Tsuki Tsuki - Volume 1 - Chapter 2

Chapter 02: Welcome back, Moon

She hated that smile.
She laid down for a moment, bit her lip and tightly clenched her fists. The girl forced herself to look up and smile. Her eyes were withholding something. Her mouth was tightly shut. Both her fists were shaking.
—Even now, on the verge of tears, the girl was smiling.
How many times she’s made that smile.
How many times she’s continued to smile while holding back the tears.
How many times she’s cried all alone.
The girl never cried in front of others. When she cried, it was always when she was alone.
The girl knew that even if she cried, nobody would help her….
While crying, she recited.
Hey God, where are you?
Hey God, are you watching me?
Hey God, do you…love me?
There was no one to answer her prayer. Still, the girl continued to pray. She continued to believe. She continued to recite.
God, I believe in you. I believe that you are watching over me.
—That’s why, I won’t cry anymore.
Declared the girl, with a smile. She forced herself to smile with a sad expression.
Aww, why wouldn’t anyone look at the girl.
The girl was always crying all alone. For a long time, she’s been crying all alone.
I wanted to protect her. I didn’t want to see her that sad again.
That’s why I reached out my hand. To save her, to protect her.
—That was a dream. A cloudy dream that faded away as soon as I woke up. When I got up and noticed that I had my fists clenched, I had already forgotten about it.
I welcomed the morning with a headache. Why were my cheeks wet? I didn’t know why anymore.

* * *

Delicious. A taste that stimulated your appetite. An exquisite flavour with simple seasoning, yet remained in your mouth without making you sick of it.
I sipped that soup mouthful after mouthful and before I noticed it, the bowl was already empty.
“…Uhm, Shinobu-san, how does it taste?”
I looked at the origin of the voice. There was Luna-san fidgeting and waiting for my answer.
I would have liked to honestly say it was good, but I couldn’t do that. Luna-san was a swindler. I couldn’t be fooled by a swindler. I wouldn’t be fooled!
“More soup!”
I gave Luna-san my empty bowl.
Upon that, Luna-san energetically replied with a “Sure”, took the bowl with both her hands and headed into the kitchen. With a smile on her face that was saying “I was praised~” she stood in the kitchen, and scooped soup from the pot with the ladle in her hand….Damn. I ended up pleasing her.
Full of regret I looked down at the table.
Luna-san’s cooked food was lined up on the table. Colourful sandwiches, a salad and soup.
—Today was Saturday. The day I eat lunch at home.
Because I said that I wanted to eat sandwiches, Luna-san made them.
But it sure was a surprise. Until just recently, Luna-san was scared of the gas oven and was talking to the refrigerator or microwave, but she now had improved a lot.
Just as I thought that she must have worked hard in the kitchen with my mother every day,
“Hey, she specially made it for you, so at least say it’s delicious.”
Sitting to my right, my mother told me off with a weary face.
By the way, beside me Nazuna was happily stuffing herself with a sandwich.
“Luna-san gave it her best to make these.”
“Really. Then I’ll also give my best by eating them.”
I answered while grabbing a sandwich, when my mother let out a sigh.
“…Shinobu, listen.”
My mother bent forwards and waved her hand. Wondering what’s up, I also bent towards her. My mother put her face close to mine and said in a small voice.
“You know, Luna-chan isn’t showing it, but she burned herself a few times when she cooked this.”
“….Really?”
“Yes. Because a certain someone said ‘I really want to eat sandwiches. I’m really craving for some soup!’ Luna-chan was really enthusiastic….”
“…I, I see.”
My mother lightly poked my forehead, then slipped back into her chair.
“A secret?”
She must have seen me and my mother. Luna-san asked that with her head tilted when she brought my refill of the soup. I just nodded vaguely and sneaked a peek at Luna-san’s hand. Like my mother had said, she had burns. Her slender long fingers were covered in bandages.
Seems like she still can’t get along with the gas oven.
Despite that she still gave it her best…
“Here, Shinobu-san.”
Luna-san handed me the refilled bowl with a smile.
“….Thanks. It… It’s delicious, this soup.”
I mumbled silently while looking the other way.
“Really? Thank you.”
She replied happily. Intrigued I looked back. Luna-san’s cheek were slightly red and accompanied by a big smile. For a moment, I was captured by that smile, so I averted my gaze in a rush.
“…What? Don’t tell me you’re feeling ashamed?”
My mother had bent over again and was looking happily at my face with a grin. She then poked my cheeks, teasing me.
“St- Stop it. Don’t touch the cheeks of the exalted me so casually.”
“Oh my, how cheeky. That’s the reason you have so few friends.”
