CH 17

It was my first summer vacation as a high school student.

I'm not particularly involved in club activities, so I spend my days lazing around, or getting along well with Chisome and Kuro Chisome.

And today is finally my birthday.

"and that's why Chisome!"

"e?"

"I bought this because I thought it would look good on Chisome. Will you accept it?"

"To me...? is it okay?"

"Yeah"

What I handed to Chisome was a ribbon.

It didn't cost much at all, but I thought it would look good on Chisome, so I bought a black and white ribbon.

I chose a mix of white and black colors because I did some picture imaging of them... In other words, I bought the same one for Kuro Chisome.

"Come here"

When I beckoned Kuro Chisome, she stepped away from her favorite balance ball and approached me.

"Of course I bought it for you too. It suits you."

Kuro Chisome received the ribbon with her eyes widening like she had before.

As if to refer the same action to Chisome, she also wrapped a ribbon around her hair, like this, the two have worn the ribbons I bought.

The two had silver hair (Chisome) and black hair (Kuro Chisome), so when they were lined up like this, there was a beauty like a piece of art.

"Is it cute?"

"It's cute"

"... Ehehe, thank you Nii-san♪"

I'm also happy to see Chisome with a big smile on her face.

I found it by chance when I was playing around with the usual lineup (Shinji, Kouki), but I bought it because I thought it looked good, and because I wanted to see the smiles of these girls.

The two hugged me from both sides while smiling, but Chisome let go of my body with a startled look as if suddenly realizing something.

"No, this is wrong Nii-san! It's true that this ribbon makes me happy but! still, today is my Nii-san's birthday, so it's the other way around! Though this ribbon certainly did makes me happy!"

The ribbon is important, so maybe it's something that needs to be said twice.

Well, it's true that it's my birthday, and yet it ended up as a form of me celebrating it with giving them a present, but as for me, I was already satisfied because I could see their happy faces.

After that, I was kicked out of the living room because the two of them were going to prepare my birthday party.

"..... Though its fine even if they don't have to make it in a big-scale."

Even so, I was pretty excited myself.

For some reason, I've said it before, but Chisome is the first to celebrate my birthday as Taiga like this, other than my friends.

“Staying still in my room is fine, but maybe I'll try going out for a bit.”

I told Chisome that I was going out for a bit and left the house.

It's the middle of summer, so the temperature is high, and I feel like I'm going to sweat just by walking a little, but it can't be helped because this is summer.

I was told it would take some time to prepare, but I was intent to go home soon.

After going to a random bookstore, I was thinking about buying some ice cream to get through the summer... that was supposed to be it.

"........."

However, for some reason, I was in the middle of a coffee shop right now.

"Do please, order whatever you like."

"......Yeah"

The woman in front of me told me so, but I can't ask for an order right away.

"Are you nervous? Well, it's not like I don't know how you feel. Then let me be the one who will choose."

"........."

Leaving Chisome and having a rendezvous with a woman, how sweet-sounding that kind of act would be, how easy and good it would be huh...。

This is the first time I met this woman who's looking at the menu table in front of me

This woman called out to me when I was wandering around town alone, and at first I thought it was a reverse pick-me-up or something silly, but... the words she told me gave me a shock.

"Nice to meet you, my... no, I'm not even worthy of a name. If I dare to say my name, is it okay if I say that I was the mother of that monster I wonder?"

When I saw her face for the first time after hearing those words, I, that girl....... I had a vision of her, Chisome.

Of course, I knew that this woman was not Chisome and yet, her features were too similar to Chisome.

And thus, I come to this coffee shop just as I was invited by a beautiful young woman who made me think that Chisome would look like this when she became an adult.

"I wonder if that child is doing well. I've already given up her custody so I'm no longer qualified to call myself her mother, but... no, it's wrong. I never intended to call myself as such. It's refreshing to be able to let go of that monster."

".........!"

"Don't stare at me like that please. The way you treat women is no good you know?"

She think she didn't say anything bad, so she looks surprised-like for the fact that I'm angry.

I know about Chisome, and even if I was told that she was her mother, as expected, I can't just be "Yes, oh is that so" and believe it is like that, but... Even so, her features were so similar, but above all, no matter how, I couldn't believe that this person wasn't Chisome's mother.

(......If I had to pick over which, it feels like she resemble Kuro Chisome.)

It's also possible that it's simply because she has black hair... but even so, I can't stop glaring at the other person, even if it's a woman I've just met for the first time――That's how angry I was when I was told that Chisome was a monster.

"I am grateful to your father. For the sake of handing over that child, I did pay a large amount of money, but from my point of view it doesn't hurt or itch and of no concern at all. He was also instinctively afraid of Chisome, but it seems he couldn't give up and snap out of his at hand desires."

