In order to find Amana-chan, who has gotten separated from her, she and Kuroone-san split up and run through the shopping mall.
　I've been trying to ask people I passed on the way to tell them about her features, but they either replied that they hadn't seen her or they just looked at me like I was a criminal.

　........It's too rude to say that you don't have a single bit of intention to do that.
　In fact, a guy like that wouldn't ask you if you've ever seen a girl this openly.

　I don't care what's on my mind right now.

　You're going to pass so many people in such a large mall, and you force yourself to convince yourself that it's going to be difficult to keep just one girl in a corner of your memory.　

　Normally, a lost child would cry from loneliness, but I can't imagine Amana-chan being like that.
　In fact, it's more likely that she would have stopped right there when she realized she'd strayed away so she wouldn't have to pass by.
　Is that girl really a first grader?

　If I'm not good at it, it might be Amana-chan who is the calmest person in the room.

　But no matter how clever she is, she's never been to a shopping mall before and this is a crowded place.
　You can't blame her for not being able to function with her sense of direction and get lost if her vision is restricted, unlike me and Kurone.

　You'll be able to find a lot of people who have a lot of confidence in you, but it's hard to find them.
　It's not the black pitch of earlier, but this is getting a little impatient.......

Aniki. The best way to do it is to have a look around.

　And then a message came flying in from the black sound.
　I send a text asking about not being found and how things are going there, and it is immediately read and replied to.

'Sorry. Not yet either.''
"Oh, really...

　I don't like the sound of blackness, either.
　We've been looking for this guy for what, half an hour now?
　I'd be itching for Amana to at least have a kids' mobile phone, but asking for something that isn't there won't help.
　I'll tell Amana to give her some kind of way to contact me after I find her.

　As I resumed my search with that in mind, some light sound came out of the building's broadcast that was playing background music and sale information.
　I quickly lost interest and started to look around to see if there was some kind of trouble, at the same time an announcement was made.







''We have a lost child announcement for our customers. Nantenna is waiting for you at the Lost Child Center. I repeat. We are taking care of Nantenna at the Lost Child Center. Parents/guardians, please come to the Lost Child Center next to the service area on the first floor...'

...What?

　Is this what a crane call is all about?
　The name of the girl I was looking for right now was announced over the building's public address system, which made me stop in my tracks.
　After ruminating over the content of the announcement, which was equivalent to a heavenly voice, I rushed out to the lost child center on the first floor.

　====.

　On the way there, he meets up with Kuroon and the moment he reaches the Lost Child Center, he is faced with one problem.
　That is........how to take in Amana-chan.

　I don't need to confirm this now, but Amana-chan's relationship is one of friendship.
　I've only heard of them as friends with a 20 year age difference or on social media.

　The only way to prove that relationship is through testimony from the person in question.
　However, the staff at the Lost Child Center didn't believe in the relationship between her and the child, and even with the encouragement of Kuroone-sensei, the answer was a resounding 'no'.

　I'm tormented with regret that I should have brought the memo that Amari had kept for me, but after asking her to look at the history of conversations with her left on my phone, I only manage to get a face-to-face meeting with Amana.

'Onii-san!　Hey, girl!
Yeah, I didn't really know him...

　As soon as Amana came out of the room at the lost child center and saw me and Kurone, a big smile appeared on her face.
　A staff member casually let out a paranoid murmur, but for us it's nothing to worry about as long as we get to see Amana-chan in one piece.

　Anyway, Amana-chan's happy action of coming to hug my leg brought the lost child commotion to a close.

I'm sorry, Amana-chan!　I wouldn't have gotten lost if I had been right... I'm so sorry!

　When Amana came back safely, Kuroone-san clasped her hands together and uttered an apology.

'Uh-huh. Onee-chan looked for Amana for me, right?　I'm sorry I lost you and your sister, Amana no Ho,
"Wow, is this girl really in first grade?　You're too good and too godly, and I feel even more sorry for you~

　In contrast, Amana-chan, on the other hand, rather than showing any signs of resentment, she simply forgave herself for being at fault.
　At the depth of her generosity, Kurone reveals her mixed feelings of confusion and admiration.
　In fact, he doesn't seem to care at all that he was lost, and he can't hide his surprise at the fact that the possibilities ahead of him were so done-like without a figure.

''Um~ There's also the person who brought that child here...''
Oh, really?　If so, I'd very much appreciate it if you could call me, as I'd love to thank you.
I understand.

　The attendant reveals the existence of a kind person who helped Amana-chan, and she happily asks him to call her out to thank him.
　How could he call out to me without fear of trouble........
　Since Amana-chan is a good listener, it wouldn't have been too much of a hardship, but I still want to express my gratitude in a chaste way.

　Then when I was thinking about how to thank her.........





''──Ka(──)zu(──)you(──)...?''
... what?

　Hearing the voice muttered in astonishment, I felt a cold sweat like a waterfall running down my spine.
　Wrong person.........
　That voice was very familiar, and I'm the only one who doesn't need to think back to the fact that he(...) woman(...) calls me 'Kazu-kun'.

　I'm not going to be able to get rid of it.

　And then, there was my colleague at work, dressed in civilian clothes - Mao Sakai.

　She was wearing a pastel green dress with a pastel green dress with a hem that hung over her thighs and jeans, and was quite pretty for her to be in her usual outfit.
　But the eyes behind her glasses were wide with astonishment, and she realized that the reason was next to her.

　That's right, the one next to me right now is the little Amana-chan who answers to anyone who sees her as a little girl.
　I could tell that she was here because Sakai was the person who brought Amana-chan to the Lost Child Center, but I guess she had no idea that her companion was me, the person she knew.

　And the alarm bells of caution were ringing in my head.
　What happens twice in this world is three times.
　Since he had almost been reported by Amari and Kuroon, it was easy to consider Sakai's actions after this.
　What a joyless growth.

　While thinking about this, Sakai brought his trembling hands to his mouth and.....


It's a good idea to make sure that you're not going to have to worry about the fact that you're not going to be able to find a way to make a good impression.

　He muttered, with a face that had encountered the worst scene.

　.........

　.........n?