Uhh, I felt a sharp pain in my chest.
“…Wh- What’s that out of the blue, Mum. Don’t slander me without any proof.”
“Proof, huh…But you don’t have any friends.”
Stabbing my heart with a knife, my mother said wearily.
“I think it was around elementary school? When you suddenly declared ‘I’ll become strong’, shut yourself in my father-in-law’s doujo and just trained your body without playing with anyone….As a result, you’re now a lonely guy without a girlfriend, let alone friends. Reminds me, in middle school you were saying books were your friends, right”
“Stop it, Mum. I don’t want to hear such a sad story now.”
“There you go again. That’s why you aren’t popular.”
Aw, damn. Something sparkled in my eyes…
It just got too painful, so I sought help from Nazuna, but she was still immersed in her sandwich. She was never helpful at crucial times.
“E- Ehm, Shinobu-san is not popular with girls?”
Luna-san asked that with a slightly surprised voice.
Towards Luna-san’s question, my mother
“Yes, not popular at all.”
cruelly confirmed.
“Eh? Is that so? Even though he is handsome….”
Luna-san said such a wonderful thing, but my mother blinked and said.
“Th- This idiot and handsome? This guy who’s so sadly unpopular?”
Hearing my mother’s word, Luna-san frowned.
“Sh- Shinobu-san IS handsome. The other girls just have no eyes for men!”
I didn’t know what was going on, but for a change, Luna-san got angry.
That also surprised my mother.
Nazuna was still focused on her sandwich.

* * *

“The cat~ is strong~ and cool~”
Nazuna was singing a weird song while washing the dishes. Wearing a cat apron and happily humming ‘Meow, meow’ Nazuna didn’t notice at all that I wasn’t working on the dishes.
After being ordered by our mother to wash the dishes, Nazuna and I were standing in the kitchen like this, but…. I was bothered by something.
It was Luna-san. She had gotten used to electronic devices, so she was put in charge of vacuuming by my mother today. When my mother handed her the vacuum cleaner, Luna-san said “I know this! It is Mr. Vacuum cleaner!” with sparkling eyes.
First I had a bitter smile when I imagined Luna-san having a hard time with the vacuum cleaner, but I suddenly realised:
Luna-san was a swindler. A swindler was cleaning. Under the cover of cleaning, she would open the cupboards and get her hands on the bank book.
Not good. I left Nazuna, who was giving it her best at washing the dishes, and moved to the dining room by crawling under the table for no reason. Then I opened the accordion curtain silently and peeped into the living room.
I hadn’t heard the vacuum cleaner for a while now. I was sure Luna-san was going through the cupboards right now. Believing it was my chance to catch the swindler red-handed, I peeped into the living room—-I nearly face-palmed upon seeing the scene within.
“…Uh- Uhm, why are you not moving? Did I do something to offend you? I beg you, please move. I really need to clean. So… please!”
Luna-san was frantically bowing to the vacuum cleaner and begging it to move.
….Luna-sensei, you haven’t plugged it into the electrical outlet. Without that, the vacuum cleaner “Scorpion Itou” won’t move. Please notice that already.
When I was praying “Notice it” from the dining room, after a while Luna-san finally noticed the reason the vacuum cleaner wasn’t moving. Saying “I am sorry” with a bow, she plugged the cable of the vacuum cleaner into the outlet on the wall and turned the power on while looking at the suction drain in excitement.
Aw, damn it.
I thought I was going to catch the swindler red-handed, but was totally disappointed.
It’s not like I wanted to see Luna-san desperately apologising “I am sorry, I am sorry.” for having her hair sucked by the vacuum cleaner.
Actually, she was really bad with machines.
She was really messed around by “Scorpion Itou”, which was loudly causing havoc.
After her hair, her T-shirt was sucked in and Luna-san screamed “Kyaa”. Her clothes rolled up and pure white skin, a narrow waist and small navel caught my eyes.
Because it was quite an expensive vacuum cleaner, it had incredible suction power. It completely ignored Luna-san, who was pulling on the hose with an apologetic voice crying “P- Please save me~”, and strongly sucked on her T-shirt. Her T-short rolled up more and more, and her breasts started to be exposed to my view.
Apparently Luna-san wasn’t wearing a bra.
Her shirt got rolled up even more and her wonderful underboobs became visible.

Her T-shirt, rolled up steadily towards the center of her chest, which excited me because it was going to reveal everything. That’s wasn’t all. Luna-san’s desperate action of resistance made her breasts sway around. For a while Luna-san was fighting like that, but then succeeded in shutting down the vacuum cleaner by chance. Luna-san let out a big sigh of relief and grabbed the vacuum cleaner. She had a strangely serious expression and was exerting quite a lot of force into the hand that was holding the vacuum cleaner. After that she cleaned the living room with cautious movements and a stiff expression, while talking to the vacuum cleaner from time to time.
