Soshite Shoujo wa Akujo no Karada o Te ni Ireru Chapter 30

“What are you-? You're lost even though you're a grown adult. So lame”

I curled up into the corner of the room unable to refute it.

“Are you crying miss? It's okay. I'm sure mommy and daddy will come soon”

It's like an angel's smile comforting me but for some reason, I feel sadder.

Right now I'm in a place called lost children center, a place where children lost in the shopping mall gather. That's right, I am currently in a place where are lots of lost little children. There's one reason. Because I got lost.

It's been 10 minutes now. I've have been separated from Tanakkun and Ichinose-senpai, I took the elevator to look for everyone from the 2nd floor. After that I met Umauschan who immediately took my heart in the end, I chased after Umauschan. I wanted to stop the me at that time.

“Excuse me, please give me a balloon!”

When I called out to Umauschan who was walking in front me, he turns around surprised and stiffens. He might have stopped. So gentle, as expected of Umauschan!

“May I shake your hand please?”

I got  a red balloon and I might not be able  to meet Umauschan again so I'd asked if I could touch him. He remained silent for a while with no reaction so I thought it was no good and slump my shoulders in despair. It might only be limited to kids, too bad.

As I was feeling down, I felt a soft touch on my head. I looked up and Umauschan was stroking my head. Umauschan, Umauschan!

“Umauschan!”

I hugged her without thinking. Although her thick fur feels nice, it's still hard because it's a costume. But to think I'll being able to hug Umauschan like this, I don't mind at all and press my face further.

“So happy”

“. . . . .tsu”

How nice, I want to take this costume home. While I was thoroughly enjoying Umauschan, a little girl entered the scene. She looked like she wanted to say something.

Ah, this child also wants to touch Umauschan. I can't believe she couldn't talk to her because I was monopolizing Umauschan. Oh my G.o.d!

“Do you want to shake hands with Umauschan? Please go ahead”

I separated from Umauschan and I recommended for her to shake hands  but why does she have tears on my eyes. Why?

“Eh, eh, What's wrong?”

“……Mama”

“Eh”

“Mama where are you……”

“Are you lost child!?” 

The little girl who couldn't stand it shed tears. This is bad, she got separated from her mother. I have to find her quickly.

“It's gonna be okay, older sister will look for your mother “

“Really?”

“Yes!”

I wipe the tears off her face with a handkerchief and pat her head rea.s.suringly. To get lost in  such a huge place, I bet she was full of anxiety.

I held the girl's hand and said goodbye to Umauschan.

“Umauschan, thank you for the balloon. I hope we meet again”

“Bye bye Uschan”

“It's Umauschan”

Now, I have to search for her mother in this huge shopping mall, it is kinda hard to seriously look for her in this huge mall. Certainly, in mangas there's a scene where a man searches while carrying a lost child on his shoulder. I'm a bit worried about carrying someone on my shoulders so I'll just give her a piggyback ride.

“Please get on my back. Because I think it will be easier to find your mother if you are on a higher place.”

The little girl shyly gets on my back. Oh……she's quite heavy. But I have to work hard and find her mother!

“What should I call you?”

“……Mikan”

“So it's Mikan-chan. That's a cute name. Is Mikan-chan's mother there?”

I should be able to find her mother if I call out for her like this. After calling out several times, I turned around because someone patted my shoulder.

“Oh my, Umauschan. What's the matter?”

Umauschan who I parted with earlier is here. He tilted his head and pointed at a certain direction. In that place there was a notice board, Umauschan leads the way and beckons me so I follow him. The notice board contains the map of the shopping mall and Umauschan points to a certain area.

“Lost children center…… the lost children center!”

The lost children center takes care of lost kids. It's a huge shopping mall so it isn't unusual. More than searching randomly, the probability of finding a person being called out by the lost child center is higher.

“As expected of Umauschan. Let's go immediately”

I hammered the map layout into my head, I headed towards the escalator and descended to the first floor. I am not familiar with it yet, it's hard to maintain balance with Mikam-chan on my back. I wobbled the moment I got on the escalator and almost fell backward But, I suddenly felt a sensation that supported me and because of that I did not fall.

“Ah, Uschan”

I couldn't turn my body but if I look back a little, I can see white fur. The fur is definitely Umauschan's.

“Does Umauschan have any errands down there?”

She didn't answer my question and just continued to support my staggering body. How gentle. She also supported me when getting off,  I thanked her and went to the lost children center. For some reason Umauschan is also with us. Maybe because she's worried about lost Mikan-chan that she accompanied us to the lost children center. It's rea.s.suring.