"..... so that's why that shitty old man has that much money huh."

"From a child's point of view, that's a terrifying amount, isn't it? It is to the extent that as long as you don't indulge yourself in a ridiculous amount of luxury, you and that girl could live for decades without working."

The legacy that my shitty old man left behind was enormous.

As this woman said, it wouldn't be strange for even an average adult to lose their nerves when they see that amount of money.

It's true that I was surprised about the money, but it was to such degree in which I was relieved that Chisome and I, who were still children, would have no trouble living.

"I can't get in touch with him but... could it be, that he ends up died I wonder?"

"........"

This woman have gotten to the point.

Due to Chisome's ability, my old man's existence should have been obscured, but even so, the fact that she had such a grasp of the situation meant that this person was not affected by Chisome... is it fine to just call this a mother's privilege?

(... There is absolutely no information about Chisome's mother. That's why, even her name didn't appear in the game... I see now. this world has already started to move on its own..... that's why, it means that such thinking it's just a game itself is a nonsense.)

Well, there are times when I think of it as a game, but recently the feeling Chisome is important has become strong, and basically thinking about her is like a part of source of power for me, so I don't really mind it.

As for Souma, he's become a bit of a dangerous guy, and as for Misora, she's gone from little-brother-loving to big-brother-loving, so knowledge of the original story won't help anymore.

"Do you....."

"wha~t? Go ahead ask me anything."

"......Do you know anything about Chisome's power?"

Even Chisome didn't understand, and even I, who knew this world from the outside, didn't understand.

If she knows something, I don't think anything will change, but if I can find out even a little...。

To my question, she thinks... she answered bluntly without showing any gestures.

"I don't know anything. When I held the newborn baby, I sensed something mysterious, and never thought of trying meet her again."

"..... and even with that you are still being a mother?"

"Please don't be silly. In what world would one instinct feels fear, one can feel such disgust and still think that is your daughter?"

".........."

Words doesn't get through, that was my thought and impression of this person.

This person doesn't seem to think of Chisome as her daughter... no, she doesn't even think of her as the same human.

If there were only people like this person around Chisome for a long time, and she was treated like this at school... and then Taiga and that shitty old man tried to tarnish her dignity... well, its impossible with this kind of talk for her not to go crazy.

After that, even if she can control her power and no longer fear others, it makes sense that she won't be able to accept others approach with her already insane mind.

(... Chisome, how much did you suffer? How many days――)

That's when I thought I wanted to go home early and stay by Chisome's side.

"Nee, why aren't you afraid of her? The other day, when I saw you walking side by side with that girl, I had my doubts. Why are you accepting that girl instead?"

It's only a matter of course, I tried to assert that it was because I am of that girl's big brother, but she continued to speak first and interrupted my voice.

"I see, you've already been affected. There's no problem with talking like this, but I feel the same thing about you as that girl."

When I was told that, I put my hand on the place where that shitty old man stabbed me. [Tl note no 1]

"You are not afraid of things that ordinary people are afraid of, and even though your blood relative has disappeared, you don't feel particularly emotional. It's proof that you've been affected enough when you care about that child more than you need to."

In other words is this what she wanted to say.

I'm not sure of the truth, but I didn't feel anything in particular about the disappearance of my shitty old man, and for Chisome whom I think, even if she's as such, she's important and this feeling too and all...... that girl, Kuro Chisome's power affected me and changed me... is this person trying to say that.

"That girl had drove everything crazy I see. Poor child... but it can't be helped. That's kind of the punishment for accepting her――"

“Um~, for the time being is it 'kay if I just say a word?”

It's true that I was surprised to hear various things I didn't know, even so, I only have the feeling that it's because of that.

Even after hearing this person's story, my view of Chisome hasn't changed, I have no desire to leave her at all――even if this is the effect of Chisome's power, it doesn't matter, or rather, I have one feeling that doesn't change.

"I, when I met her the first time, do feel scared. Still, I didn't want to give up on her, and on the contrary, I tried to get along with her by closing the distance between us myself."

"......e?"

"It's true that the girl's power is in my body... and my sensibilities are slightly changing is may be because of it. Even so, there is one thing alone that remains the same."

"........"

"I, from the beginning, terrrrifically liked Chisome."

Thus with confidence I let it out of my mouth.

TL: Maza Miya

Editor: Maza Miya

[Tl note no 1: In chapter 2 it would seem I had miss a very important line. I fixed it already so you could just search the word "kitchen knife" or to make it easier you can just click the link for chapter 2 above. I am sorry for the inconveniences.]