The scene was so bizarre that I forgot that I had left Nazuna alone with the dish-washing and just watched over the cleaning Luna-san with a smile. Then,
“Wawah! Brother is gone! But he was beside me just before!”
I could hear Nazuna’s surprised voice from behind me when she finally noticed that I was gone. When I turned around, Nazuna was looking around panicked with a sad expression, so I quickly opened the accordion curtain and hid myself in the living room. By doing that, Luna-san noticed me, stopped the vacuum cleaner and was about to say something, when I stopped her by making a “Ssh” sound while putting a finger in front of my mouth.
Luna-san gave me a questioning look, but smiled soon enough, resumed vacuuming and moved from the living room to the hallway.
“H- Huh? Brother, where are you~?”
I could hear Nazuna’s sad voice, so I stood up, combed back my hair with both my hands and raised my collar. I opened the curtain in a flash and shouted.
“A hero always comes late! Shinomun makes his entrance!”
I just wanted to fool around a bit, but
“Wah~ It’s Shinomun! Shinomun came to our house!”
Nazuna had turned around on my words and was clapping her hands in awe for some reason.
Reminds me, when I played with Nazuna as Shinomun in the past, she was always really happy….
“Shinomun! Shinomun!”
Nazuna was calling for me happily.
Hm, might as well continue for a bit.
“Nazucat. I’m here now, so be at ease! Leave the dishes to me!”
“I’ll also help!”
I tucked up my sleeves and stepped towards the sink. Beside me, Nazuna was full of motivation.
Since I ditched her before, I had planned to do the rest myself….Oh well, she seemed to enjoy it.
“Hey, Nazucat. The kitchen-knife is dangerous. Leave it to me.”
“Even I know how to use a kitchen-knife, okay?”
“…So you say, but you still cut your fingers quite often.”
“I… I’m still practicing!”
While I gave the pouting Nazuna just a general “Haha”, I washed the kitchen-knife.
“Yop.”
I swept the water from the kitchen-knife.
“Wah, Shinomun, so cool. Just like a blood-swing.”
A blood-swing being the swing of your sword to get rid of the blood. Though the real thing wa more complicated… Well, she told me I’m cool, so I’m quite pleased.
“Hah! Hah!”
Becoming conceited, I took a stance like a soldier, rotating the knife into a reverse grip and although doing it so fast was quite thrilling, the movement itself was nothing special.
“B- Brother, so cool! But it’s dangerous.”
“Oh, right. Sorry, sorry.”
Nazuna had forgotten about Shinomun and was making a worried expression. I quickly stopped my hand, when
—CUT
Mh? Cut? Having a nasty feeling, I looked down. I had cut myself. Red blood was gushing out from my wrist with a *spurt*.
“Oh, it’s making *spurt*~”
There was a pain, but I just had a shallow cut in my skin. It didn’t cut a nerve or muscle. It looked worse than it was. Just a light wound. The bleeding should stop soon too.
After I realised that, I tried to put on a carefree smile, but it was different for Nazuna.
“Uwaaaa! B- Brother’s going to dieeee!”
“Hey, hey. Just how weak do you think I am? I won’t die because of something like this.”
I announced to the crying Nazuna, but probably out of anxiety she ran out shouting “Muuum~~!”. I ignored Nazuna and pressed on my wrist to stop the blood…. whereupon suddenly an “Awawa” and footsteps drew closer to me.
“Sh- Shinobu-san! Are you okay? Do not die!”
A pale Luna-san and a *hichic* crying Nazuna came rushing in from the living room.
“…Hey, Nazucat. What did you tell Luna-san?”
“T- To help you…s- since you’re dying….”
“Don’t make such a big deal out it. And stop crying.”
“Geez! It IS a big deal! Blood is coming out! A catastrophe!”
For some reason Nazuna got angry.
“You hurt yourself, Shinobu-san?”
The anxious Luna-san was inspecting my body and noticed the bleeding from my wrist.
“C- Ca- Catastrophe!”
She made a sad face like Nazuna, approached me and took my arm. Then,
“….Mm. *kiss*”
She softly kissed my wound.
The sweet sensation of her soft lips made my heart skip a few beats.
“N- No, you don’t have to do this. It’s dirty.”
“It is not dirty!”
Sh- She got angry. Certainly, it’s said that saliva is effective for stopping bleeding… but it was too embarrassing. I tried to quickly pull back my hand, but Luna-san had a firm grip on my arm with her right hand and wouldn’t let go.
