The Golden Pear [YA - Featured]

♫~Notes 137~♫

Ueno didn't stop until she reached the Cat's hut, only this time, no meowing beauties greeted her. She half-way collapsed onto the grass, hugging her knees and crying.

Her heart had beaten like crazy, but it could be only because of the dash. First Freya, then Aiyoku with Rigaku, and now Kagetsu had shown her trust and honesty. What was wrong with them? Were they all that dumb?

Who would trust her after what she had done? She was already feeling miserably for all her deeds! They should abandon her!

Let her rot!

Yet the feeling of losing Freya tortured her more.

Minutes passed, filled with weeping and cries. She hadn't cried that much since her father's death. Her mother let her as long as they were among people. Once alone, she would lash her and yelled until Ueno was too terrified to make a peep.

Wallowing in her grief for long enough, she wiped her tears, blew her nose, and rubbed her red eyes. In the last weeks, she seemed to cry a lot. Her mother would be furious. Smirk found its place on her face. She would love to see that worthless mother of hers losing her composure.

Returning her handkerchief, she realized her hands were otherwise empty. It took her a few seconds to understand what she was missing.

"My notebook!" She jumped onto her feet, looking around. "I must have dropped it!" It had all of her notes, and she didn't have a copy.

Her eyes found a paper bag around seven meters from her. Stopping her pivoting, she focused on it. Who placed it there? Was it there when she arrived? Approaching it, she picked it up, opening it.

Her eyes widened. Inside laid her notebook and pen, alongside a pack of cookies, a small round cake in a paper, a strawberry fizzy drink, and a note. She took out the note first.

"Sorry, didn't mean to make you cry. You are right. I can be an idiot. Hope this makes you feel better. Ka"

She squatted as another wave of tears slid down her cheeks.

"He really is an idiot." Yet she couldn't stop smiling.

By the evening, Rigaku checked his list for the last time.

"Coupons? Check."

All the participating places had a magical hat full of the coupons.

"Kittens? Check."

The niece couldn't wait to play with them and make dozens of photos and videos.

"Stalls? Check."

He took a quick tour around, needing almost two hours to see everything. And that because the road was empty, and he didn't try any game. No wonder even two days could be too short to try everything.