Chapter 13 The Eighth Day of the Main Body
【Saku】
The moment I saw the smile fade from Xiaozhi's eyes, I realized I had said the wrong thing.
Although he quickly laughed again and gently patted my head, I still knew I had said the wrong thing.
My older brother Xiaozhi mentioned to us that he studied in Tokyo. He also mentioned that he has stopped studying. But after thinking about it carefully, I realized that he never seemed to have explained why he stopped studying.
The topic of reading is far removed from me; for kids like us, not reading is the norm.
So when my brother Xiaozhi said he was no longer studying, I didn't think much of it and didn't ask why he wasn't studying.
Although I still don't know the reason, I do know that he did it voluntarily.
"If possible, who wouldn't want to finish high school?"
When Xiaozhi said this, he had a slight smile on his face, but I could tell he was actually very sad. His eyes looked like they were crying, and his gaze held a very gentle sadness.
That sadness was even more heartbreaking than the sadness that Kosuke and Shinji saw when we had no food, so I know that Kozue-nii is very sad.
Just like he said, he would definitely finish high school if he could.
So I couldn't help but grab his hand and then cover his eyes—that's how Kosuke and the others treated me when I wanted to cry, and then I tried my best not to cry.
"It's okay, Brother Xiaozhi," I said.
It's okay.
Don't cry, and don't be sad.
Your eyes are so beautiful.
****
When I returned to the detective agency, Ranpo was exactly the same as when I left. He was sitting on the sofa, except he was holding an extra bag of potato chips.
He probably heard me open the door and turned around to look. "Or."
Mr. Kunikida, on the other hand, was hunched over his desk writing something when I left. He must have finished now, so he's sitting on the sofa.
He had a cup of tea in front of him and was reading a newspaper.
After Ranpo called my name, Kunikida Doppo pulled down his newspaper, his gaze meeting mine behind his glasses. "Edakawa."
"Um."
I found an empty seat and asked Kunikida Doppo, "What are you looking at, Mr. Kunikida?"
"News." He very considerately turned the newspaper so that I could see what he was reading.
I glanced at it; it was about the Port Mafia.
In recent years, the port mafia has been gaining momentum, and its daily misdeeds inevitably provide the newspapers with plenty of material for sensationalized reports.
With a rustling sound, Kunikida Doppo folded the newspaper.
I asked in surprise, "Have you finished watching it already?"
He put the newspaper aside and pushed up his glasses: "Yes."
I leaned back, sinking into the soft sofa, and stared at the ceiling.
In the silence all around, I heard Kunikida Doppo sipping tea and Edogawa Ranpo crunching potato chips.
After a while, I suddenly spoke up: "I saw Sakura today, and she said she met someone willing to adopt them."
I couldn't see Edogawa Ranpo and Kunikida Doppo from my perspective, but I think they were looking at me.
"Mr. Ranpo, Mr. Kunikida, this is actually something to be happy about. My reason tells me that this is something to be happy about, but I am not entirely happy."
“Edaka,” it was Kunikida’s voice, “it’s normal to feel reluctant to part with him.”
“No, it’s not that I’m reluctant to part ways.” I lowered my head and looked directly at him. “I am sad, Mr. Kunikida, but not because I’m sad about parting with Sakura and the others. I’m sad because they were so lucky to have such a wonderful experience. It’s such a contradiction—I’m genuinely happy for them, but I’m also genuinely sad for myself.”
I leaned back again, feeling weak, my neck bent backward, and my cold hands resting on my eyelids.
How despicable, Edakawa.
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