“It’s not that deep, so no worries.”
“whont du”
Luna-san said, while looking up at me, her lips pressed against my wrist.
Seemed like she was really worried. She looked at me with a slightly angry face.
“Mm. Mm.”
When she looked at me like that, I couldn’t oppose her anymore….but it was still embarrassing.
Because Luna-san was quite close to me, her soft, blonde hair grazed my body and there was even a sweet fragrance. Furthermore her breath was tickling my chest and there was an indescribable sensation from her warm lips and tongue.
—SUCK. Her lips moved as she sucked and pecked at my wrist, then Luna-san extended her tongue and carefully licked my wound gently. Whenever her pretty, pink tongue went over my wound, I felt a slight pain, but even more than that it was hot. For some reason, my body had been hot since earlier.
Luna-san continued licking me with a serious expression….It was quite erotic.
I got strangely excited.
Upon becoming aware of it, it was too late. The moment Luna-san brushed away her hair that stuck to her face with her left hand and a “Mm”, my heart went into a panic with “Holy cow!”.
“It already stopped bleeding.”
I forcefully pulled my arm back and looked at my wrist. The bleeding had stopped completely.
“See, I’m all fine now.”
I stretched out my arm.
“I am glad.”

Luna-san gasped in relief.
“Honestly, be more careful, Brother.”
Nazuna also gasped in relief with teary eyes.
….For some reason, I got all shy and automatically looked aside.
“Shinobu-san,”
I faced towards the voice.
“That was not good. Please be more careful from now on.”
Luna-san softly touched my cheek with her right hand.
A warm and soft sensation spread and heated up my cheek.
“Sorry.”
When I apologised honestly, Luna-san gave me a soft smile.
Her gentle smile was just so beautiful that I got captured inadvertently.
A smile mellow as the moon. Like it enveloped you, like it melted your heart….Such a smile.
—-Nostalgia. Suddenly I was befallen by such a mysterious emotion.
I wondered. A peaceful smile. The warmth of a hand. Emerald green eyes.
Have I met Luna-san before….?
That day, the morning when Luna-san was sleeping in my bed. Luna-san asked me “Have you forgotten?”, but that wasn’t referring to the night before…. but further in the past?
A sharp pain went through my head.
I was about to remember something, but I couldn’t. Every time I tried to remember it, the pain in my head would get more intense.
“Shinobu-san? Are you okay? Does your hand hurt?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
I covered my face with my left hand and waited for the pain to subside.
I was sure I had forgotten something. I felt I had.
“…Are you really okay?”
Luna-san’s eyes suddenly entered my vision. Her clear and gentle green eyes were looking at me, worried.
….Geez. I made a big sigh in my mind.
Something was wrong with me. For thinking that this person, who was this worried about my well-being, would be a swindler…..Something was clearly wrong with me.
While I watched Luna-san putting a bandage on my wound, I wondered.
Just who was Luna-san.
I wanted to know. If I had forgotten, I wanted to remember.

* * *

The next day, I was sitting on the sofa in the living room, staring blankly at the ceiling. Since then, I’d tried to remember Luna-san, but it was no good at all. I also asked her herself “Have we met before?”, but she just brushed it away with a “It is a secret” and a vague smile.
But I couldn’t get it off my mind. Who was Luna-san and what relationship did she have with me?
Did we exchange a marriage vow in our childhood? Mhm~ But then it would be strange for Luna-san to call herself my “slave”….
Mhm~ Then maybe I grandly saved her, as she was bullied for being a foreigner, in my childhood and said something like “Girl, I’ll make you my slave. Follow me. Gahaha!”. I was scared of how I couldn’t deny that possibility.
“Mmmuh~ Shinomun~ Full moon~”
Crossing my arms and leaning into the sofa, I mumbled and tried to remember, whereupon
“Shinobu-san.”
I was suddenly called from the side, so I took my gaze off the ceiling and looked into the eyes of the voice’s owner.
“Mh? Ah, Luna-san.”
There stood the blonde beauty Luna-san with her dynamite body.
“What’s up? Need something?”
“Ah, yes. Eh- Ehm, I have a favour to ask of you, Shinobu-san…”
A favour? How rare. It was the first time Luna-san said something like this.
“Well, first sit down.”
“Yes.”
Luna-san bent her knees where she stood and kneeled down on the floor.
“No, we have a sofa, so sit on that?”
When I lightly tapped the sofa, Luna-san’s eyes sparkled happily and she sat besides me.
U- Uhm. Sure, I tapped the sofa there, but I didn’t really mean right besides me.
I thought for sure she would sit down across from me, so I was a bit surprised….Well, she seemed happy that way, so why not.
