"Why do you look unhappy every day?!"
With that trace of reason, Hatoyama Keiko shouted out these shocking words to the boy.
[Ah... screwed up...]
As soon as these words were spoken, Hatoyama Keiko reacted instantly, and she was instantly filled with love.
Why are you unhappy every day?
Is not this nonsensical?
If my life was satisfactory, there was no pressure to survive, I had whatever I wanted, and good things happened every day, would I still be unhappy?
Her question was essentially similar to the emperor in ancient times when Big Rabbit asked "Why don't you eat meat?"...
How could she ask such a stupid question? !
However, Hatoyama Keiko still wanted to defend herself. In fact, what she really wanted to express at that time was:
You see, I am so sick myself. I have to undergo countless treatments and examinations every day. Even if I want to go out for fun, I am subject to various restrictions...
But even so, I am living every day of my life as happily as possible, trying not to waste any time.
So, please stop making that bad expression, okay?
To be fair, her idea at the time was naive and childish. Happiness is simple, but suffering is different. How could she bring her own suffering to others at will.
The boy has amazing maturity and wisdom. Even with such offensive words, he seemed to have a glimpse of Hatoyama Keiko's inner thoughts.
So, in Hatoyama Keiko's self-destructive and helpless look, he slowly nodded.
Although he still had that cold expression, he thanked her.
"Thanks."
Why are you unhappy every day?
Thanks.
To outsiders, this conversation seems completely out of line.
But as the two parties involved, they each understood what the other really wanted to express.
Later, Keiko Hatoyama learned that because he lived nearby, the boy had actually known about the fact that there was a frail eldest daughter in Hatoyama's family for a long time.
It was precisely this that allowed him to react to Hatoyama Keiko's seemingly offensive words at this moment.
【I-I didn’t screw it up! He knows what I mean! 】
Hearing the boy's thanks, for a moment, Hatoyama Keiko's heart, which was already cold, once again lit up with blazing fire.
Every time Keiko Hatoyama recalled this incident in the future, she was convinced countless times that she must have been a shameless scumbag in her previous life.
Because at that time, driven by the raging fire rekindled in her heart, she actually stepped forward and walked side by side with the boy very familiarly. At the same time, she asked repeatedly curiously and excitedly:
"Um, can you tell me your name?"
The boy turned to look at her.
"Shirakawa Qing."
"Shirakawa... Qing? It sounds like a really clean name... How old are you this year? I think we are about the same age..."
"twelve."
"Uh-huh! I'm thirteen. It seems like I'm one year older than you!"
The advantage of age made Keiko Hatoyama suddenly feel proud.
"Then I'll just call you Xiao Qing from now on? Is that okay?"
Hatoyama Keiko could clearly feel that after she said these words, there was a look of doubt in the boy's beautiful eyes.
Maybe at that time, he looked like a crazy guy who casually picked up young boys on the street... No, a crazy guy, right?
But Hatoyama Keiko simply ignored it.
"Xiao Qing, if you have no objection, then we can just agree to this?"
The boy quietly withdrew his gaze without saying a word.
"Also! Xiaoqing, your eyes are so beautiful! This is the first time I've seen someone with purple pupils? Is this hereditary?"
"Um."
Fortunately, the boy was still willing to talk to her and nodded.
"Is it mom or dad?"
"Mother."
"Then Xiaoqing, your mother must be a very beautiful person!"
"Um."
Although Shirakawa Kiyoshi's replies were always very brief, from the fact that he did not chase her away, Hatoyama Keiko could feel that the boy at least had no psychological problems.
The kind of indifference he showed that was so repulsive to others was just affected by his environment, rather than any defect in his heart.
"By the way, why is Xiaoqing so punctual every day when he goes to and from school? Don't you remember the time wrongly?"
"Habit."
In fact, the bruise on Shirakawa Qing's face at that time had not completely disappeared, but Hatoyama Keiko did not ask this question again, because she could already clearly feel that the boy was definitely not the kind to bully others. Bully.
The bruise on his face could only be caused by bullying.
The two of them chatted all the way... Although they said so, it was actually Hatoyama Keiko who was talking, and the boy was simply responding.
Accompanied by the old housekeeper, they walked several hundred meters through the streets and arrived at the old city.
It was only then that the boy finally stopped and spoke to her for the first time.
"I'm almost home, you go back."
"Why don't you invite the good friend you just met to your home?"
But Hatoyama Keiko didn't leave like that. She wanted to know more about this boy.
When the old housekeeper who had been following her heard this, he opened his mouth and hesitated to speak, but in the end he said nothing.
Hearing this, the boy was silent for a while, then spoke again:
"My mother doesn't like having guests at home."
"how about you?"
Keiko Hatoyama looked at him and asked a very cunning question.
"Xiao Qing, do you want me to visit your home?"
Her rhetorical question was really cunning.
She figured out that the boy meant "mom" and not himself, and tried to directly force the boy to express his opinion.
Because at that time, she had noticed that the boy had no repulsion towards her.
Hatoyama Keiko swore that if the boy really said "I don't want to", then she would stop pestering him and leave immediately.
But the boy didn't. When he heard the sound, he just remained silent for a while, then said nothing and walked towards home.
He didn't agree, but he didn't refuse either.
This is already the best statement.
Hatoyama Keiko was very happy, because she suddenly discovered that even though it was the first time they communicated with each other, she seemed to understand the boy's inner thoughts very well, and she seemed to be able to easily interpret any of his subtle actions.
So she quickened her pace and followed.
Behind her, the old housekeeper sighed helplessly and followed her.
In this way, following this boy, Hatoyama Keiko went to his home for the first time.
It was there that she finally learned all about this special boy.
(˙ー˙)
(End of chapter)
