The Most Beautiful Girl in School Has Become a Mother - Chapter 58

After that, we returned to the nearest station and parted ways there. Miori went back home for a moment, and I headed straight to the daycare.

If someone asked me if I was depressed, I was quite depressed.

To be honest, I didn’t trust Shuri as much as I trusted Miori.

No matter how much of a relative she is, Shuri is still a five-year-old child. I couldn’t believe she could have that much consideration for us who are accompanying her in the “meal affair.” There’s no way a five-year-old could think about whether I would be hurt or whether Miori would be hurt and make a statement like that.

Moreover, by getting to know “mom,” there might be times when I want to learn about our real mother. It’s as if I’m trying to verify whether Miori’s “mom” is the correct one.

Before I knew it, I arrived at the daycare.

Since the time to pick her up was later than usual, there were hardly any children left.

“…Hey there. I’m sorry for being late.”

I opened the sliding door, feeling a bit awkward.

At the sound, Shuri, who had been playing alone in the corner of the large room, looked up with a shining face, but upon confirming that Miori was not there, her face momentarily looked like she was about to cry, and she lowered her head.

“Isaki-san, you were late today.”

From the back, the sound of slippers pattering echoed, and the nursery teacher, Kijima-sensei, peeked her face in.

“Oh, yes. I was just held back at school for a bit.”

“…So, is ‘Mom’ not coming today?”

With a look that seemed to be questioning or worried about something, Kijima-sensei asked.

“Ah… no, it might not be very related.”

With an awkward expression and a hesitant answer, the teacher sighed.

“Today, Shuri-chan had a gloomy face the whole time. Even when I talked to her or played with her, she seemed absent-minded and looked lonely.”

“I see…”

When I glanced at Shuri, she was just staring blankly, moving the toy train back and forth.

Is Shuri feeling awkward in her own way? Or is she just feeling guilty for making me, her only relative and roommate, angry? I don’t know, but seeing her like this, when she usually rushes over, it seems like she has something on her mind.

“Did she say something?”

“No… even when I ask about the situation, she won’t tell me. I wonder if Shuri-chan still doesn’t trust me.”

Even though she cares about her much more than the other kids, Kijima-sensei shrugged and sighed.

Kijima-sensei already knows to some extent about our family environment. Because of that, it seems she pays more attention to Shuri than to other children.

“During Golden Week, if even ‘Mom’ can’t handle it, please contact me. I’ll rush over too.”

Kijima-sensei said that and handed me her business card.

Her email address and phone number are listed there.

“Thank you very much. Then… I hope it will somehow work out.”

I put the business card in my wallet and shrugged my shoulders, sharing a wry smile.

I can’t just have the nursery teacher come in on her day off for free, so I have no choice but to figure something out.

There are indeed times when I think it would be easier if it were someone else. If it’s a fight with a friend, it wouldn’t be too difficult to resolve if we take a few days apart and then talk it over when we are both calm.

However, Shuri and I are siblings. We share the same home, and we can’t rely on our dad, so we have to face it whether we like it or not. There’s no way to dodge it.

“Alright, Shuri. Let’s go home.”

When I went to where Shuri was, who showed no sign of coming over, and crouched down, I called out to her like that. I tried to speak in as gentle a voice as possible to make her think I wasn’t angry.

“…Mom, aren’t she coming?”

Shuri stopped moving the toy train back and forth and asked, still looking down. It seemed she was indeed worried that Miori hadn’t come.

“Mom went home once. She said she was going back to get the teddy bear she mentioned yesterday. Then, shall we head back?”

Shuri nodded in agreement with my words and put the toy back in the toy box.

I hadn’t mentioned that Miori would be staying over yet. In fact, I thought I wouldn’t know how things would unfold from here. Depending on Shuri’s reaction, I couldn’t force Miori to stay over either.

I bowed my head slightly to Kijima-sensei and the other nursery teachers, then left the daycare as is.

On the way, I didn’t hold hands with Shuri.

Just like when we went to school, Shuri walked half a step behind me with her head down, making it impossible to hold her hand. I could forcefully take her hand, but it felt like that would have the opposite effect, so in the end, I just kept walking as we were.

Even after stopping by the supermarket on the way back to buy ingredients for lunch, Shuri was looking around as if she were searching for Miori.

──She said she would come later.

I let out a small sigh and said, “Don’t leave me.”

Shuri nodded and continued to walk half a step behind me as usual.

“Is Napolitan okay?”

“Yeah.”

Shuri nodded while looking down. Her expression was inscrutable.

“Got it, understood.”

I gave a light reply and tossed onions and bell peppers into the shopping cart.

There were still thick noodles left, and Miori had also bought honey, ketchup, and sauce, which we have at home. We just need to buy some vegetables and bacon, and that should be enough.

While I was thinking about buying things that Shuri likes, such as milk, it suddenly occurred to me.

──Speaking of which, it’s been quite a while since the two of us stopped by this supermarket together.

These past few weeks, Miori has been with me the whole time.

On the way back, we stopped by this supermarket together, planned the menu together, and she was soothing Shuri.

Even though I’ve come here with Shuri way more times, I just can’t get used to the fact that Miori isn’t here.

If the “mom” period ends, it seems like it will take me longer to return to my daily life.

After finishing the shopping, we went straight home. During that time, there was hardly any conversation. I would just say things like, “We’re crossing the signal” or “Watch out ahead.”

Before Miori became a “mom,” what kind of things did we talk about outside? I can’t even remember that anymore.

──I might be the one who is more dependent on “Mom.”

Realizing that about myself, I let out a wry smile.

Once I get home, I immediately start making Neapolitan spaghetti. Since it’s a recipe directly passed down from Imiya Miori, I won’t let anyone say it’s bad anymore. Besides, as long as I know how to make it, anyone can whip it up.

Of course, if I mess up the proportions of sauce, ketchup, honey, etc., it could lead to an accident, but it’s unlikely to make a major mistake.

Adding the bell peppers at the end and remembering her advice to cook off the acidity of the ketchup, I proceeded with making it.

Finally, melt the butter, and it’s done.

──Hmm, I must say, it’s quite well done.

As I stir the pasta in the frying pan, I am fully immersed in satisfaction. The smell and the color—it’s the best Napolitan I’ve ever had.

After serving the food on a plate and bringing it to the dining table, I called out to Shuri, who was reading a picture book by herself, and we started lunch.

The two of us said “thank you for the meal” in unison and immediately enjoyed our homemade Neapolitan pasta.

──Oh, not bad at all.

The timing of serving the noodles and the proportions of other seasonings haven’t been perfectly replicated, so the taste isn’t exactly the same. However, it does come quite close to the Neapolitan pasta that Miori makes.

“Shuri, is the Neapolitan pasta good?”

There was so little conversation, so I asked.

Shuri nodded and said, “Delicious,” then added, “It tastes just like Mom’s.”

“I see. That’s good.”

In the end, that was all the conversation we had during lunch.

How do ordinary parents and siblings make up after a fight?

At times like this, I regret not having more friends to consult with.