♥Futarigurashi♥Kotarou lives Alone♥

Chapter 17 - Sunday

It's a Sunday. Ruri said she would like to go to Kotarou's room and play. Heading up first, she saw Karino on the floor. She went back to her room again. "Nee-chan, Shin-chan's dead!" 

"What?!" What did her little sister mean Karino's dead?! She rushed up the stairs and she saw Karino on the ground. Judging by his clothes, he's about to head somewhere. "Old man?!"

"Muh? Lady Rio and Lady Ruri? Fear not. Sir Karino just have a cold." Kotarou looked like he's about to head out.

"Cold?" Rio touched Karino's forehead. "Seriously, old man?! It's just a cold?!" She smacked the back of his head for scaring her! "At least collapse in a way that you don't look like the grim reaper got you or something! Idiot!" She better get him inside and put him in bed. He clearly need rest. 

"Draft...need...to...give it...in..." Why was he making it sound like a dying message?

Rio lift Karino up by putting his arm over her shoulders. He was heavy- much heavier than herself. She did her best to drag his completely limp body to the inside of his room. She left him on the floor and she pushed his tea table out of the way so she could put his futon out. She did her best to drag him onto it before putting the sheet over him. "Hm?" She realized the kids were not here. Where did they go? "Eh?" She received a message from Kotarou. "'I'm taking Lady Ruri to the editorial department. I will leave Sir Karino to you'- HOLY CRAP! THAT'S A TRAIN RIDE AWAY!" But wait...it's Kotarou with Ruri. If it was Ruri on her own then that will be a major problem...but Kotarou was mature and have a powerful sense of responsibility so he will know how to get there and come back safely. She will have to scold him and Ruri when they come back. She sent a message to him that she needed to speak to him when he's back so she's relying on him to take care of Ruri. She looked at Karino who looked like he was on the verge of dying. "I better take care of him before he thinks he needs to write his will."

...

At the Shougaku company's editorial department where mangaka and editors see one another, Kotarou and Ruri was talking to Fukuno Ippei, Karino's editor. 

'Why???' Fukuno thought to himself. For the first time in his life, he's face to face with two kids who came here with a mangaka's draft. 

"Sir Editor, I've brought Sir Karino's draft."

"Are you here alone? Where's Karino?" 

"Karino's incapacitated by a cold. So I came in his place after making sure Lady Rio is tending to him." 

Fukuno wondered how Kotarou will feel if he were to tell him Karino could have called him and he would have made his way over. Maybe it was best not to say anything. 

"Hee~, I've never been here before~!" Ruri looked excited but she promised to be a good girl so she stayed seated. 

"And why did you bring your friend from kindergarten?" Fukuno asked. 

"Lady Ruri will be lonely because Lady Rio will need to tend to Sir Karino. Therefore, I took it upon myself to take care of Lady Ruri." 

"I see..." Fukuno also didn't tell him this but Kotarou and Ruri will definitely be scolded by Karino and Rio when they return. The draft wasn't bad at all. It was one of Karino's best works he had submitted. He will tell him the good news when he's well.

After a brief conversation with Kotarou that felt like a session for life counselling, Fukuno revealed to Kotarou that he only work during the weekend when it was necessary to do so, and he's married. 

"You're talking about a real person, right? Not an anime waifu?" Ruri asked him. 

"Hahahahahahaha- what do you mean by that?" Fukuno asked Ruri.