Luna-san was staring at me intently while smiling.
Her long double eyelashes, her gentle eyes and her light, pink coloured lips captured me. As I thought that she had a pretty face, like usual, Luna-san’s small lips moved.
“Shinobu-san, my favour…”
For some reason she started to blush and stammer, but then she found her courage and said.
“U- Uhm, Shinobu-san. You call me ‘Luna-san’, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“I want you, w- well….I want you to call me ‘Luna’.”
I answered the red Luna-san immediately.
“Noo~”
“A- An instant answer! And it was somewhat sexy. Shinobu-san, please think about it at least for a bit.”
“Nah, Shinomun is embarrassed.”
“D- Don’t say that…. Ehm, would just once not be acceptable either?”
“Forcing the already embarrassed me to say such a thing—-Luna-san, you perv!”
I said it to tease her, but she turned bright red.
“…I do not mind being a perv. Please call me that.”
She said that while looking up at me, so I was puzzled.
That reaction was outside of my expectations.
“W- Well, if you insist so much, for now I’ll refer to you like that in my mind.”
“There is no point in that~ Why will you not do it?”
“You’re so persistent. If you keep being so selfish I’ll add another ‘san’ and call you ‘Luna-san-san’. You won’t know anymore, if it’s supposed to be Moon or Sun.”
I surlily replied, since I was embarrassed.
“….Shinobu-san you meanie.”
Luna-san—No, I was going to call her Luna in my mind—- Luna’s eyes got teary and she let out a sad “Funyuu”.
That was somewhat cute. It made me want to tease her even more and pat her head. Just when such an odd feeling befell me,
“Hey, what are you teasing Luna-chan for?”
She must have heard it all. I faced the voice and there stood my mother with an upset face.
“You can at least call her by her name.”
“Shuttup, idiot.”
No one called for her, so I shooed her away with a *hushhush*. Probably angry from being called an “idiot” my mother drove her knee into my face. It really hurt.
“Geez, you really are an idiot. Something wrong with your eyes? Go get them checked. While you’re at it go shopping for some groceries too. Right now. If you decline, you’ll see hell.”
I had suffered enough already today. I had no choice but to obey.
“Fine. What do you need? Crab? Crab, right? Say it’s crab!”
“…If you don’t shut up, I’ll treat your arm as a crab and break it.”
My mother gave me a glare, then looked over at Luna.
“Luna-chan, would you go with Shinobu? If I let that idiot go alone, he’ll just buy pointless stuff. So please keep an eye on him.”
“Will that be alright?”
Luna gave me a quick glance.
“Sure, sure. Get him to show you around town too. I’m sure there will be plenty of chances for you to go shopping from now on. It’s a good opportunity. No objections, right Shinobu?”
“Huh. You think you can just order me around?”
For no reason, I acted all high and mighty.
“You want the great me to be a guide? This noble and titled me? Honestly, you sure don’t see my value…Oh well, I have some time to spare anyway. Then let us proceed with haste. Go prepare at once. Or do you plan to make me wait?”
“….Shinobu-san, you are acting like the prince I saw on TV before.”
“Oh? You could tell? How was it?”
“Perfect! Great!”
“Fufu. Don’t praise me so much. Okay, Luna! Prepare for departure at once! Snacks will be up to 300 yen!”
When I swung my invisible fan and ordered “Go!”, Luna nodded a “Yes!” and happily left the living room. Most likely she went to her room to get dressed…. But she definitely hadn’t noticed that I called her Luna just now.
Well it was a hilarious scene.
“….Luna-chan seemed happy.”
“I wonder why?”
“Isn’t it because she gets to go out with you?”
I gave my mother a “Huh`” and tilted my head. Doing that made my mother let out a big sigh.
“Insensible.”
“S.e.n.s.i.b.l.e~”
I jokingly replied with the contrary, to which my mother dropped into the sofa with an “Idiot” and a small smile. Then she stared at me.
“Mh? What?”
“Nah, I was just a bit relieved.”
“…Relieved?”
I once again tilted my head. My mother gave me a jolly smile and said.
“Until recently, you thought of Luna-chan as a swindler, right?”
It was just like she said, so I couldn’t say anything back.
“So stupid. Even if she were to swindle someone like you, there wouldn’t be any great money to gain from it.”
“No, you know, she was going to coax the family, you know, then take our bank book, you know….”
I was making excuses. My mother assured me resolute.
“She wouldn’t do something like that.”
“….What makes you think that?”
My mother replied with a “Let’s see.” while looking up at the ceiling.
“I guess it’s because I have seen lots of different people so far.”
“Different people?”