I was walking along with Umaschan near the lost child center and a woman rushed over.

“Mikan!”

“Mama!”

Her mother came rus.h.i.+ng to us as I let her down, perhaps relieved, Mikan-chan began to cry and her mother hugged her gently.

I'm glad. I'm so glad she was found.

“Thank you very much”

“Older sister, Umauschan bye bye”

Her mother bowed her head to thanks us and I see off Mikan-chan waving both of her hands cheerfully. I'm glad I was useful. Ah- I have to thank Umascha.

“It was all thanks to Umauschan that I was able to find Mikan-chan's mother. Thank you very much”

As I was smiling, he looked down at me in silence for a moment and then patted my head and walked away.  A gentleman! Umauschan is a gentleman.

After seeing Umauschan off while waving my hands, I remember being separated from everyone and look around in a hurry. Just when I thought there was no one to help me someone walks in front while on the phone.

That's right, phone! I can meet them right away if I ask where they are on the phone.

I put my bag down and search inside. But no matter how I look nothing's coming out. Even if I take out all the contents, there was so phone. Then I remember. I left it when I was wearing my shoes.

I felt the blood drain from my body. How nostalgic……not! I can't contact anyone because I don't have my phone. That means I have to look for everyone in this huge shopping mall……I look around again. There's a wave of people since it's a holiday. It's going to be impossible to search inside.

I was at my wits' end but then I realized something. No no, regardless of what's going on it's embarra.s.sing.

There's a lost child center in front of me. When I  brought a lost child with me I thought I would be taken care of at the lost child center……I wanna cry.

I'll start searching here first.

I walk a few steps and a sense of loneliness kicks in. Until a while ago I was with Umauschan and Mikan-chan. Umauschan's figure isn't here anymore. I feel so lonely. When I thought that uneasiness suddenly surges in at once.

I might find them if I search hard enough but I might not as well. As a high school student, I am ashamed of getting lost. It might be embarra.s.sing but…..i'll abandon my shame!

“E-excuse me”

“Yes, what can I do for you?”

I was so hyped that I called the woman at the reception desk of the lost child center and she greeted me with a gentle smile.

“Lost…. is what I wanna say but”

“Did you bring a lost child? Thank you for your kindness”

“No, I am lost.”

At this moment, the smile on the female receptionist froze, I won't ever forget this.

As a result, I was taken care of in the lost child center, they called me on the in-store broadcast and I had to stay in the same room as the other lost children until someone comes to pick me up.

There were other children aside from me, a girl and 2 boys, 3 all together, the boy was running around with a toy mischievously. Being energetic is a good thing.  The little girl feeling docile stacked building blocks together.

“s.h.i.+nozuka Aiksan.Your companion came”

That was fast. To think it was only broadcasted a few minutes ago. It was good to abandon shame after all. Because I was found so quickly.

I thank the receptionist. When I got out of the room someone was there

“Mikos.h.i.+bkun!”

Sweaty Mikos.h.i.+bkun breathed a big sigh when he saw me.

“It's seems that you're not hurt”

I was relieved when I saw Mikos.h.i.+bkun smile, perhaps he ran around looking for me, I thought.  To find me.

I feel sorry but I'm glad I won't stay here any longer, such a strange feeling filled my chest.

He stopped wiping the sweat with his hands and I hand him a handkerchief different from the one Mikan-chan used.  I can't give it to him because it has snot.

“Thank you for picking me up. I was relieved to see Mikos.h.i.+bkun”

“Hm? Were you lonely?”

I was helpless. This was something I used to feel a long time ago, as a child I felt miserable everyday in the hospital room all by myself. Although I was lonely I couldn't be selfish because I knew how hard my parents were working to pay the medical bills. Before I knew it, I was used to being alone but even though it was normal …..

After I became Aikchan, someone's always by my side and I thought it was natural that I've forgotten.

To have someone to talk to, to have someone to eat with. The importance of being able to share the good things and the bad things with someone. Now that I'm aware of these, I'm scared of being alone again.

“……I was lonely”

Remembering the loneliness a while ago, I looked at Mikos.h.i.+bkun with a bitter smile and stared at him.

“…………”

Being looked down by a tall figure is quite intense but I'm not scared at all. Because I know Mikos.h.i.+bkun is gentle.

As I stare I tilt my head and Mikos.h.i.+bkun caresses my cheek.

“Mikos.h.i.+bkun?”

“Ah, no…..my bad”

He instantly moved his hand away, did I have something on my face?

Mikos.h.i.+bkun had a strange look on his face and he tilted his head, I was also tempted to tilt my head. There's a voice that calls me.

“s.h.i.+nozuksan!”

