, her mouth opening and closing a few times before she whispered, “B-but I’m a coward... Is it really okay for me to stay by Hieta’s side...?”
“...That’s a very direct question.”
Why phrase “I want to be with you” in such a way?
And yet, despite the roundabout wording, her meaning was crystal clear.
Honestly, how had I ended up being loved by such a cute little creature?
I patted Yoshino’s head and smiled. “I’ll stay by your side whenever you need me, so don’t worry too much. I’m Yoshino’s [Knight], after all.”
We finished our meal quickly and left the restaurant.
The reason was simple: the other patrons had started looking at us with warm, pleased expressions.
It was the kind of look people give a pair of close siblings.
We made a hasty exit because those looks were becoming difficult to handle.
Anyone would feel awkward noticing a room full of people staring while they were trying to eat.
“Next, I want to play over there.”
Yoshino pointed toward a nearby playground.
“Sure, let’s do that.”
I held Yoshino’s hand tightly and headed over.
And that was where our game of hide-and-seek began.
For a neighborhood playground, it was quite large, providing plenty of places for me to hide.
“Are you all hidden~?”
“All hidden~!”
Following my answer, the sound of small footsteps approached.
I held my breath and remained perfectly still.
Of course, I wasn’t actually trying my hardest.
If I had, I could have simply used a spell to turn my body invisible.
“Ah, Hieta. Found you!”
“Well, you got me.”
Having been apprehended by Yoshino, I stepped out from behind the sign I’d been using as cover.
I patted her head in praise, and a brilliant smile bloomed across her face.
『Yoshino~ Do you like it that much when Hieta-kun pats your head~?』
“Ah! Th-that’s...”
Seeing Yoshino's reaction, Yoshinon teased her in a playful tone.
I patted Yoshinon’s head as well. “Yoshinon, stop teasing her. You’re making her uncomfortable.”
『Ohhh~ So while you’re saying that, are you trying to charm me too~?』
At Yoshinon’s words, I immediately pulled my hand away.
“Why would I be trying to charm you...”
『Kyahaha! I’m kidding!』
Seeing Yoshinon burst out laughing at my reaction made me want to give her a light smack.
But since I obviously couldn’t do that, I left the laughing doll behind and asked Yoshino, “What should we play next?”
“Next is...”
We spent the rest of the afternoon at the playground, enjoying all sorts of games.
We rode the swings and went down the slide together.
We even played hopscotch, a game I remembered from my childhood in Korea.
At one point, Yoshinon complained that she couldn’t participate, but she still seemed to derive some vicarious satisfaction from watching Yoshino play.
Time passed effortlessly, and by the time the sun began to set, our date was drawing to a close.
“So, did you have fun?”
“Yes...! I had a lot of fun.”
Yoshino and I sat on a playground bench, talking softly.
『Really~? I was surprised when the people passing by said we looked like close siblings~』
“Ahaha, I was surprised too.”
Even though it was a quiet area, there were still a few passersby. At one point, some of them had looked at us and commented, “What a close pair of siblings~” or “The big brother really knows how to play with his little sister~.”
Considering our hair colors were obviously different, it seemed the local society was quite open-minded.
Then again, perhaps they just assumed Yoshino was adopted, much like Itsuka-kun.
“Um, Hieta...”
“Yes?”
“We can go on another date... next time too, right...?”
As I responded to Yoshinon’s chatter, Yoshino asked in a voice full of longing.
It seemed one date simply wasn't enough for her.
I raised my pinky finger. “Anytime you want, Yoshino. Let’s promise that.”
“Yes!”
Yoshino raised her own pinky, and we hooked them together.
Just seeing her smile was enough to make me smile too.
“Um, Hieta... I have one last favor...”
Right after we made the promise, Yoshino spoke up cautiously.
“What is it?”
“L-let me sit on your lap...”
I had expected her to ask for something much more complicated.
Since it was such a simple request, I uncrossed my legs and made space for her.
As soon as she saw the opening, Yoshino climbed right up onto my lap and settled in.
“Haha, well now. Yoshino is just too cute for her own good.”
I chuckled and patted her head.
“Hehe...”
Listening to Yoshino’s soft laughter, we sat on the bench for a while longer, watching the sky turn a deep, brilliant orange.
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