Blissful [Shinazugawa Sanemi]

Chapter 12

"Sonny, can you please help me write this address down?"

Sanemi stared at the old man, a pen and a paper in hand. He blinked at the old man and looked at the paper in his hand. He was dumbfounded.

He can't write.

"I can write!" Sayu piped in beside him. Sanemi immediately gave the paper and the pen to her. She wrote down an address with her messy handwriting.

"Thank you, dear." The old man patted her head before thanking them and leaving.

Sanemi held in a sigh, relieved that he doesn't have to embarrass himself.

Sanemi leaned back on the chair, munching on a dango stick. He glanced beside him. Shiori was sitting beside him, holding her sister who was sitting on her lap. Sayu held up a dango for Shiori and she chewed on it.

"It would've been merrier if Mitsuri didn't have an errand." Shiori said while chewing.

Sanemi shook his head, mentally disagreeing with her. He then noticed that she was scanning him from head to toe. He felt awkward on his seat.

"What?" He asked.

"You're not injured." Shiori said.

"Why would I be injured?" Sanemi raised a brow at her.

Shiori simply smiled. She looked away after making sure that Sanemi didn't get hurt because of Izuru's men. He sure is strong.

"Your face is getting better." Sanemi pointed out. Aside from her eyebags, the bruises on her face are starting to fade away.

"I heal fast." Shiori said.

"... Those guys from earlier, did something happen to them?" Sanemi asked.

"Nothing. I just gave them a piece of my mind like usual." Shiori grinned.

Sanemi felt as if something stabbed his heart. He looked away from Shiori. His mind was so confused about what was happening. That was the first time she grin like that and Sanemi was surprised.

"It's too bad the mochi and ohagi are sold out." Sayu piped in, raising her head to look at them.

"I wanted big brother to eat some."

"Big brother?" Shiori mumbled.

"He's big brother Sanemi now!" Sayu exclaimed happily. "He always helps me whenever I need it. I feel like I have a real big brother!"

"I guess this is how it will feel if my brothers are still alive." Sayu said with a smile.

"You had brothers?" Sanemi asked.

"I never really met them. They all died when I was still a baby." Sayu said. "Sis said I have two brothers and two other sisters!"

Shiori patted Sayu's head.

"I had an older brother and sister, and also a younger brother and sister." Shiori explained. "They along with my mother were all killed by a demon."

"... Oh." Was all Sanemi could say.

Sayu saw a butterfly flying past her. She jumped off from Shiori's lap and ran to follow the butterfly, ignoring her sister's call that reminds her not to go too far.

"... How is it going with that guy?" Sanemi asked.

"... And here I hoped you'd forget about that." Shiori chuckled. She grabbed her tea cup and sipped it.

"Nothing new, really. One misunderstanding, a beating session, and a round of empty apologies." She muttered, her eyes staring at her tea.

"How long has it been going on?" Sanemi asked again.