Chapter 351: Break a Promise, Swallow a Thousand Needles
"Hello there?"
Sakurai Saki spoke to the little girl who had just crawled in.
"Umu."
(இ﹏இ`｡)
The corners of her eyes were a bit red — it looked like she had just been crying.
What could make such a small child cry like that?
Piecing together all the information he had, the answer wasn't hard to guess — at this point in time, the Nakano sisters' mother was still alive, but most likely hospitalized.
Maybe the high cost of the hospital bills had made the child realize how cruel society could be?
No, at this age, could a child really understand the value of money?
Of course, that's assuming this little girl really was one of the five sisters.
"Why are you two hugging each other?" — the pink-haired girl crouched in front of Sakurai Saki and Shinobu, asking curiously.
"Because it's cold." Sakurai Saki snapped back to his senses and answered.
Right now, what mattered wasn't figuring out why this girl who looked so much like one of the Nakano sisters could see them, but rather how to return to their original world.
"Are you two lovers?"
"Ehm…"
Being suddenly asked that by an elementary schooler, Sakurai Saki didn't know how to answer.
Were kids these days growing up too fast?
At such a young age, they already knew about relationships between men and women — terrifying.
Hearing that question, Shinobu seemed a little agitated. She turned to look at him, waiting for his answer.
"We're not lovers."
Shinobu: (˶˃⤙˂˶)
"Hmph!" Shinobu made a dissatisfied sound — clearly unhappy with that answer.
"The feelings I have for you… do I really need to explain them to a little girl?" Sakurai Saki gently patted her head.
Shinobu turned her face away and said proudly, "Fine, I'll let you off for now."
Sakurai Saki turned to the little girl and introduced himself: "My name is Sakurai Saki. And you are?"
"..." She thought for a moment, then answered, "Rena."
That was her mother's name.
The reason she had run away from home today was too embarrassing, so she didn't want to reveal her real name.
"It's raining outside, so why did you come to the park?" Sakurai Saki asked.
"I…" Rena sat down on a patch of ground that was still relatively dry, stammering as she spoke: "I was sad about something, so I secretly snuck out alone."
"Kid, doing that will make your parents worry a lot." Shinobu tried to send her home.
It had been so hard for her to finally get a chance to be alone with Sakurai Saki, yet suddenly a little brat showed up to ruin it.
Her mood right now was not good at all.
Normally, having to hide in Sakurai Saki's shadow, listening to him flirt with other girls, was already torture enough — and now, when it was finally her turn to "play the lead," a third wheel appeared.
"You're a kid too, aren't you? Why are you talking like an adult? That's weird." Rena tilted her head and asked.
Shinobu: "...Hmph~"
She's angry.
I'm over 500 years old, you know! I'm a fully grown vampire!
Who are you calling a kid!? You're the kid here!
But as a proper lady, this lady won't stoop to your level!
"She's bullying me."
Shinobu: ( •̯́ ^ •̯̀)
Shinobu turned around, pouting as she snuggled into Sakurai Saki's chest.
Sakurai: (¬_¬")
Shinobu, your debating skills are way too weak, huh?
But… you're cute, so it's fine.
"You people are really strange." Rena hugged her knees, staring intently at them.
A strange girl, a strange boy.
But both of them were beautiful — so there really were weird people even among the beautiful ones, huh?
"Rena, can you tell me what happened just now that made you sad?"
"Why are you asking me that?" Rena hugged her chest, looking scared.
"I'm not a suspicious person, and I have no interest in you. Besides, I'm the same age as you — even if you call the police, the officers wouldn't arrest me." Sakurai Saki puffed up his chest and said proudly.
So bold — after being turned into a child, he could get away with almost anything.
Even robbing a bank or committing murder — in Japan, juvenile offenders aren't executed!
Of course, that was just a joke — at this point, Sakurai Saki didn't have even the slightest killing intent left.
"Pervert! Lewd!" Rena stepped back a few steps, her back pressed against the wall of the mushroom house, looking a little more at ease.
Saki's mischievous nature stirred, and he stretched his leg out to poke at the girl.
Since the mushroom house's space was quite small, Saki could reach her leg with his own.
After teasing her for a few minutes—
Rena's eyes turned slightly red, looking as if she were about to cry.
"Uh… I was just kidding." Saki gave a bland explanation.
In his mind, Shinobu teased: "Daring to bully a little girl, my Master really has bad taste, huh? Don't tell me your mind's turning into a kid's too… um—~"
Before she could finish, Saki covered her mouth.
I did act a bit childish just now.
But so what if a boy acts a little childish?
Picasso once said: "It took me four years to learn to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to learn to paint like a child."
I've simply reached that ultimate realm early — what would a little vampire like you know about it?
"..." Rena watched their interaction, a faint look of admiration on her face. "You two get along really well, huh."
She didn't have any friends of the opposite sex her age.
So seeing the two of them together made her feel a little jealous.
"Well then… do you want to be friends with me?" Sakurai Saki asked with a smile.
"No way!" Rena immediately refused.
Hearing that, the corners of Saki's mouth drooped, his face filled with sorrow, his voice heavy with disappointment: "Well, that makes sense. A weird guy like me… no girl would want to be friends with me anyway."
; (◞‸◟)
What the hell are you doing? Trying to use a little girl's pity to make friends?!
Sakurai Saki, you're pathetic right now!
But at this moment, only this self-proclaimed [Rena] could interact with him — other people couldn't even see him.
The funniest part was… his phone was still at home.
Traveling to another timeline without even a phone — what a miserable life.
"Ah, that's not it," Rena said quickly when she saw his expression, sounding flustered. "It's just… my mom told me not to play with weird boys."
…Do I really look that weird right now?
Saki had wanted to ask that question for a while.
"...Don't be sad, I'll be your friend," Rena said, then held out her tiny pinky finger.
Sakurai Saki extended his own pinky as well.
A few seconds later, their pinkies hooked together and lightly shook.
"Don't forget me, okay? We have to stay best friends forever. Whoever lies has to swallow a thousand needles!"
That vow sounds kinda creepy, doesn't it?
Is it too late to take it back now?
"Alright, from now on we're friends." Rena beamed brightly.
It was the first time she had ever taken the initiative to make a friend.
"Ah, how wonderful," Saki replied in a flat, memorized tone.
He'd only been teasing her, but she actually took it seriously — what was he supposed to do now?
Outside, the rain still showed no sign of stopping.
"Do you still want to hear it?"
"Hear what?"
"The story… about why I went out there."
"Go ahead and tell me. We're stuck here anyway, can't go anywhere."
Outside was a vast expanse of water caused by the heavy rain, and this patch of land was the only place they could stand.
Amid the clear sound of falling rain, the little girl began to tell her story of sadness.
The listeners — were two people.
...
Note: Oh, I think I know who this girl is.