A few days after playing together with Hikaru, Inari went to the bus stop to et Shion, who was coming over to visit. Looking up at the sky, she noticed the figures of “new-generation awakeners” flying overhead. They seed to be practicing coordinated flight maneuvers in the air.
“Alright, keep it up! Stay sharp!”
“Yeah!”
Watching them fly off, Inari murmured, “What is it they are keeping, I wonder…?”
She had heard similar expressions from athletes in team sports, but until seeing it used like this, she had neither asked nor investigated further. Still, she assud it ant sothing like “staying focused”—and indeed, that seed to be the case.
Well, certainly, when flying through the air, keeping one’s focus was of utmost importance. Nodding to herself with a “Mm, mm,” Inari’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of running footsteps behind her. Turning, she saw children sprinting toward her at full speed.
“It’s Inari-chan!”
“Oh!”
The first to reach her was a little girl with an adorable backpack. She threw herself into Inari’s arms, who caught her without difficulty. The girl squeezed her happily.
“Aw, Hayase, no fair!”
“Heheh, I won the race!”
“Lucky…”
“Now, now. Be friendly with one another.”
“Okay!”
Apparently, their school didn’t use the traditional “randoseru” backpacks; instead, they carried cute, lighter school bags of uniform design—likely school-issued.
“Hey, hey, Inari-chan, what were you doing?”
“If you’re free, let’s play!”
“Oho, forgive . I am waiting here for a friend.”
“Ehh!”
“Let us play another ti, then.”
Patting their heads, Inari received cheerful “Yeah!” in reply. Hikaru often said, “Kids these days are a handful…” but really, they were just honest and straightforward children.
“By the way, were you let out of school early today?”
“Yep!”
“Today we go ho early to help out and build family bonds!”
“Oho, I see, I see.”
A wonderful initiative, Inari thought. Family bonds. She had been given much to think about on the importance of family during the recent series of events surrounding Eru. In this country, where the monster disasters had once nearly destroyed families, there now seed to be a renewed effort to value life and family ties.
And to Inari, that was truly sothing wonderful.
“…Hm?”
But then she realized sothing. If today was an early dismissal for the purpose of helping at ho, then…
“Children… if that is the case, then playing with is not the right thing to do, is it?”
“Ehh? But my mom always says, ‘Be friends with Miss Kogami!’”
“Mine too!”
“Sa for …”
“Mm… one can glimpse the motives of adults in this. How worldly it is…”
Perhaps it was a matter of wanting their children to have ties to a famous awakener. Still, Inari couldn’t fault them for it. In any case, children never simply acted according to adults’ sches.
“Well, I understand. That may be one answer. But more than that, I believe what your teachers an is to cherish your parents, and tell them ‘Thank you every day.’ Do you not think so?”
The hardships of parents were often only understood after becoming one yourself. But far better to understand and express gratitude while young, rather than too late. Helping with housework was the perfect chance for children to learn and appreciate such things in their own way.
Thank you, Mother. Thank you, Father. Sotis even such simple words could make everything run more smoothly.
So Inari smiled and told them, “Surely you understand, do you not?”
“…Yeah, we do.”
“Good, good children. Then, from now, what is it you ought to do?”
“Yes! Go ho and help out!”
“I’ll wash the dishes!”
“I’ll clean!”
“I’ll do the laundry!”
“Excellent, excellent. You are all very bright. Now, take care on your way ho.”
Waving goodbye with a cheerful “See you again!” the children ran off. Watching them go, Inari noticed the bus arriving at last. From among the passengers stepping down, she spotted the one she was waiting for.
“Inari, I’ve missed you.”
“Mm. As have I.”
Shion ran up and hugged her tightly. She looked so truly happy that Inari didn’t bother to point out that they had just t a few days ago.
“I was so excited about staying over today, I slept extra carefully.”
“Hm? Ah, mm. Slept, thou sayest?”
“No nodding off allowed. I manage my health properly.”
“Oho, that is most admirable. It is oft said people cannot sleep when excited, but then they cannot truly enjoy themselves.”
“Yeah, exactly.”
“Well, in any case, today we go to mine own house. Though, before that, perhaps we should stop by for a bit of shopping.”
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