They arrived at an amusement park.
The maid in the front passenger seat stepped out first, opened the rear door, lifted the hem of her skirt slightly, and said with practiced respect, "Ren-sama, we've arrived."
"Mm." The boy answered without interest and then pulled the girl beside him out of the car.
The park was lavish. Even from the entrance, they could see the attractions inside: a Ferris wheel towering into the sky, roller coasters twisting through the air, a carousel turning slowly, and more.
The girl's eyes widened. She had never imagined she would one day set foot in a place filled with laughter and light.
Without stopping to buy tickets, the boy led her straight in.
"Want to ride that?" he asked, pointing at the carousel.
Since they entered, the girl had been staring at it. It was impossible not to notice.
"Can I?" she asked, looking up at him hopefully.
He released her hand and guided her toward a private entrance. "Go."
No waiting, no lines. Moments later, she was seated on a majestic white horse.
As the carousel began to move, she waved excitedly toward the boy.
His expression remained as calm as ever, but he lifted a hand and waved back.
Her smile grew brighter.
After that came the trampolines, bumper cars, and a small train—rides meant for children.
When she had done everything she wanted, she finally asked the question that had been on her mind the whole time. "Aren't you going to ride anything?"
The boy was quiet for a moment. Then he shook his head. "No."
"Then what do we do now?" she asked. She had played so freely that her earlier uneasiness had faded.
"Come on," he said. "One last place."
Seeing her mood had lifted, he led her to a quiet park nearby.
He didn't say much after that. He leaned against a tree, opened a book, and began to read. With nothing else to do, the girl wandered around him, chasing butterflies.
When he finished the book, he called to her. "Alright. Time to go."
Back in the car, the girl sat in the rear seat, exhausted from playing so hard. Without meaning to, she leaned against the boy's shoulder and drifted into a deep sleep.
"Wake up." When they stopped in front of the store where he had first met her, he roused her.
She rubbed her eyes, still drowsy. "Are we there?"
After she stepped out, the butler handed the boy an elegant gift box. The boy passed it to the girl. "This is yours."
"Th-thank you." She accepted it, hesitated, then spoke softly.
Even so, she didn't understand what it had cost her.
Because the family's savings were nearly gone, her mother—still unwell—had forced herself to leave the hospital early. The girl happened to be changing her shoes at the entrance when her mother noticed the gift box in her hands.
"Where did that come from?" her mother asked.
The girl answered honestly. "I… bought it."
Her mother didn't believe her. The girl was too young to have a job. Where could she have gotten money for something like this?
Her mother's voice turned stern. "I'm asking you again. Where did it come from?"
"…I traded for it," the girl said, her voice shrinking as she sensed the shift in her mother's tone.
"Traded where?"
"At the store…"
Supporting her weak body, the mother immediately walked toward the shop the girl mentioned. She needed a clear answer.
At the store, the clerk confirmed the box had been purchased by an adult and wrapped on request.
Her mother's anger rose. "Then who gave this to you?"
"I told you—I traded for it! I really did! I spent the entire day today to trade for it!" The girl insisted, frantic now, because she knew she hadn't done anything wrong.
Her mother swayed, unsteady, murmuring in disbelief, "A trade… with an adult?"
The girl stepped forward, wanting to support her, but her mother slapped her hand away.
Tears welled up. "No… it was a boy."
The atmosphere in the store turned tense. The shopkeeper hurried over. "If you'd like, we can check the security footage."
The three of them went to the surveillance room and pulled up the recording.
Only then did the girl notice something she hadn't realized before: at some point, a blue rose hairpin had been clipped into her hair.
Once the footage confirmed it had been a little boy, the mother finally let out a long breath.
All the way home, the girl kept touching the blue rose hairpin, as if trying to understand when it had appeared.
Back at home, her mother sat beside the bed. Just then, the youngest daughter ran over on short legs, eyes shining. "Mom! Is this the birthday gift you bought for me?"
Smiling gently, the mother stroked her head and handed her the gift box. "This is what your sister bought for you."
"Wow! Thank you, Onee-chan!" The little girl hugged the box and opened it at once.
Inside was the exact hairpin the older sister had admired in the store—the one she herself had wanted for a long time.
The mother looked at the older girl for a moment and said quietly, "Find a chance to thank that person."
She had noticed how often her daughter touched the hairpin on her head. She understood the truth: her eldest had no idea where it came from.
"Mm. I understand, Mother," the girl promised.
From that day on, she began waiting near the store.
One day.
Two days.
…
Ten days.
Half a month.
Just when she thought she would never see him again—
"What are you doing?"
A familiar voice sounded in front of her. Today, the boy wore a formal robe embroidered with animals the girl didn't recognize.
She stood quickly, then lightly pounded her numb calves before speaking plainly. "I'm waiting for you."
"For me?"
"Yes," she said, nodding. "Waiting for you."
The boy understood how the world worked: people rarely approached without wanting something. He studied her face. "Are you short on money? Or do you want to trade for something again?"
"I… I am short," she admitted, "but I'm not here to trade for anything. I came to thank you."
That interested him. "Short on money for what?"
"My mother is sick." As she said it, her gaze fell. Under the dull sky, the blue rose hairpin looked almost faded.
He looked at her for a moment.
"I need a maid," he said. "You'll do."
The girl lifted her head. Light from the storefront caught the hairpin, and the blue rose gleamed again.
Thinking of her mother's illness, the boy advanced her a month's pay.
He even walked her home to discuss the terms of her part-time work with her mother.
And just like that, the girl accepted.
That part-time job lasted for many years.
At first, she knew nothing. She only followed behind him, step by step. Later, she learned to bring tea and water. Eventually, she became his study companion.
Slowly, her family's situation improved.
And the girl—once lit by the boy's kindness—wanted to use her own kindness to light others.
Her name was Honami Ichinose.
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The Black Dragon of the Katsuragi Family now has 180 chapters.
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