“Onii-chan, take this.”
Kii lightly pulled down the clothes around her chest and pulled out a necklace. The necklace had polished jewels and fangs and was strung together by a colorful string. It had a unique beauty, different than modern accessories. It was simple, but had a powerful beauty to it, and it suited Kii very well.
“I want you to hold on to this, Onii-chan.”
Kii removed it from her own neck and presented it to Koutarou.
“My lady, that's...”
Kouma instinctively tried to stop Kii. He knew just what that action would mean to her.
“I know, that's why.”
“...If you are aware, then I will not speak any further.”
“Thank you, uncle.”
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Kii smiled and nodded at Kouma and handed the necklace to Koutarou.
“Here, Onii-chan. Think of this as Kii and take good care of it.”
“Are you sure? Isn't this something precious to you?”
Based on how the necklace looked and how Kouma had reacted, Koutarou understood that it was something valuable. And if that was actually correct, if Koutarou had heard what it was worth, he would definitely had tried to give it back to Kii.
“Yes, this is my thanks for the card! From today, this will protect you instead of Kii! And... I would be happy if you looked at it from time to time and thought of Kii.”
In Kii's hometown there was a certain custom. That was that two people who had pledged to marry one another would exchange items they regularly wore as proof of their engagement.
Kii had gotten a card from Koutarou, so Kii decided to give Koutarou her mother's keepsake. Kii had been able to find the star and meet her mother again. She no longer needed to look for her mother in the necklace. She believed that it would be better if she gave the necklace to Koutarou and have her mother protect him. Those were the two meanings this present had.
However, Kii had no intention of telling Koutarou that. Since he lived somewhere else, he didn't understand the meaning of this action. And they wouldn't be able to meet again for a while. That's why she didn't want to push her feelings onto him. She had learned what selfish actions could cause.
That's why she would tell him everything when she met Koutarou again. And she hoped that he would remember her and accept her feelings. Until then, it would be a promise with herself. Koutarou only needed to think of the necklace as a lucky charm.
“I understand. Thank you, Kii-chan.”
“Yes! Make sure you take care of it!”
She had now done everything she wanted. Satisfied with that, Kii smiled. Her smile was so very mature it was hard to think of her as a six-year-old girl. During these three days, she had grown immensely. Kii's childhood would surely be reaching its end now.