When Kii woke up today, she rushed towards the kitchen and began talking to Koutarou about what had happened last night while he was preparing breakfast.
“Why was Onii-chan asleep when mom came... geez”
“Sorry, I've been a bit tired recently”
“Mom wanted to meet you when I told her about you”
“It's a shame I was asleep. I'll make sure to at least greet her if she comes by again”
“She can't come often, but she said she would come again. So I'm sure you'll meet her”
“I'm a terrible sleeper, so make sure you wake me up me when she does, okay?”
“Okay! I will!”
Kii had believed yesterday's events to be reality, rather than a dream. Of course, Koutarou never pointed that out. She would eventually understand it by herself that as she grew up.
This is like telling someone Santa Claus is real...
There were plenty of times when one would be better of saying that something existed, regardless of if really did or not. Kii's mother was one such thing. That was how Koutarou felt, and he continued preparing the breakfast while listening to Kii's story, accepting that fact as truth.
“So what did you tell your mom about me?”
“I said you were good at cooking”
“I'm not that good though”
“You are. Kii knows. Fufufu”
Kii had been talking cheerfully ever since she came flying into the kitchen. She was happy that she had met her mother and that she had someone to talk to about it. She was also happy that that someone was Koutarou. But she couldn’t help but feel little sad that she couldn't tell her father. Her complex emotions regarding her father were beginning to sort themselves out after meeting with her mother.
“When I told her more things about you, she said that I should give you that”
“What is 'that'?”
“Ehehehe... that's a secret♪”
“Another one, huh. You have plenty of secrets”
“Maybe. But, I'll tell you everything sooner or later. Fufufufu”
“Then I'll look forward to it”
Kii was sitting on a chair in the kitchen, and with both of her elbows on the table, she gazed at Koutarou's back as he continued cooking. Her expression shone with joy. Yesterday's events had completely revived her original personality.
This is what children should be like...
Even though he couldn't directly see her, the sound of her voice and the tapping when her feet hit the floor as she swung her legs let him know how she must have appeared like. Thanks to that, Koutarou was also in a cheerful mood.