“Yeah. Through your dad’s work, I have met a lot of people. I have met offenders and those that were involved in crimes. I guess that’s why I can tell somehow. Luna-chan is a good girl. She won’t do anything bad.”
“…Even if that’s true, we can’t let her stay here forever, can we? Luna has a family too.”
“That’s why I’m leaving that to you. She isn’t a bad girl, but somehow she seems to have something going on. Besides. you don’t find a girl that’s bad with machines very often. I’m sure she has her reasons. So you go and hear her out.”
“Why me?”
When I asked that, my mother teasingly poked my cheek and said.
“Because she trusts you the most. Way more than me or Nazuna. Do you know what kind of face she makes when she looks at you? A really gentle face.”
Not like I hadn’t noticed. Her soft smile appeared in my head.
“It’s only polite to respond to kindness with kindness, no?”
“…I get it.”
When I nodded, my mother patted my head with a “Good boy”. It was embarrassing, so I wished she would stop it.
“But I wonder if we can really trust your evaluation, Mum.”
I cleared my throat and tried to change the topic, whereupon
“Don’t worry. I have an eye for people.”
“I wonder.”
When I shook my head, my mother looked to the side and then
“….Nanjou Shinobu is a good guy.”
She said softly.
“Wh- What are you saying.”
“You’re getting red.”
“Shut up, idiot. Don’t make a needlessly pretty face and go away.”
Geez. she was only ever praising me when I wasn’t expecting it.
I looked away from my mother and just stood up from the sofa, when Luna, who finished her preparations, came back. Then she made a strange expression after looking at me and my mother’s faces and said.
“Shinobu-san, Tomoe-san, your faces are red…What happened?”
My mother said nothing and just went back to her own room. I just said “Let’s go” and headed for the front door.

* * *

Turning around. Turning around. Turning around.
When I walked on the street, people kept turning around. That’s because I was an eye-catching pretty boy—-Is what I would like to say, but sadly that was not the case. Nearly all of those that turned around were guys. Some were women too with their cheeks flushed; spellbound, but no one was looking at me.
All the glances were directed at Luna, who was walking one step behind me.
She wore a rough outfit consisting of jeans and a shirt, but since the shirt was mine, the size didn’t fit and the sleeves were rolled up. The jeans seemed to be from my mother, but while it was a bit loose around the waist, her bottom appeared slightly cramped.
Even without that getup, Luna was attracting people. She was a walking gallery. People’s gazes filled with jealousy were piercing me, so I felt annoyed, but…there was something else bothering me more. I turned around and looked at Luna, one step behind me.
“What is the matter? Ah, is it the bag?”
She must had thought I was tired. She looked at the bag from the supermarket hanging on my arm, then extended her right hand. But carrying the bag was my job, since I wan’t doing any cooking. I stopped Luna’s extending hand and asked about what was bothering me.
“Hey, why are you walking behind me? Just walk besides me.”
For some reason Luna had been walking one step behind me without ever lining up besides me.
Maybe she was going to enact the idiom “follow in someone’s footsteps” literally. But that one step would gradually widen into two, then three steps. How was I supposed to talk with her like that.
“Come on.”
When I beckoned her, she lined up besides me with a happy smile. She was looking at me with her smile. It was embarrassing, so I raised the supermarket bag in front of my face to hide it. Then Luna said “I… I cannot see your face.” and stood on her toes.
She was quite funny. Walking with that in mind, a park appeared in my vision. It was the Midorikawa Park. Just like the name said, it had greenery (midori) and a river (kawa). It was a famous dating spot.
“Shall we drop-by there?”
I thought Luna must have been tired too from walking around. With the idea of taking a break, I pointed towards the park. Luna smiling, nodded with a “Yes”. For some reason, she seemed a bit happy.
I couldn’t deduce why, but who cares as long as she was enjoying it. We entered the park and headed for the back of the park while watching the playing children when—-we could hear loud crying.
Curious about if something sad had happened, I turned around. A little girl was crying with her mouth wide open while hugging her bear plush toy.
I thought she might have gotten separated from her parents, but
“Honestly, stop being so wilful. We’re going home.”
The woman scolding her with a fierce tone must have been her mother.
When the girl was shaking her head with a “No, no”, the mother frowned.
“I don’t need such a selfish daughter.”
She turned around and slowly walked away, leaving the girl behind.
The girl continued to cry, but she surely loved her mother. So as her mother got further away from her, she started to feel insecure, then shouted “Mummy” and started running after her mother quickly. But on her way she tripped over something.
“Ah”
I heard a worried voice besides me and when I looked aside, Luna was watching the girl with a worried expression.
“Fueeh”
I could hear crying again, so I shifted my gaze back. The girl had grazed her knee. She was crying heavily.
