Volume 2 Chapter 29

Volume 2 + Chapter 29: [Hatsuka Route] Acting, Informing

Noticing that Hatsuka had cried herself to sleep in her father’s arms.

I silently walked in and extended both hands toward the man. He hesitated for a moment.

Seeing my impatient glance toward the direction of Hatsuka’s mother, the man finally understood and gently handed Hatsuka to me.

Clearly, he was worried whether I could hold her.

The result was obvious, I took Hatsuka without any sign of strain.

Acting very familiar, I sat down on the stool beside Hatsuka’s mother’s bed. Holding Hatsuka, I watched the man gently take his wife’s hand, which was bleeding because the IV needle had come out.

The man tenderly pressed the bleeding puncture hole with the adhesive bandage on the back of his hand.

Hatsuka’s father deeply loved Hatsuka’s mother.

But that wasn’t something I needed to concern myself with. The only things I needed to mind were, the half leg exposed from under the blanket and the hand with the dislodged needle. Those two points were enough.

If the needle came out, it meant that for a moment, Hatsuka’s mother had been so anxious that she tried to get out of bed.

If I’m not mistaken, that must have been when Hatsuka was crying on the floor.

Hmph~ What’s this? So she does feel some heartache after all?

Looking rather coldly at the IV needle stained with blood, I held Hatsuka a little tighter.

After Hatsuka’s father finally stopped the bleeding on the back of her hand, he pressed the call button beside the bed.

Strangely, no nurse came.

Frowning, Hatsuka’s father politely nodded to me and went out to find someone.

Once he had left, I spoke up.

“Hatsuka loves you very much.”

Hearing a strange child’s voice, Hatsuka’s mother finally looked up at me.

As expected, Hatsuka’s mother was also a very beautiful woman.

Even though she was sick and should have looked her worst, pale and haggard.

Not only was she not ugly, but she had a kind of fragile beauty of a sickly lady.

But that would not become a possibility for me to treat her gently.

The words I was about to say next.

They were not something gentle like ‘How much Hatsuka loves you, Hatsuka’s Mama~’.

I stared at the woman with sharp eyes.

“So if you die, Hatsuka will die too.”

Revealing the kind of smile that only a villain would show, I continued.

“If you’re about to die, I’ll have Hatsuka die right in front of you first.”

“Since you’re both going to die anyway, why shouldn’t she die before you?”

“Dying alone is so lonely. Why not let your child die with you?”

With a cold gaze and a sarcastic tone like an actor on stage, I successfully provoked Hatsuka’s mother, who finally showed an expression of “anger.”

I continued to smile.

“Everything Hatsuka just said to you was taught by me to her.”

“I told her that doing this might give her mother a chance to survive.”

“And she listened very obediently, didn’t she?”

I stood up holding Hatsuka, moved closer to her mother, and continued.

“Hey~ If when you’re about to die, I tell Hatsuka this, only by dying in front of your mother can your mother be saved. Only if you die will your mother’s ‘spirit’ return to her body. Then your mother will live. Stuff like that, lying to a child.”

“Do you think Hatsuka would obediently do as I say?”

With a malicious smile, I slowly stretched out my arms and held Hatsuka out in the air.

“Hey, would she do it?”

“Thud!”

My suddenly released hands and her suddenly reaching-out hands formed a stark contrast.

Hatsuka’s mother, who might not even have the strength to bathe herself, somehow managed to catch Hatsuka with her body and embrace.

“Hey, do you think I would actually do that?”

I crouched down, looking at Hatsuka’s mother’s pained expression from the force of gravity, and smiled with great delight.

In a tone that could be called cheerful.

In Hatsuka’s mother’s panicked eyes, I saw myself looking like a villain.

I narrowed my eyes and said softly to her.

“If you die, Hatsuka won’t want to live either.”

“So I’m just fulfilling her wish to be with you.”

“Don’t look at me like that, like I’m some kind of monster~”

“It’s such a letdown.”

I stood up, wearing an expression that said “Oh dear, oh dear, this is unbearable.”

“Here I am doing a good deed, reuniting mother and child, yet I’m still looked at this way?”

Rubbing my chin in frustration, I frowned deeply, pondering the reason.

“Oh, well. Anyway, I’ve given you back your child.”

“So I’ll go home now, shall I? Yes, finally, I hope you survive, madam.”

I gave a gentlemanly bow to Hatsuka’s mother.

Under her stunned expression, I picked up my school bag and left.

When I passed a bit too close to Hatsuka, her mother instinctively hugged Hatsuka tighter and shifted her body.

Exiting the hospital room, I happened to see Hatsuka’s father coming back with a nurse. We passed each other at the elevator.

“Thank you.”

The man said softly. Though I didn’t know if he would still feel grateful after returning to the room and seeing the scene there.

Still, I’d accept this thanks for now.

“Mm.”

A reply that could be called arrogant. The man stopped and glanced back at me.

“I truly thank you.”

The man suddenly bowed in thanks. That was a bit much to handle.

Please, first take a look at the expression on the nurse lady beside you before deciding whether to do something so embarrassing, alright?

