CH ss - 6

With Saki

“To park.”

“Huh? Do you want to go to the park?”

Having just returned from the holiday home of Saki’s grandparents, Daiki and Hinata, yesterday, I felt the need to rest a little.

“Swing…”

“A swing…?”

“Noru! (Ride!)”

Saki seemed to be bothered by the fact that she wasn’t able to play on the swings and the slide when she first visited Daiki and his friends at their holiday home.

I didn’t want to push her too hard because she was still so young, but if my little angel was trying to overcome her weaknesses, I wanted to support her.

I was sure that Saki’s actions had nothing to do with the content of the cartoon that was playing on TV right now, where the pink-haired witch was happily riding on the swing with her friends.

“Okay, let’s go to the park!”

“Ai!”

Saki was all set, wearing a brown rabbit hoodie, black shorts, purple shoes and sneakers with pink laces.

Me? I was wearing a black short-sleeved hoodie and the same colour gaucho pants underneath.

I immediately bought a short-sleeved, thin fabric with a cool material because it was on sale online.

And at less than 2,000 yen for a white and black set, it was a bargain.

Gaucho pants are seven-quarter length with a wide hem and a loose silhouette, so if you were to see me standing with my legs together from a distance, you might mistake me for wearing a skirt.

But it was different.

I had never worn a skirt since I became Mika, and I didn’t plan to in the future.

From a distance, you might misunderstand, but this was a pants style, so it was totally fine.

No, what was I talking about so passionately?

“Let’s go, then. Do you want to hold you?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Okay. Tell me if it’s difficult. Shall I hold your hand?”

“Ai!”

I held hands with Saki and walked to the neighbourhood park.

When I arrived there, I saw one other mom and what looked like two sisters, maybe six and four years old, playing in the sandbox.

However, Saki didn’t pay attention to that and headed straight for the empty swing set.

(Is this okay?)

This was the park where Saki and Yuki cried so much that I had an unpleasant image of this place, but since the little ones were trying to overcome their weaknesses, I had to make an effort too.

I walked at the same speed next to Saki, who was on her way to the swing set.

When I looked to the side, I saw a powerful glow emanating from the eyes of the small body, as if they had decided to do something.

(I’m starting to get nervous…)

Maybe Saki had been bothered by the fact that when she went to the villa, Daiki asked her if she wanted to go on the swing with him and been worrying about the fact that she refused to go on the swing set with her grandpa.

She didn’t like the fact that she had to give up the opportunity to play with her grandparents.

I explained to Daiki and Hinata about Saki’s trauma, so they understood why she refused to go on the swing with them.

Besides, we ended up playing treasure hunt and hide-and-seek at the villa, which everyone seemed to enjoy.

“M, My name is Noru…”

Saki grabbed the chain of the swing and said determinedly, “I’m going to get on it,” but her expression was cloudy and she looked like she was about to start crying.

I was right behind her, watching, but I couldn’t do anything but cheer her on.

What am I supposed to do? I was thinking, when I heard a child’s voice from the sandbox.

“Mama! Look at this!”

“Oh, you’re good.”

“What about you?”

“I’m good at this too.”

“Hollow tunnel!”

“Yes!”

“”Watch me, mama!!”

“Yes, yes.”

Saki had been staring at the sandbox since she heard the child’s voice.

I looked at the sisters, but they were digging a tunnel in silence, perhaps concentrating on the task at hand.

“Mama…”

When I heard Saki’s muttering, I naturally reacted.

“What?”

After being called out, Saki’s face became uneasy, but she looked at me with an expectant look and said the words she had just said once more.

“Mama…”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“Mama! Mama!”

“What is it?”

In the past, I would have wanted to be called Dad, but before I knew it, I must have become Saki’s Mom to the extent that I naturally responded.

I may not be her real mother.

We may not be blood related.

But I’m sure the love I’m pouring into her is second to none.

And Saki, who seemed to have understood that she had a new mother, smiled very happily.

Her real parents, Itsuki and Midori, had passed away, but she still needed to have someone to call, “Mama.”

Saki was still a little girl, and she should have a mother who can spoil her.

“Mama!”

“What?”

“Come on!”

“You with me?”

“I’ll ride with you!”

“You want to ride with me?”

She pulled my hand vigorously and made me sit on the swing.

“Oh my God!”

“Cuddle? Oh, I see. Okay, come here.”

While sitting on the swing, I lifted Saki, who was standing backwards in front of me, and put her directly on my lap.

Was this what a kangaroo parent and child looked like? I blew away my nonsensical thoughts and supported the small body with both arms.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

We never rocked it, we just looked at the scenery in front of us together, but we could ride the swings.

I was sure people watching from the sidelines wouldn’t understand how great this was.

But I know.

I know that Saki worked very hard today.

“Okay, let’s go home.”

“Home?”

“Yeah.”

Now that we were sitting on the swing, we could rock it another time.

I would just have to get used to it.

After dropping Saki off first, I walked up to her and squatted down to make eye contact.

Then I reached out my right hand and gently stroked her head.

Good luck with that.

“……”

“Good job.”

“……”

“You were great.”

As I stroked her head and praised her all the while, a single tear spilled from Saki’s eye.

“Ai…”

Oh… she wasn’t crying because she was sad, they were crying tears of joy.

That park had many bad memories, but it was finally going to be a place I liked.

Because swinging with Saki was very special.

“Mama.”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for swinging with me.”

“Ai!”

“Mama’s weird!”

“Did I say something wrong? Is it?”

“Yeah!”

“Okay, well, let’s go home.”

“Ai!”

[ T/N – I will not be translating vol. 2 as it’s modern romance—and I don’t really like it that much (I read a few of the chapters) so I will be dropping it after this side story. I took so long to post because I’m internationally moving and it’s taking time to calm the chaos xD

If anyone is willing to pick this up, DM me (Verii-Chan#3165) or just update a chapter, I don’t mind. ]