“Mummy, it hurts.”
The first to react to the girl’s crying was her mother.
The mother looked at her daughter and rushed to her side. With an “Are you okay?” she hugged her. The girl cried for a while, but the patting of her mother must had calmed her, as she stopped crying and clung to her mother.
In the end, the little girl went home hand in hand with her mother.
“I am glad”
When I looked beside me, Luna was gasping in relief.
But her eyes looking at the girl were somewhat envious.
—She isn’t a bad girl, but somehow she seems to have something going on.
Suddenly I remembered my mother’s words.
“You were watching her really attentively.”
“Eh? Ah, yes. Somehow, I got worried.”
Luna vaguely smiled when I talked to her.
….After a short silence,
“What about you?”
“Come again?”
I asked Luna, who tilted her head.
“You have parents too, right? Don’t you need to contact them?”
“It is okay.”
“No, I don’t think it’s okay at all. Aren’t your parents worried?”
When I asked that, Luna lightly shook her head and said.
“If they were worried… I would…. be really happy….”
What did she mean? Before I could ask, Luna answered.
“…I was…abandoned… by my mother.”
A strong wind blew. The wind made Luna’s bangs sway.
“But I do not remember it clearly, since I was still small back then.”
Saying that, Luna smiled.
Just for a moment she looked down, bit her lip and clenched her fist tightly, then she raised her head and forced a smile. Her eyes were withholding something. Her tightly-shut mouth. Her shaking fists.
With a face that was on the verge of tears, Luna smiled.
Upon seeing that smile, my chest tightened and started to hurt.
I couldn’t say anything. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know what to do.
Still, I had an intuition.
“Let’s go.”
I extended my hand and grabbed Luna’s left hand, when—-
“Eh?”
I was surprised. For a moment I didn’t understand what had happened.
….My hand was shaken off.
Luna had repelled my extended hand. But what I was even more surprised about was,
“U- Uhm, I am sorry…. Take this one please.”
She held her left hand against her chest and extended her right one.
I wonder why she didn’t want me to touch her left hand.
Without saying anything I once again extended my hand and grabbed Luna’s left hand at the wrist. Luna showed signs of uneasiness, but said nothing and just hanged her head. She must have given up.
When Luna had brushed my hand away, I’d caught a glimpse of something for a moment.
Silently I took Luna’s left hand. It had small and tender fingers. A soft touch and a warm body temperature. But when I moved my glance from the back of the hand to her palm, I clenched my teeth.
—It had a cross wound. A really deep scar. I fear it was caused by a person. On Luna’s left palm was spread a big cross-shaped scar.
She must have thought I would hate such a hand.
Now that I looked back on it, whenever Luna touched someone, she always used her right hand.
“U- Uhm, I am sorry.”
Why was she apologising. There was no need to. She hadn’t done anything wrong.
“Let’s go.”
I enveloped Luna’s left hand and started walking swiftly.
“Sh- Shinobu-san?”
I walked pulling her after me. Like before, I didn’t know what to say, but I just spoke my mind.
“Your hand is warm.”
Upon firmly gripping her hand, I felt the tension leave Luna’s body. She was following behind me without resistance. We approached the back of the park with a gasp of relief, when a small river came into sight.
There were benches set up near the river and couples were happily chatting on them. We also sat down on a bench and watched the transparent, sparkling river for a while.
“….Hey.”
I slowly started speaking to Luna, who had remained slumpedand silent.
“…You don’t have to force yourself to smile, okay?”
Luna raised her head and I continued.
“When you’re sad, just say so. I think it’s okay to cry when you want to.”
“…I wonder about that.”
While looking at me firmly, Luna asked.
“If I did that… If I cried… would I not be causing trouble?”
Crying causes trouble. Since when had she formed that opinion?
—-I was abandoned by my mother.
Her earlier words echoed in my head…. My chest heated up.
Ah, I see. She wasn’t allowed to cry. No one helped her even if she cried. No one comforted her even if she cried.
—-If I cried, would I not be causing trouble?
Was she scolded when she cried? Was she yelled at when she cried? Was she hit when she cried?
The cross wound flashed in my mind.
“None of us would think of it as trouble.”
Yeah, none of us.
“So, just tell us if something happened. All I may be able to do for you is listen….But if you talk to me, I might be able to help you.”
“…Is that okay?”
Luna asked shyly.
I wonder why, but I thought she was like a kid. I remember the crying girl from earlier.
“It’s okay.”
I gently reached out my hand.
I was bad at expressing my feelings. I didn’t know what to say.
So to make her understand, I patted her head gently, to transmit my feelings.