Better not show a disgusted face in such a serious setting.

I also bowed with equal solemnity.

“Not at all, not at all. Please go to the room.”

“Alright, then goodbye.”

The man nodded and left.

Finally, I could press the elevator button and leave the hospital.

When I got out of the elevator, it was nearly 9:30. I opened my phone and saw that all the missed calls were from Shimizu-sensei.

Well… any adult would worry if an eight-year-old child hadn’t come home by nearly ten o’clock.

Feeling apologetic, I called Shimizu-sensei back.

“Beep… Hello, where are you now?”

It connected after just one ring. Shimizu-sensei’s calm voice came through the phone.

Hmm?

Could this be the calm before the storm?

“I’m at Jinsheng Hospital.”

“I’ll drive to get you now. Wait at the entrance.”

“Okay.”

I obediently agreed. Shimizu-sensei hung up quite crisply.

I spotted a vending machine, walked over, and selected hot milk.

Took the milk from the slot, then went to sit on a bench on the first floor of the hospital to wait.

It would take about 20 minutes from Shimizu-sensei’s house to get here.

Sipping the hot milk slowly, I suddenly caught eyes with Yuna as she came out of the elevator.

Hmm… why hasn’t this girl left yet?

We both froze for a moment.

Instantly, I showed a look of disgust.

And Yuna, who had been dazed, immediately switched to an angry expression.

“What’s that face! What kind of face is that!”

Yuna stormed up to me and demanded.

“Hmm… Well, I was just exercising my facial muscles.”

I resumed a plain expression and answered seriously.

“You think I’d believe your nonsense?!”

Yuna kept pestering.

“It’s late at night. Shouldn’t you believe nonsense?”

Finding it troublesome, I continued drinking my hot milk while turning slightly away.

“What does that have to do with you talking rubbish!”

Yuna moved her body, blocking my way again.

“Because ghosts come out at night. It’s perfectly fine to believe ghost stories at night.”

I rationalized my own argument and nodded in agreement.

As if I were speaking the truth.

“By the way, why haven’t you gone home yet?

Is it because of that little girl this afternoon?”

Yuna didn’t want to keep arguing about that topic and instead asked about Hatsuka.

“Mm, yes.”

I nodded, not hiding it.

“Is she that important?”

Yuna asked with a gloomy face.

Was she standing up for her sister?

Or did she simply dislike Hatsuka?

None of that mattered. I silently finished the last sip of hot milk, stood up, and threw the bottle into the trash can.

“Don’t ignore me!”

Yuna reached out to block my way. For some reason, today Yuna was being incredibly clingy.

I frowned slightly and looked up to meet Yuna’s stubborn eyes.

“Yuna, in what capacity are you asking that question?”

My calm reply made Yuna’s expression freeze. I had no intention of indulging a child’s possessiveness.

I walked around Yuna and left the hospital entrance.

I checked my phone and saw that it would still be about ten minutes before Shimizu-sensei arrived.

October nights were very cold.

My breath came out as white mist.

But having been rather foresighted, I was dressed warmly. I stood waiting for a while until Shimizu-sensei’s car stopped in front of me.

I opened the door and got in, sitting in the passenger seat. I noticed that there wasn’t a trace of a smile on Shimizu-sensei’s face.

It was the same expression as during the evaluation. I silently met Shimizu-sensei’s gaze.

After staring at me for a while, she was honked at by the car behind.

Still expressionless, Shimizu-sensei coldly glanced back at the car but then turned around and started driving.

To be honest, I didn’t quite understand why Shimizu-sensei was angry.

I held my school bag and sat obediently.

Back at Shimizu-sensei’s house, I followed behind her, not daring to breathe loudly.

“Go complete today’s tasks.”

Her voice was very cold. Shimizu-sensei said this as she looked at me.

“Yes.”

Putting down my bag, I nodded and walked toward the piano room.

This time, the roles were reversed: Shimizu-sensei was behind me, and I was in front.

Having Shimizu-sensei behind me felt even more imposing.

When I turned on the light, as soon as I saw the piano, the power of my heart rushed back into my eyes.

【Play, play,】

【Companion! Companion!】

The blue-white specks of light were filled with these thoughts.

Sitting on the piano bench, I loosened up my wrists and fingers.

Just as I was about to play, I stopped.

Should I tell my teacher about being able to see these things?

I thought for a moment and looked up at Shimizu-sensei.

“What’s wrong?”

Shimizu-sensei frowned, her sharp golden eyes making her look somewhat fierce.

From reading books, I knew that if a person could see “spirits” in their daily life, that was a sign of being able to become a “Spirit User.” Some children with high innate aptitude could also see them.

So my ability to see them was very common.

Therefore, it wasn’t something so important that it needed hiding.

Moreover, there were many things about these blue-white specks of light that I needed to discuss with Shimizu-sensei.

Besides, since she was my own teacher, it would be strange to hide something so trivial.

After some thought, I decided to tell Shimizu-sensei about this.

I reached out my hand, pointed at the dense cluster of blue-white specks around me, and said,

“Shimizu-sensei, can you see the blue-white specks of light around me?”

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