--
It's like nothing has changed—no, no, no, a lot has changed!
Who is this loli version of Yukinoshita Yukino?!
Kiyono's eyes widened.
Indeed, what appeared before him was a similarly shrunken version of Yukino.
Could it be…
His expression turned odd.
Just then, a cool breeze blew, rustling the hem of the girl's skirt and her black hair, carrying her faint words to his ears.
"Come with me."
---
You were taken home by Yukino.
But what you didn't know was that after you left, a light blue–haired girl with twin pigtails—holding an umbrella, a steaming bento, and another umbrella—searched back and forth with an anxious expression.
Only after failing to find you did she leave with a heavy heart.
The sky was pitch-black; clouds and rain blocked the moonlight, and cold drizzle fell to the ground, gathering into streams that flowed into the street-corner drains.
In the misty curtain of rain, the transparent umbrella seemed to hold up a small piece of sky.
Under the umbrella, Kiyono tilted his head to look at Yukino, who was a bit taller than him.
The girl was now about ten years old, with black hair reaching her shoulders and skin like snow.
Walking through the silent street at this moment, she truly resembled a pure and ethereal snow woman, possessing a dreamlike beauty.
Although her eyes were still calm to the point of being cold, the younger Yukino did not give off an impression of harshness; instead, she had the cuteness of a little girl pretending to be a mature young woman.
It really is Yukino…
Kiyono's expression was complex.
He had fantasized many times about his second meeting with Yukino.
Perhaps it would be on a sunny school campus, where he would accidentally pass an abandoned classroom and see a girl reading.
Or perhaps it would be after he had achieved success and become a literary master…
But he never expected to meet a ten-year-old Yukino again!
And to be taken home by her at that age!
Kiyono slapped his forehead.
Just then, Yukino suddenly stopped and looked up; he followed suit.
"We're here," the girl said faintly, her voice very soft in her younger years.
What greeted their eyes was a lush, Japanese-style garden—a world apart from the modern high-rises.
This should be the girl's old home in Chiba, right?
His spawn point this time was in Chiba, meaning he was now going to live in Yukino's home?
And he would have to face her entire family?
Kiyono, who had been lost in thought, twitched his eye, only then realizing the complexity of the situation.
Thinking about it carefully, Yukino was still an elementary school student, so she couldn't possibly live independently.
Providing him with a place to stay could only happen at her parents' house—even her own wouldn't work!
"Forget it, it'll be too much trouble for you.
I'd be grateful if you could just lend me some money."
Kiyono spoke, well aware of the pressure and scrutiny the girl's actions would bring.
Although he was almost at rock bottom, he still felt bad about making Yukino sacrifice so much for him.
If it really came down to it, he would just go to a social welfare institution!
It would only waste a few years—barely acceptable.
"How much money do you think I have right now?
Besides, what use is money to a child?"
Yukino glanced at him; her voice, still slightly cold, carried an ethereal quality like thin snow.
If either of them had a second option, she wouldn't have chosen this path.
However, she wouldn't stand by and watch him wander, nor would she see him sent to a welfare home—that would truly be a pity.
She knew she had no obligation to take care of Kiyono; given his current age, the police or government should handle it.
But she simply wanted to.
After all, she had observed him for three years in another world and had developed some feelings; she couldn't treat him like a stray cat or dog.
Moreover, with their previous experience, she had a relatively high trust in Kiyono's character and knew he would achieve something in the future—of course, she wasn't seeking repayment, as she lacked nothing, but she simply couldn't stand by and do nothing.
"Don't worry, this is based on careful consideration.
If you feel bad, you can repay me later.
For a drowning person, what matters is grasping the only straw, not caring about how disheveled they look."
Yukino's eyes were serious, filled with her usual confidence.
When she first arrived in this world, she had vaguely deduced Kiyono's situation from her own, even going specifically to Tokyo to the place where they had met and finally—as if guided by fate—found him.
However, there was no need to tell him this.
"This… I will always remember the kindness of Lady Yukino!"
Kiyono gazed at her, solemn.
He had no choice but to shamelessly accept it now; he would keep a mental note!
This time, his talent was truly maxed out.
As long as he was given a stable period of development, the current difficulties would be nothing.
Speaking of which, looking up at a girl felt a bit unusual…
Yukino nodded in satisfaction.
Sometimes, openly accepting others' kindness was also a form of courage.
According to her observations, although Kiyono tended to hesitate and always sought a win-win solution before deciding, once he made up his mind, he was incredibly decisive and unwavering.