Upon that, Luna bit her lip, then looked down and grabbed my sleeve firmly with her left hand and with trembling shoulders. Her left hand was shaking.
Until her trembling stopped, I kept patting her head.

* * *

Weak in the knees. In front of the front door. I hesitated to open the door.
Behind me stood Luna with her head hanged in sadness. Her eyes had been wet the whole time and even now it looked like tears would roll out at anytime. Probably the reason why there hadn’t been any conversation so far. It had been like that since we left the park.
The stupid me couldn’t think of any comforting words, so I repeated lame jokes, but I couldn’t make Luna smile.
Judging by that, I figured she would cry all alone in her room, so I was against entering the house… But I couldn’t stand in front of the door forever either. I let go of Luna’s hand and reached out for the door knob.
“Aw.”
A sad voice from behind me.
When I turned around, Luna stared at my right hand with regret, having let go of her hand.
“I’ll play some thumb wrestling or something with you later.”
In my left hand was the supermarket bag, so there was nothing I could do.
I opened the door with my free right hand and went inside the house.
“We’re home, imbeciles!”
I was trying to be funny, but there was no reaction from Luna. She just stared at my right hand. Seems like I will really have to play thumb wrestling with her.
For now I put down the bag, took off my shoes and went inside. Then I heard some quiet footsteps coming closer. Those light footsteps, that made you wonder if someone was trying to hide their presence, surely belonged to my mother.
“Welcome back, Shinobu”.
As expected, it was my mother. As I stood in the hallway, my mother pushed me aside and went to the front door.
“Brother, welcome back!”
Maybe she’d just gotten home from club activities, but Nazuna was still in her school uniform when she showed her face. Following my mother, she slipped under my arm heading towards the front door. Then
“Welcome back, Luna-chan.”
“Welcome back, Luna-san!”
The two of them faced Luna.
“How was it? Did that idiot do a proper job of showing you around?”
“Luna-san, next time I’ll be your guide.”
Completely ignoring me, my mother and Nazuna were focused on Luna.
How cruel. I turned around with a sigh, when
it suddenly happened.
—-Luna cried.
She must have been enduring it.
She bit her lip, clenched her fists and let her shoulders tremble…. but she couldn’t endure it.
She was crying big fat tears without a sound.
I wonder why she couldn’t endure it anymore?
—It will not cause trouble?
Luna’s words crossed my mind.
Ah, I see.
“—Welcome back, Luna.”
The moment I said that Luna started to sob.
I figured as much.
—Welcome back. Luna was just happy about these words.
These words alone made her happy enough to cry.
Welcome back. Words saying ‘It’s alright for you to stay here’. Words acknowledging you. Gentle words. They must have broken something inside her.
“Welcome back, Luna.”
I once again said it clearly, out loud.
“I.. I am sorry.”
A shaking voice.
“I… I know I should not cry. It causes trouble and creates anger….so I should not. But…I…I….”
Luna was covering her face with both hands and was trying her best, to form a smile. But it was in vain. There’s no way we would accept that.
“It’s okay.”
My mother put Luna’s head onto her chest.
“Cry all you want. It’s okay… It’s okay.”
My mother didn’t ask if anything had happened. She just repeated “It’s okay” and patted Luna’s head. Over and over again. To convey her feelings.
“….Mother.”
Luna mumbled quietly.
“Yes.”
My mother nodded slowly.
Right then Luna cried loudly. Raising a voice like a child, she clung tightly to my mother….and cried.
I’ll protect her. I want to make her smile and see her smile.
The moment I thought that, my chest heated up and my heart shivered.
A feeling like a missing piece falling silently into place.
I hadn’t remembered Luna. I didn’t know her circumstances. I didn’t understand anything. But, I would protect her from whatever might happen.
I didn’t want to see her crying again.
For some reason, even I felt like crying.
“….Don’t.”
What was the point in me crying too. I wiped my eyes, which barely stopped the tears, whereupon Nazuna came back to me.
For some reason Nazuna had her head down and just put her head onto my chest without saying anything.
“Ugh. Ugh.”
“…Hey, Nazuna. Why are you crying too?”
“Infected.”
She said teary-eyed.
Guess she couldn’t hold it in either, after looking at Luna.
Stupid as ever. But I liked that stupid side of hers.
In my opinion, crying for someone was something really amazing. Without being sarcastic.
“Hey, Nazuna. Let’s go shopping next time.”
Clearing my throat with an “Ehem”, I continued.
“We’ll take Luna with us.”
“…Brother, you dropped the -san for her.”
While patting the surprised Nazuna repeatedly, I said.
“Yeah, because…. that makes her happy.”
The moment I spoke that out aloud, I felt a warmth spreading inside me.