Today is a Saturday when there is no delivery for the Nanka family.
　And according to Tenashi, it's the day that Watahira-san and the others are leaving.
　I can only count on one hand the number of times we've seen each other, but I can't help but feel a little lonely.

　I've sent a message to Amari asking her to send her best wishes, and that's about the extent of my sentimentality.

　So, I switched my mind and drove the delivery truck to the first destination.
　The first and second deliveries went smoothly...probably because I was away a lot on vacation or something, the number of absences exceeded 30...but I completed the deliveries and it was the last delivery before noon.

Next stop, Higashino-san's house.

　I looked over the address while thinking casually that she has the same surname as Kana-chan, Amana-chan's friend, and found out that it wasn't far from the apartment where the Minami family is located.

　No way........no, they go to the same elementary school, so it's not at all unthinkable.
　In fact, it's so good that I'm surprised I didn't have a chance to see it before.
　As we arrived at Higashino's house with such subtle feelings that cannot be described as admiration, we unloaded our luggage from the truck and pressed the intercom to announce our arrival.

　Please, please don't be absent here either........!

　In the time it takes for a response, I desperately plead with it as if I were praying to God.

''Yes........''

　As soon as I heard the pretty soprano voice coming out of the speakers, I made a gut punch in my heart.
　I won the bet.
　I won the bet, because the Higashino family had a housekeeper.

'Hi, this is Umineko Transport. I'm here to deliver a package~
"Oh, thank you. I'll go get it now...

　I desperately suppress my state of mind so that I don't show my face as I continue to scream with joy and begin to respond calmly.
　

　As soon as the answer is given, the front door is opened and a girl with trademark blonde hair and blue eyes comes out from inside.
　It's one of Amana's friends, Higashino Kana-chan.

'Hello, Kana-chan,'
Oh, Onii-chan. Hello.....

　He was visibly relieved to see that the courier who came to make the delivery recognized me as a familiar face.
　He must have been scared because he's a shy kid, and I'm glad to hear that he was relieved.

'Can you stamp your seal here, please?
'Yeah...'

　I lower the package to a lower position so that she can easily stamp the seal and make sure it is firmly stamped.
　The package is a light parcel, so Kana-chan should be able to carry it.
　With that in mind, I handed her the package and she accepted it with both hands so as not to drop it.

Onii-chan, I'm here to do your chores....
Thank you, Kana-chan. Are you staying at home?
Yes, he's a treadmill, and Mommy likes to do his chores.
Okay.

　As a friend of Amana-chan's, her carefree words of sympathy and appreciation touched my heart.
　It's certainly encouraging to work when you can communicate even in a small way like this....

'Are you looking forward to next week's festival?'
I'm excited because we're all going together and you're coming too?
'Oh. It's my day off and Amana-chan invited me yesterday, so I thought it would be perfect.
Wow, Hasumi and Chiuri would be happy to see you...
I'm glad you said that.

　Kana-chan's expression was adorable as she got excited about the summer festival and couldn't wait for it to start.

And the day of the festival is Amana-chan's birthday.
What, really?

　And here's an unexpected revelation.......it's Amana's birthday.
　I didn't know that.......what a blunder, even though we're friends.
　No, rather than being informed on the same day, it's better than being informed on the same day.

　If you think about it that way, it's lucky that I found out at this time.

　I'd like to discuss the present with you, but unfortunately I'm still at work.
　I have to get lunch and go to my next delivery address soon.

It's my birthday, we should celebrate something. Well then, I'll see you at the festival.
Yeah, good luck with the pee-pee...

　I was given a smile and a full-bodied cheer.
　After all, it's easy for people to change their minds depending on whether or not they receive a cheer.
　I'll talk to Kuroon about the present on my next day off.

　Then we left Higashino's house and bought a convenience store bento box, which we stopped at on the way to eat in the driver's seat.
　It's a lot more satisfying than the bento Tenri made for me.
　She's completely grabbed my stomach but I'm starting to wonder if this is going to be okay in the future.

　It's not possible to eat her bento forever, so I'll have to learn how to cook from Kuroone-sensei and improve my eating habits.
　But I'm convinced that I won't be able to reach that taste, even if I spent my whole life trying.
　And if I think about such a sad thing, my will to improve is about to break, so let's not make it a goal.

Hm...?

　I resumed driving and was on my way to my next delivery destination when my eyes were suddenly stopped by the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road while waiting for the traffic light.
　A girl with light brown hair in pigtails and a simple dress... Even from the back, I recognized Amana-chan as the one there, but at the same time, I could sense a strange feeling.

　Her footsteps are heavy and slow.
　He wasn't that slow at the mall or at the pool.

　Maybe it's a carefree walk, but then again, her face looks like she's down... oh no.
　I can't just overlook it if I'm this concerned.
　Making that decision, I drive the delivery truck a little bit when the light turns green, stop it on the side of the road, get out and run over to her.

'Amana-chan?'
Onii-san...?
What the hell are you doing here?

　As soon as I see the expression on Amana's face as she responds to the call, I feel like I'm choking up.
　Even though she's only been with me for about four months, I've seen all kinds of expressions on her face.
　I've seen her smile, her angry face and her sad face.　

　And yet, this.....

　I've never seen her cry with her eyes swollen red like this before.

　While suppressing the frustration rushing through my chest, I bend down to look at him and call out to him again, "What's the matter with you, Amano?

"What's the matter with you, Amana-chan!　Did you fall down?　He doesn't seem to be hurt, but...
Da-boo...

　That being said, it doesn't look very okay.
　What in the world is going to make Amana cry?
　It's not as if I can imagine it, but it's not a good idea to let him stay alone.

　I mean.
　What is Amari doing?

　I don't blame her in any way, but she shouldn't be so white as to leave her heartbroken daughter in the dark.
　Is it possible that maybe she doesn't know?

I'll just call Tenashi...
Hey, man!
What?

　The moment I was about to attempt to contact the first guardian I could think of, I was stopped by Amana's hug.
　I was forced to stop her, but I couldn't help but be silent at the sound of her voice as she continued.

''Ugh, hiccup...........................
....

　The tear glands I had been holding back collapsed, because I just started crying, killing my voice.
　It didn't seem to be able to stop, and many questions came and went.

　For better or worse, there was no one around.
　But if this is the case, it could lead to a misunderstanding.
　If that happens, I might be reported to the police.

　Still, I couldn't leave Amana-chan, who continued to cry like this, so I didn't do anything more than lend my heart to her until she stopped crying, and time passed.