The rain gradually lessened, and the bright moon quietly revealed a corner.
Before stepping through the gate, Kiyono took a deep breath.
"May I ask a question—why are you helping me so much?"
Yukino had given him dignity in the past and was saving him now.
Was this because of her inner creed?
Or because she couldn't stand by when someone was in trouble?
"Consider it a reward for my own ideals."
Helping someone—and that person becoming stronger, more passionate, and then more people being influenced by him to take steps on the right path… she had always yearned for such things.
Yukino pursed her lips and softly spoke words beyond her age.
"I see."
"Mm."
The conversation paused briefly.
The girl stepped forward and entered the house, offering no further comforting words or attempts to spare his pride, because she felt it wasn't necessary.
Kiyono reined in his surging emotions and followed her inside, curiously scanning the surroundings.
At first glance, the courtyard looked like a garden, with cherry trees and lush plants on both sides.
The layout was beautiful: a pond, koi, moss, bamboo pipes—an antique charm…
Yukino walked ahead with an indifferent expression, seemingly composed, but her young mind was constantly pondering solutions…
---
In the classic, spacious Japanese-style house, the inner courtyard lay open.
The rain outside had stopped, and by the pond, bamboo pipes still wet with rain were fixed at a forty-five-degree angle on a stand, drawing spring water.
Every so often, a bamboo pipe would tip down, making a clear dong.
Inside the room, two cups of tea sat on a low table, their rising steam filling the space with a sense of Zen.
Coupled with the woman in a kimono kneeling on the tatami, it felt as if one had returned to the Heian period.
The air was suffocatingly silent.
This must be Yukinoshita's mother…
Kiyono sat next to the loli version of Yukino and looked up at the woman in front of him.
She wore an elegant, light-purple kimono that appeared unremarkable at first glance, yet every subtle detail exuded understated luxury.
The kimono was embroidered with blue, red, and white chrysanthemums, bright jade bamboo between the flowers, and her obi and cords were exquisitely crafted.
Her brows and eyes bore a seven-tenths resemblance to Yukino's, though more mature.
The woman's black hair was styled in an updo; her gentle face exuded inherent grace and dignity, much like a blooming peony.
Yukinoshita's mother's gaze swept over the two children; her eyes flashed with surprise and distress.
She remained silent for a long time.
Clearly, the situation of "her elementary-school-aged daughter bringing home a boy of the same age at night" pushed the usually graceful mother into an indescribable mood.
She had imagined Yukino bringing home wet cats, wet dogs, or wet flowers in the rain—but she had never imagined Yukino bringing home a wet person.
"Yukino, can you explain this to me?" the woman sighed, her voice full of helplessness.
Hearing her mother's question, Yukino straightened her already straight back; her hands clasped tightly, her small face serious and nervous.
Although she had boasted to Kiyono earlier, now that the moment arrived, she didn't seem so calm.
She took a shallow breath, trying to keep her tone steady, and described what had happened—simply put, Kiyono had encountered a special situation, and if she didn't bring him home, he would be doomed.
That wasn't really a lie.
Yukinoshita's mother looked at her daughter with interest—Yukino could actually handle this so calmly?
Just as she was about to say something, her lips closed again; her brows furrowed slightly.
The cheerful patter of footsteps interrupted their conversation.
"What, what?
Little Yukino brought a boy home?
Let me see how handsome this little boy is to captivate our Yukino!"
The voice was clear and lovely, making Kiyono and Yukino involuntarily turn to look.
In the hallway, a beautiful woman with medium-short hair—eight parts resembling Yukino—trotted in, her face beaming with a smile.
Her delicate, smoke-blue brows, naturally smiling cherry lips, and radiant demeanor made people want to respond in kind.
This was the "medium-sized Yukino."
Was Yukinoshita Haruno's hair longer at this time?
Their eyes met, and Kiyono was a little surprised.
"Ah, it's a cute little brother!" The truth slipped out unintentionally.
"Haruno."
Yukinoshita's mother's words were incredibly gentle, even soft, but the moment those two syllables fell—thud—Miss Haruno instantly knelt down beside Kiyono, and the three sat in a row with their heads bowed.
"You can just call me Big Sister Haruno, okay?"
The captive lady whispered in Kiyono's ear, giving him a gentle smile.
She seemed not to reject him, which made him feel relieved.
Yukinoshita's mother silently let out a second sigh.
Her gaze shifted to the right, resting on Kiyono.
