I'm home!

　Within an hour of finishing today's room search, Amana came back from school.
　Her cheerful and cute voice is my cue to stop reading the information about my potential new home and get up from the couch to greet her.

　I'm usually the one to be greeted, so it's a little refreshing to be the one to welcome her.　
　With that in mind, I open the door and head for the front door.

Welcome home, Amana-cha...
"Whoa, whoa, seriously, there's an old man here!
Welcome back to a very special welcome!　I guess this is just a matter of time!
'Hassumi-chan!　Chiyuri-chan!

　It wasn't just Amana-chan who was at the door, it was her friends, Hasumi-chan and Chiyuri-chan.
　From the way they spoke, it seems they know I'm a lodger in this house.　
　On the one hand, I think I didn't have to mislead them, but on the other hand, I have a feeling that things are going to get a bit noisy, which could spell trouble.

　Besides, if you look closely behind me, Kana-chan and Daichi-kun were there.
　This is the first time since the last time we saw all five of us, including Amana-chan, together at practice before the sports day.

　It's only been about two months since then, but I'm saddened to think that things have changed completely.

Everyone said it looked like you were living in your home.
Yeah, well, you see, it's all about that.

　Amana affirmed my expectations and welcomed them with open arms for now.
　Then Hassumi-chan and the others all shouted in admiration...especially Chiyuri-chan's gaze shone.

'So, then, did Onii-san marry Amana-chan's mom?
No, I'm not. I'm really just a freeloader who has a room to let me sleep in.
Yeah.....

　So, in a way, the questions flew in as expected, but unfortunately, that's not the case.
　I should have told him that honestly, but for some reason he was disappointed, as if I was disappointed.

　You're still boring, this kid is as boring as ever....

But if we live together from now on, it might really be like that, right?
'Haha, how can I be married to Amanashi?　It's completely benevolent of them to let me live like this.

　Besides, we promised that we would live here until we found a new house.
　I don't plan to talk to her until that deadline, and nothing like what Hasumi said would happen in a million cases.

　It's true that she and I are good friends, but that's only because of Amana's presence.
　Normally, we would just pass each other without recognizing each other, but by chance, she lends me her room.

　I'm not going to flaunt my specialness.

　I don't know if they are unhappy with my response or not, but all four of them, except for Amana, are giving me the cold shoulder for some reason.

You're such an idiot, aren't you?
I feel sorry for Amana's mom.
You know, I think it's a bad idea...
Nii-chan's not so cute when he sleeps...
Don't you guys think that's a bit much?

　Why am I being accused of being a schoolboy?
　Why do I feel sorry for Tenri when she's just trying to take care of herself?
　Did I say something so weird?

Onii-san isn't her father, but she's very happy to have you here, you know?
Amana-chan...!

　Amana appears to glow as she easily scoops up her depressed mood.

　At any rate, I decide to head to the living room with the kids.
　As we all gathered around the table, Amana-chan was in the middle of preparing the drinks, when I noticed that Daichi-kun was looking very nervous.

　Oh, I see.
　This is the first time for him to come to the home of the girl he likes, isn't it?
　That's a bit of a strain, isn't it?

You don't have to be so nervous, you know. You'll get tired of looking over your shoulder, all right?
You're just saying that because you've lived here all your life!
'No, I even wake up and still wonder if I'm in the car, and I pinch my cheeks every day when I wake up.
How's that for a change?

　When I tell him the truth, which seems to be a joke, he gives me a very good joke.
　I'm glad to see that the tension has melted down nicely.　　

'Sorry to see you back!
Oh, I think we're ready to go. Let me help you.
Thanks!

　For four people, it would be too heavy for an elementary school student.
　So I hold a tray with enough juice for all of them.

　While drinking the juice, the children ask me about the differences between my old life and the life in the house.
　As I answered them while keeping the matter of the fire and the overnight stay in the car under wraps, I was able to realize how much Amari and Amana-chan have helped me.

　........but on the way down from Amari's knee-pillow, Chiuri-chan asked me, 'Aren't you already cursed by the fact that you didn't notice that much? He looked at me with pity.
　If that's the case, then what in the world is the curse?
　Who had a grudge against me and put a curse on me?

　Moreover, I asked the schoolboy to think of an answer for himself, and the schoolboy just distracted me from the answer.
　Eventually I thought about it, but I couldn't come up with an answer.

　Then suddenly our eyes met with Kanaka.

".........
Well, what's going on with you staring at Kana's face, young man?
"Heh, oh sorry. I felt like I just saw Kana-chan's face just now...
"?　Kana, it's been a while since I've seen you, huh?
''Right. Hmmm.....

　I don't know, it's a feeling similar to the sense of déjà vu I felt with Mason-san.
　But Kana-chan and Mason are far apart in age, so there is no similarity between them.

　In fact, the difference in age between them is similar to that of a parent and child.........

　As I thought about it that much, the catch in my throat suddenly became stronger.

　Kana was born half to a foreign father and half to a Japanese mother, and her parents must have worked together.
　I've heard that Mason's husband is a foreigner and that he has a child.

　Huh~.........?
　Well, it can't be, hey...?

　Aren't we seeing a relationship we never thought we'd see, this one?
　Fortunately, there is a way to find out the truth of it.
　I turned to face Kana-chan and decided to call out to her again.

'Kana-chan?'
What?
Sorry if I'm wrong?　Is it correct that Kana-chan's mother's name is Koriyoka?
What?

　The sudden question surprises Kana-chan with a roll of her blue eyes.

　It's clear that she's probably wondering why she's suddenly asking her mother's name.
　I'm sure I'd have a similar reaction if I were asked the same question.

　If I get an answer as to who this is, it will end up being a misunderstanding on my part....

　My little bit of guilt is.........

"──How does she know her mommy's name?
".........for real~.....

　The correct answer given by Kana-chan made it easy to disappear.