arc3 · 144-ch144

Chapter 144: On the Way to Shopping With Umi...

The parent-teacher talk ended smoothly, and I went to pick up Umi from the library.

"Ah, Onii-chan! How was the talk?"

"Yeah, it was good to hear how things are going at your school. They also explained the events coming up, so I need to tell Mom about those too."

I walked down the hallway side by side with Umi, who'd finished getting ready to go home, and headed for the entrance. After this, I was supposed to go shopping with Umi.

"But, there's a huge crowd. Why isn't everyone heading home?"

When I was changing my shoes at the entrance, I could see a huge crowd gathered outside. It was so strange that I couldn't help asking Umi about it.

"Everyone's waiting for Onii-chan to come out!"

What is Umi talking about? This is my first time coming to observe, so I don't know a single person. There's no way anyone would be waiting for someone like me.

"What are you saying, Umi?"

"Fufu, just come on, let's go home!"

I left the entrance not really understanding. These people were waiting for me to come out? Is it really that rare for a man to come to a parent observation day?

But, we really do seem to be drawing attention — I can feel lots of gazes. I'm getting a little scared, but Umi is completely unfazed by these gazes. If anything, she's acting proudly, like a celebrity gathering attention.

(Umi's really grown up on me, huh.)

I was an older brother feeling his sister's growth in a strange way.

▽▽▽

"Onii-chan should have more confidence in his looks!"

In the taxi heading to the large shopping mall, Umi said something like that to me. According to Umi, I'm apparently quite a handsome guy. I've never felt that way much, but if Umi says so, should I have more confidence?

"Even in the library, it was all talk about Onii-chan! Even girls from the upper grades came to ask about Onii-chan, and I was so proud!"

Hmm, is that so. If that's the case, maybe the moms who sat next to me were the ones who won at rock-paper-scissors after all. No, that would be too conceited.

Anyway, it was good that Umi seemed happy. I was worried she might be disappointed Mom couldn't come, but apparently she's fine. Watching Umi chatter away, I secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"That'll be 2000 yen."

Once we arrived at the shopping mall, I paid the taxi and got out. It's been a while since I came here — since I came to buy clothes. Today's purpose is to accompany Umi on her shopping. I don't know where we're going, but I hope Umi has fun.

"Onii-chan, this way, this way!"

I chased after Umi, who was running off happily, and entered the shopping mall. First, she says she wants to go to a shop selling cute little things. Her target is apparently stickers. I wondered what you'd use stickers for, but apparently sticker-trading is the latest craze among elementary school kids.

Led by Umi, I arrived at a shop selling cute stationery. Oh, this shop is all girls. I'm a little embarrassed to go in. But I decided to accompany Umi shopping today, so I don't have the option of not going in.

"Wow! This is cute! Ah, this one's cute too!"

Umi is excitedly picking up the stickers she likes. Yeah, she's acting like a proper elementary school kid.

By the way, when I came in, there weren't many people, but suddenly the crowd is growing. It's been like this since Umi entered this shop. For the shop, Umi is like a goddess of luck who brings customers in. I should be grateful!

"Onii-chan, which do you like better, this one or this one?"

In her outstretched hand were several sweets in sticker form and several kinds of dogs rendered in a cute chibi style. I chose the dog stickers without hesitation. Seeing things like this makes me want a dog.

Umi took the dog stickers I'd chosen, cute girl stickers, and some kind of fluffy 3D character sticker to the register. Of course, I'm paying.

"Onii-chan, next we're going to buy socks!"

After buying the stickers and being satisfied, Umi's next goal was — I think it was socks. I thought she should buy cute clothes too, not just socks, but since the ones she's wearing now are still plenty wearable, socks alone are enough, she says.

It's amazing how even as an elementary school kid, she's learning to value her things. What a wonderful way of thinking, even if she is my little sister. I, who've recently been earning big money and losing my sense of money, should learn from her.

Maybe it was my imagination, but I could feel a group trailing along behind us as we moved up to the upper floor by escalator.

"Fufu-fu, I found good socks!"

What Umi brought was socks printed exactly like a snack package. It looks pretty flashy, but is this what's popular with elementary school kids nowadays?

She also put several pairs of normal socks in the basket. Ah, that's right — I should buy a hat too. Since Sasaki-san's advice, I've been wearing hats more often, so I wanted to buy two or three.

I finished paying for the socks and headed to the hat shop. Umi also wants a matching hat. Cute little rascal! Onii-chan will buy it for you!

I bought a black hat that doesn't stand out much and a gray hat that also doesn't seem to stand out. Umi bought a different color of the gray hat. She picked her favorite light blue and put it on right away. It suits her really well.

Now that shopping's done, shall we have some ice cream and head home? Thinking that, while Umi and I were heading to the food court, I noticed the surroundings were noisy. It wasn't the atmosphere of a celebrity visiting or an event starting — more like something bad is happening.

"Hey, it looks like an Awakened is rampaging nearby."

I stopped for a moment and listened, and I could hear a young man talking with his friends nearby.