Chapter 353: Lock and Key
After buying the drinks, Sakurai Saki turned around and realized Shinobu had vanished without a trace.
No need to guess — she must have gotten jealous and slipped back into his shadow.
[Annoying! Bastard! Playboy! Scumbag! Yontoryu!]
Yeah, yeah, I'm a bastard.
But the fact that you are jealous of an elementary school girl is honestly beyond my imagination.
[...Hmph.]
After that huff, she went silent.
"Where did that girl go?" Rena looked around and asked.
"Probably went home already?"
"Oh." Rena hugged her can of matcha soda, taking small sips.
She realized that, actually, this flavor was quite nice.
It was a bit bitter at first, but after drinking for a while, she got used to it.
She memorized the drink's name, planning to try it again someday if she got the chance.
If Mom married that uncle, then she and her sisters probably wouldn't have to live in poverty anymore, right?
Mom also wouldn't have to work so hard anymore.
If her mom's illness could be cured, their lives would surely be happy.
Sakurai Saki looked at the little girl's expression and more or less understood what she was thinking.
Should he give her a little hope?
Forget it — sometimes, giving hope only leads people to fall deeper into despair.
Better to pretend not to notice.
When he looked up, he could see the private hospital in the distance.
That must be where Rena's mother was being treated — the one she mentioned earlier.
The surrounding area was a residential neighborhood, with a few small old-fashioned shops still open, including a traditional candy store.
"Rena-chan, do you want to go home now? …Or play for a bit longer?"
Just earlier, while in the mushroom house, she had said she wanted to return to the hospital.
Right now, Sakurai Saki was bored out of his mind.
Shinobu was definitely sulking; she probably wouldn't talk to him for a while.
And aside from Rena, there was no one else he could talk to.
If things kept up like this, he'd probably just end up finding somewhere to sleep.
…If he couldn't talk to anyone, the park bench would have to do, right?
It might rain again in the next few days, and if that happened… Sakurai Saki didn't dare think further.
Would the coming days turn out that miserable?
"Okay."
Having sorted out her feelings, Rena no longer seemed in a hurry to go back.
Besides, her sisters were still at the hospital.
Friends were hard to make — truthfully, she didn't want to part so soon.
...
After that, the two went to a penny candy shop.
Sakurai Saki picked out a few snacks and bought two ice creams as well, then handed the money to Rena for her to go pay.
The old lady who ran the shop didn't pay much attention, just smiled kindly and even slipped a few extra pieces of candy into the bag for her.
The two sat down on a bench by the roadside and began to eat.
Sakurai Saki unwrapped a biscuit stick and put it in his mouth. "This corn flavor is really good."
He turned to look at Rena, who was sitting motionless, and asked, "You're not eating?"
"But, this was paid for by Sakurai-kun."
"When friends have something tasty, they have to share it. Otherwise, how can they be called good friends?"
Sakurai Saki put the empty wrapper back into the bag, then took out the ice cream.
After unwrapping it, he held it up to the girl's mouth.
Rena hesitated for a moment, then stuck out her little pink tongue and gently licked the tip of the ice cream.
Feeling the sweetness, she tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear and slowly put the ice cream into her mouth.
Seeing that, Sakurai Saki blushed. He handed the ice cream to her and lowered his head without saying a word.
"What's wrong?" Rena licked and ate the ice cream from the top down to the bottom.
"…Nothing."
Sakurai Saki tried to act calm, took out the remaining ice cream, and began to eat as well.
Eating ice cream in the summer really is great.
It's just that the high temperature makes it easy to dirty your clothes.
Suddenly, a light breeze blew by, and Rena raised her hand to hold down her sunhat.
She looked at the boy sitting beside her.
"Sakurai-kun, maybe in about a month, I'll be leaving this place."
Once her mother's condition got better, her whole family would start living together with her stepfather.
"I see." Sakurai Saki didn't seem to care much.
He might even leave earlier than she would.
Compared to when Rena would leave, what Sakurai Saki was more concerned about was where he would sleep tonight.
Under a bridge wrapped in a blanket, or under newspapers in the park?
Or maybe find a hotel lobby and lie down on a sofa for a bit?
Anyway, no one could see him, so it didn't really matter what he did.
"You're so indifferent." Rena's voice carried a faint sadness.
We're supposed to be friends — so why doesn't he care at all when I say I'm leaving?
Sakurai Saki glanced at her. "It's not like I can stop you."
"Tomorrow, you'll still be here, right?" Rena gently swung her small legs, and soon her white, delicate feet touched together.
"I will." Sakurai Saki nodded.
Since he couldn't return in a short time anyway, he might as well hang out with the girl a little longer.
After all, the fact that she could see him was probably connected to the time jump.
"It's a promise then."
"A promise."
"You can't break it. Otherwise, you'll have to…"
"Swallow a thousand needles?" Sakurai Saki finished her sentence.
"Umu!" Rena nodded vigorously.
"How scary."
"As long as you don't leave me, it's fine. You have to always stay by my side." Rena tilted her head and smiled softly at him, looking incredibly cute.
"…Alright."
So, just who exactly are you?
Why don't you just tell me already?
Once I return to the real timeline, that'd actually be good — I could keep some distance from you.
Your Yandere vibe is way too strong. Don't end up chopping my head off with a knife someday, okay?
Forget it, anyway this was when we were kids — those five sisters probably wouldn't remember it.
Someone like me — who can hold a grudge until the other person's in the grave — is probably pretty rare.
...
After finishing the penny candy and cleaning up the trash, the two went over to the small shop next door.
Inside, they sold some small toys and snacks.
There were also a few miscellaneous goods.
After walking around once, Sakurai Saki didn't find anything interesting.
Just as they were about to leave, Rena picked up a necklace placed by the entrance.
"What's this?"
Sakurai Saki walked closer to her.
"A lock?" He leaned in and took a closer look.
At the end of the necklace was a rather curious little lock, shaped like a heart.
Inside it was a tiny keyhole.
The shop owner saw Rena standing at the entrance, staring intently at the lock, and put out the cigarette in his hand.
After thinking for a moment,
he opened the drawer at the counter and took out a small, thin, and long key.
"Little girl, these two are a gift for you. Go give them to someone you like."
He turned away, murmuring, "Youth really is a wonderful thing."
That made him recall his own younger days — back in elementary school, he too had a childhood crush.
This lock was called a "bonded heart lock." It didn't have any special meaning, just a charm for good luck, popular when he was young.
They said that as long as one person kept the key and the other held the lock, their love would last forever.
(Note: Nisekoi... hmm...)
...
Stepping out of the small shop.
"Why did that old man suddenly give you something?"
Sakurai Saki fiddled with the necklace in his hand and muttered.
Rena didn't answer; she just looked at the key in her hand.
The lock — and the key.
"Sakurai-kun, do you want to make a promise?"
Sakurai Saki had a bad feeling about this.
This thing looked exactly like an engagement token.
Don't tell me it's going to be that old-fashioned trope again? Please, no! I'm begging you!
"When we part ways, then meet again after we grow up…"
"Rena-chan, when I grow up, I'll definitely meet you again! I promise!"
I'll even become your tutor by then — surprise, huh? Shocked?
But by that time, you'll probably have forgotten anyway.
"You'll recognize me, right?"
Sakurai Saki hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I will!"
"You'll still be friends with me, right?"
"Of course!"
Rena stepped forward and hugged him.
Her voice was gentle: "It's a promise then."
If you break it, you'll have to swallow a thousand needles.
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