Minami dove into the strawberry cake, her tiny hands clutching the fork as she devoured it like it was the last food on earth.
Her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk hoarding nuts, a smudge of whipped cream marking her nose.
Haruto chuckled, his emerald eyes warm with amusement. "Slow down, Minami. The cake's not going to run away."
Haruka, however, was less entertained. She frowned, pulling a strawberry-patterned handkerchief from her pocket.
With a sigh, she leaned over and wiped Minami's face, her movements brisk. "If you keep eating like that, you'll choke."
Minami barely noticed the scolding, too absorbed in stuffing more strawberries into her mouth.
"It's so good!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled by cake.
Haruto grinned, his gaze flickering to Haruka. "Of course it's good. My sister made it. She's amazing at everything."
The compliment caught Haruka off guard. Her cheeks turned a soft pink as she avoided his gaze, hastily cutting another slice of cake.
"I made it for you, brother," she muttered, handing him the plate. "Don't let that child eat it all."
He took the slice with a laugh. "She's just a kid. She couldn't finish a whole cake even if she tried."
However, Haruka didn't believe it, as a child, she could eat a whole cake when she was stressed out.
So to make Minami scared and stop being a gluttony, she leaned closer to her, her ruby eyes narrowing playfully.
"Do you know what happens to greedy little girls who eat too much cake?" she asked in a low, mysterious tone.
"Their stomachs blow up!"
Minami froze, her eyes wide with horror. She dropped her fork and clung to Haruto's arm.
"Brother, I don't want my stomach to blow up!" she wailed.
Haruto gently patted her head, his laughter spilling out. "Don't worry, Minami. A good little girl's stomach won't blow up as long as she eats her vegetables."
He pointed to the untouched salad on the picnic blanket.
Minami's face scrunched up in protest. "But Sister Haruka isn't eating hers!"
Haruka's smug grin faltered. "I'm an adult. I don't need to eat vegetables," she retorted, crossing her arms.
Minami puffed out her cheeks, her small arms crossing in defiance. "That's not fair! You ate a lot of cake too!"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
"That's why you need to eat vegetables," Haruka shot back, placing her hands on her hips.
"If you want to grow up and be an adult like me, you have to eat them."
Faced with no choice, Minami glared at the bell peppers in the bento box as if they were her mortal enemy.
With a deep breath and a dramatic gulp, she picked up her chopsticks and nibbled on a piece, her face twisted in pure disgust.
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Then he walked over to Haruka, his brow furrowed with concern.
"Haruka?" he asked softly as he sat beside her. "Are you okay?"
She shook her head, keeping her face hidden. "It's nothing," she muttered. "Just some dust in my eyes."
Haruto didn't press. He simply sat there, his presence a quiet anchor as he began rubbing her back in slow, comforting circles.
The forest grew still around them, the golden afternoon light fading into the deep orange hues of early evening.
The colors of autumn mirrored the mix of emotions in Haruka's heart—vivid yet fleeting, beautiful yet tinged with melancholy.
Haruto remained silent, his hand never leaving her back, to make sure she knew she was never alone in this world. Her brother would always be there for her.
After ensuring Haruka had calmed down, the siblings began tidying up their picnic.
Minami sat nearby, her small hands clutching her skirt as she watched them with a troubled expression.
Noticing her silence, Haruto walked over after securing their trash in the bag.
He perched on the large rock beside her, his tone gentle as he asked, "What's wrong, Minami? Aren't you excited to see your parents again?"
Minami lowered her gaze, her voice barely a whisper. "I don't want to go back. Can I come to your house instead?"
Haruto's eyes flicked to Haruka, who was now watching them intently. Her brows furrowed in concern.
Minami's odd request made them worried as they realized she hadn't once mentioned wanting to reunite with her parents, even when she'd been crying alone in the forest.
"What's wrong at home?" Haruto pressed softly.
His first thought went to an abusive household.
He quickly scanned her for any signs—bruises, cuts—but aside from the scraped knee, her small body seemed unharmed.
'Abuse can be invisible,' he thought grimly.
His gaze grew sharper, yet his tone remained calm.
"You can't just run away from home," Haruka interjected, her voice firm but steady.
"Your parents must be worried sick. Don't worry, though. We'll stay with you until you're safe."
Haruto placed a hand on Haruka's arm, whispering, "Let's not rush this."
Then he turned back to the child. "Minami," he said, crouching slightly to meet her eye level, "can you tell us why you don't want to go home?"
Minami was quiet for a moment, her small hands tightening their grip on her skirt. Finally, her voice came, soft and trembling.
"They're in the hospital... I don't want to go there."