"Little friend, did you have a fight with your parents?" the kimono-clad beauty asked gently.
"…Well, I haven't seen my parents since I can remember," the boy answered frankly.
Yukinoshita's mother was startled, then looked at Kiyono carefully and intently.
Upon closer inspection, she was even more surprised to find that the boy's eyes were clear and bright, his features delicate. Though his complexion was pale and he was a bit thin, he exuded the chill of early spring snow.
For some reason, the more she looked, the more a strange fondness grew within her, as if, from those bright eyes, she saw his pure heart—deeply hurt, yet untainted by the world…
However, she was, after all, a well-traveled woman and did not let a slight ripple in her heart sway her judgment—at most, it just added a bit of goodwill.
"Have you been living alone all this time?
It must be hard for a child like you.
Stay with us tonight."
She pondered for a long while, sighed softly, and made her decision.
Letting Kiyono stay here for two days was perfectly fine.
After all, he was just a child the same age as Yukino, and the house had many empty rooms, so it wouldn't cause any trouble.
In fact, she secretly hoped that a peer could come play with Yukino at home—she knew of Yukino's difficulties at school, and perhaps that was why she cherished this unique friend so much?
But while staying was one thing, stepping up to adopt the boy was quite another.
The Yukinoshita family didn't lack children, nor heirs; what they lacked was an excellent son-in-law.
All in all, since Yukino had rarely asked her for anything, she would let Kiyono stay for a few days.
In a couple of days, she would look for a suitable family to adopt him.
Doing this much was already benevolent, and it counted as a great favor.
What if he really became successful in the future?
"Thank you very much." Kiyono bowed his head in gratitude.
Both could tell that Yukinoshita's mother had no intention of letting him stay long-term.
Kiyono didn't mind; he was already very grateful that a stranger would kindly take him in for a few days to get through a difficult time, and he couldn't ask for too much.
But Yukino frowned.
She hadn't expected her mother to adopt Kiyono, but at least she wanted him to have a place to stay until he could live independently.
Moreover, how easy was it to integrate into an adoptive family?
It seemed she would have to think of other ways…
And beside her, the "medium-sized Yukino's" curious gaze constantly swept between the two of them.
---
Yukinoshita's mother had Yukino take him to choose a guest room—the rooms were usually kept tidy by the maids, ready for sleeping.
After thoughtfully informing Kiyono of the general layout of the bathroom and garden, little Yukino let out a tiny yawn, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
The inconvenience of an elementary-schooler's body was that, at a certain point, she simply couldn't control her sleepiness.
She said goodnight to Kiyono and, dragging her overwhelmingly tired body, returned to her own room.
However, just as she was about to sleep, her heart suddenly skipped a beat—she felt as if she had forgotten something.
She seemed to have… overlooked something?
This faint sense of missing something bothered her even in her dreams.
In a Japanese-style room not far from Yukino, Kiyono lay on the tatami, gazing at the serene classical room, sighing softly in his heart.
It felt… less comfortable than an internet café.
Although the environment here was impeccable, and he was very grateful to Yukino, if he had a choice, he would absolutely and unhesitatingly choose that cramped space.
At least in an internet café, he could do whatever he wanted; living under someone else's roof was not so pleasant.
"Tsk, I still need to find a way to be independent…"
Several thoughts flashed through his mind, and Kiyono's eyelids grew heavy.
He was also an elementary-school student now.
---
He woke up hungry.
Literally—his mind was still incredibly fatigued, but his body and consciousness were forcibly awakened by his stomach.
His stomach was empty; hunger spread throughout his body, and he felt very weak.
He couldn't help but drool at the sight of the flowers and plants in the room, wanting to take a bite or two.
Only then did he remember that, by the time he finished talking with Yukinoshita's mother, it was already past their family's dinner time.
Because they were both so serious, they naturally forgot about it.
Kiyono's dead-fish eyes drooped. Instinctively, he reached to grab his phone from beside his pillow to check the time—but grasped only air.
"Hmph, it's only been half a day without food—nothing worth mentioning."
The first time he met Yukino, he hadn't eaten for an entire day.
Kiyono yawned, wobbled to his feet, and prepared to get a cup of water to fill his stomach—he certainly couldn't ask others to cook for him in the middle of the night.
And, having just moved in, without prior explanation, he felt awkward going to the kitchen or fridge for food.
He'd just drink some water and make do until breakfast.
Picking up a water bottle, he went to the washroom, filled it halfway with water, and gulped it down.