"Chinstrap penguins, also called Antarctic penguins, belong to the order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae, genus Pygoscelis."
"Their body length usually ranges from about 43 to 55 centimeters. Because there's a black stripe under their neck that looks like a naval officer's hat strap, they are named this way. Their chubby bodies waddle adorably when they walk."
Takamatsu Tomori was indeed a good guide.
This seemingly shy and introverted girl lit up like a shining star when talking about her favorite subject. She shared all kinds of facts fluently, her knowledge abundant, to the point that even the aquarium staff who wanted to come introduce things to them were left feeling ashamed, she could be called a walking penguin encyclopedia.
Unfortunately, neither Mortis nor Mutsumi seemed very interested.
The former was still immersed in endless regret and remorse, the three-person world with her brother had been broken just like that. If time could be turned back, she would absolutely not say a single extra word like an idiot to keep Tomori around.
But obviously there were no regrets pills in the world, so Mortis could only cry without tears and comfort herself in her heart, 'It's okay, life always has its ups and downs.'
Even though her downs might possibly, maybe, kind of be a little bit too frequent, but those details aren't important.
As for Mutsumi… life isn't easy, even cucumbers sigh. With such a clumsy teammate who always overplays her hand, she should've gotten used to it by now, right?
On the bright side, although Mortis was a bit too simple-minded, at least she had a character that could be praised for being resilient and never giving up. Don't ask where the "resilient" and "never giving up" parts came from though.
Kaito was the only one seriously listening to Tomori's scientific facts without showing any impatience.
Actually, he didn't have much interest in penguins, but looking at the gray-haired girl in front of him excitedly sharing the things she loved, with those bright eyes shining like crushed diamonds, he felt he shouldn't show a dismissive attitude like a grown-up who ruins the mood.
One person talking happily, one listening earnestly, if one ignored the soul-dead Mortis on the side and the emotionless Mutsumi, this scene was unexpectedly heartwarming, like an introverted younger sister sharing her interests with a close older brother.
However, the warm atmosphere didn't last long.
Takamatsu Tomori's excited voice suddenly paused.
She noticed that, just now, Kaito's eyebrows… seemed to furrow slightly?
'Is it… because he dislikes my chattering?'
'Or… does he actually really hate penguins?'
The girl froze for a moment, her heart feeling like it had been tightly gripped by a giant hand.
Back in kindergarten, Tomori already had a hobby of collecting little things, like pebbles, pill bugs, or petals that fell from cherry blossom trees.
She had once given a pill bug she treasured to a good friend, as a token of their friendship, but it made the friend's parents very unhappy.
That day, her mother kept apologizing, while Tomori shrank in a corner of the office, watching the teacher trying to mediate, the discontent parents, and the strange mix of repulsed and judging gazes from the others. It was the first time she realized that her hobbies weren't liked by most people.
Since then, she had become extremely sensitive in social interactions, always worried that her words might cause a bad impression.
Even though it was just a tiny furrow of the brow, a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, it still brought back those unpleasant memories for Tomori.
She stopped talking and, like a child who had made a mistake, lowered her head and cautiously asked:
"Did I… talk a little too much?"
"Hmm?"
Kaito pulled back his gaze that had fallen somewhere else and realized that his small movement might have been misunderstood by Tomori, so he slightly shook his head and showed a faint smile, "No, I just… noticed something interesting."
'Something interesting?'
Takamatsu Tomori didn't quite understand. She just looked at him blankly and innocently.
———
"Why do I feel like… we've already been found out?"
At the same time, just a bit outside the penguin exhibit, in a hidden corner.
Shiina Taki couldn't help furrowing her brow. Clearly they were the ones tailing, no, following, wait, no, just coincidentally passing by. So why did it feel like they were the ones being watched instead?
To avoid being noticed, they had deliberately kept a distance. There were at least two hundred meters between them now.
At that distance, a normal person's eyesight could only make out silhouettes, it would be hard to see specific details. Not to mention they were hiding in the shadows, which should have made them even harder to spot.
But recalling that eerie feeling just now, like being stripped bare and stared at from head to toe, Taki couldn't help rubbing her arms, goosebumps popped up all over her.
"You're imagining things."
Yahata Umiri didn't even turn her head, still calm as ever, "A 200-meter gap, plus other tourists for cover, rather than worrying about being spotted, it's better to think about how long we're going to keep following them."
At the mention of this topic, Shiina Taki coughed once, feeling a bit awkward.
No matter how you put it, "tailing" just sounded way too sleazy. It made her feel like one of those creeps used as cautionary tales in legal dramas.
Still, even if the words were unpleasant, it was the truth. So she didn't argue, only pretended not to hear, crossed her arms, and said indifferently, "If you're bored, it's fine if you leave now."
It wasn't just an excuse, that was her genuine thought.
Taki already regretted her earlier decision. She'd acted rashly in the heat of the moment, and only now, after cooling down, realized how stupid her behavior had been.
If they weren't discovered, fine. But if they were, her image in Tomori's eyes would probably shatter completely, right?
From a reliable and cool big-sister figure straight down to a creepy and shady stalker… just thinking about that possibility gave her chills.
Thinking about it carefully, Tomori was a young lady now. It was natural for her to have a boy she liked. Sooner or later, she would fall in love and get married. Taki couldn't protect her forever.
'Wait a second… maybe there is a way?'
The thought of a certain possibility made the girl's fair face slowly turn pink, even the tear mole at the corner of her eye seemed more vivid. She quickly patted her cheeks to calm herself.
'If we just marry the same man, then I can naturally protect Tomori for a lifetime?'
'No no no no no… no matter how you look at it, this idea is way too ridiculous! There's no way my parents would accept it, and Hikari-nee definitely wouldn't agree either.'
Even though things like this weren't uncommon in today's society and the law didn't forbid it, Taki was the traditional type. In her eyes, love was sacred, something that mustn't be tainted by others.
Facing the person she liked, even if it was Tomori, she couldn't bring herself to generously share…
'…Right?'
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.