“Tanakkun! Ichinose-senpai too!”

I wonder if both of them ran and searched, they're sweating so much. Uhh, I'm sorry.

“I'm glad you're okay”

“I'm sorry for worrying you”

“From now on, please don't forget your phone. Because my heart can't take it. In that kind of crowd, I'm glad you're not hurt”

Ichinose-senpai popped their heads together. In order not to get lost again, I have to get a grip from now……and not forget my phone just in case.

Mamiysenpai and the others immediately joined us at the lost child center  afterwards. For some reason Sakaki-senpai was holding his stomach.

“Aika! I'm glad you were found”

“No、you got separated too”

Mamiysenpai hugged me but Nis.h.i.+jimsan pulls us apart and clings onto Mamiysenpai's arm.

“A highschool student getting lost, so uncool”

“We were lost too”

“That's because the guys were lost”

“Is that so”

Mamiysenpai and everyone got lost too. It's nice being able to gather together again. The seniors who searched were troubled for sure. When I tried to apologize to Sakaki-senpai,

“Ahahahaha. A highschool student in a lost child center, ahahaha, hiー、my stomach hurts”

He was holding his stomach because he was resisting to laugh. The laughter didn't stop, Sakaki-senpai thought it might be a good joke. It's better than having sad face or an angry face but my embarra.s.sment keeps increasing when being laughed at that much. It's true, it is embarra.s.sing for a high school student to be at a lost child center.

“I'm laughing too much”

“It hurts. Wa, I am laughing. As expected of Aikchan, always unusually ahead of expectations”

“Uh, I'm sorry”

“Isn't it fine? It was fun. Because of Aikchan everyone was able to gather, at the lost child center……bubu、it contributes to the fact that I was taken care of. Great job, great job.”

Accomplishment. Sounds good.

If it was a meritorious deed then perhaps it was not a waste that I got lost. Let's be positive and not feel down.

“Aika, Sakurako and Nis.h.i.+jima, although I'm glad you're not hurt, be careful not to get separated again.”

“Yes. Now, we're going to eat ice cream as planned”

With Mamiysenpai in the lead, we head to the recommended ice cream shop, Tanakkun told me to hold his hand.

“I don't have a phone so it's gonna be hard if you get lost again”

“Thank you”

When I take Tanakkun's hand, Sakaki-senpai starts grinning.

“You two, get along pretty well huh, why don't you try going out? You suit each other”

“Eh, hey,  senpai what are you saying!”

Looking at fl.u.s.tered Tanakkun, I felt troubled. I think we get along well but perhaps Tanakkun has someone he likes? That's why he's fl.u.s.tered.

Hm, I'm not sure what to do. I wonder why?

“s.h.i.+nozuka. Will you hold hands with me? I'm worried you might make an unexpected turn”

I remember Mikos.h.i.+bkun who ran to the lost child Department to pick me up and I thought that I shouldn't be an inconvenience anymore. So I gratefully held Mikos.h.i.+bkun's hand.

“……a captured alien”

“With this, I will have a peace of mind”

“Oh, Aika won't be able to move around if you're sandwiched between two sides, so you can be a.s.sured. Let's go?”

A large movement of people. On the escalator heading to the third floor, there was a parent and child. The child was holding a balloon.

“I wish I could've gotten another balloon”

“Balloon?”

“It's a balloon I got from Umauschan. I gave it to a lost girl”

“Did you give it to the child in the lost child center?”

“No, I met a lost girl while I was hugging Umauschan so I took her to the lost child center. In that moment, to cheer her up from crying、I gave her the balloon”

I couldn't tell Umauschan, who was glad to give me a balloon and accompanied me to the lost child center, that I wanted another one, so I guess it can't be helped.

“Umauschan?”

“It is the character in this bag.”

“You hugged him……n, but you're kind s.h.i.+nozuksan”

“Wait a minute. Can I interrupt you for a second?”

Sakaki-senpai who was walking in the front looked back and his lips twitched.

“When you got a balloon from this Umausa mascot while hugging him, did you go to the lost child center because of the lost kid?”

“Yes. The child's mother was also in the lost child center, so we met right away”

“I'm glad”

I felt embarra.s.sed when Mikos.h.i.+bkun smiled , Sakaki-senpai bursts into laughter again.

“Bwahaha, then what? Aika went to entrust the lost girl in the lost child center and got taken care of the lost child center?”

“……That's what happened”

Sakaki-senpai's laughter echoed throughout the shopping mall.

TLN: Sorry I was late, this chapter was really long but I did not wanna cut it so here it is. Tadah!
Enjoy this chapter~

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