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The moment the principal and vice principal realized there was no Tatsumake left, they let out shrill cries and went home.
What were they even planning to do with Tatsumake anyway?
“Well, whatever… yaaawn.”
So much had happened since morning—I was exhausted.
Once my stomach was full, sleepiness washed over me, and I figured I’d take a short nap.
But if I slept out in the open, some troublemakers might come mess with me.
I switched to Ninja and smoothly climbed up a nearby tree.
“This should be a good spot—no one will bother me here.”
I sat on a branch, leaned my back against the trunk, and drifted off…
“…Leo-kuuun? Where are youuu? Leo-kuuun?”
A bell-like voice tickled my ears, and I woke with a start.
Looking around, I realized it was already dark.
Below me, illuminated only by starlight, was Monaka, searching for me.
When I called out “I’m here” from the tree, she stiffened as if struck by lightning.
“Kyah!? L-Leo-kun!? You were up there!?”
“You’re the one out late—what’s going on?”
“Ah, yes. I wanted to properly thank you, Leo-kun…”
“Thank me?”
“For building the house for us. Thank you so very much—it’s truly wonderful.”
Monaka bowed deeply.
“You came all this way just to say that? You could’ve waited until next time we met.”
“And also, I brought you dinner. Have you eaten yet?”
She lifted a small pot she was holding with both hands and showed it to me.
That reminded me—I was hungry again.
“I see. Thanks… hey, why are you smiling like that?”
“Hehe. Seeing Leopin-kun climb trees makes me feel nostalgic.”
“Yeah, when we were kids, we climbed trees together all the time.
Hey—why don’t you climb up too, Monaka?”
“Eh!? Me too!? I can’t climb trees!
Even when we were little, I only climbed because you made a ladder for me…”
“Oh, right. You’re right.
…Okay, wait right there.”
I jumped down from the branch in one smooth motion.
While Monaka covered her mouth in a refined little gasp—“Kyah!?”—I quickly put together a ladder.
“A ladder… in an instant…!?”
Monaka stared in disbelief.
From halfway up, I beckoned her over.
“Come on, Monaka.”
I held out my hand, but she hesitated.
“Y-yes… but climbing a tree is improper… Ah—n-no, I’ll go!”
As if something suddenly clicked in her memory, Monaka snorted determinedly and took my hand.
Holding the pot in one hand and Monaka’s hand in the other, I sat us down on the branch.
She was a little shaky at first, but soon relaxed.
When I opened the lid of the pot, it was filled with a hearty soup.
“Wow, this is fancy. You can already get meat and vegetables like this?”
“Ah, it’s leftovers from the party at the end of the entrance ceremony, reheated. Everyone’s having this soup for dinner today.”
“I see.”
“You didn’t get to eat any of the party food, did you, Leopin-kun? I wanted to invite you to my class at the time, but…”
“Onesko and Shinobuko stopped you, right? Don’t worry about it. More importantly—this smells great.”
“Please eat it while it’s warm. And use this.”
She said, handing me a wooden spoon.
I took it and dug in enthusiastically.
Monaka watched me with the gentle gaze of a mother looking at a growing child.
When I finished, she smiled and took out a white handkerchief.
“Hehe, your mouth is dirty. Let me wipe it for you.”
“Thanks. You’re starting to remind me of my sister—especially the way you dote on people.”
“R-really…?”
Suddenly, Monaka clenched the handkerchief tightly.
Stiffening, she looked up at me and asked timidly,
“Um, Leo—Leopin-kun… may I ask you something?”
“What is it? You sound serious.”
“Um, um, um… is it true?
Th-that you… k-k-k… ki… kissed… a girl from Class 1–6…?”
She started stammering badly, trembling like a woodpecker pecking a tree.
“What? ‘Ki’ what?”
“Th-th-th-that’s, um, ki-ki-ki-ki… kyaah!?”
Shaking so hard that she lost her balance, Monaka tipped backward.
Just as she was about to fall from the tree, I swiftly grabbed her, absorbed the impact midair, and landed.
…Stomp.
By the time we reached the ground, Monaka was in my arms in a full princess carry, eyes wide.
“Ah… huh? I definitely fell just now… so why…?
Th-thank you very much, Leopin-kun!”
Flustered like a drowning otter, Monaka squirmed in my arms.
“You didn’t cry this time.”
“Eh?”
“When we were kids, you almost fell from a branch and I caught you from below, remember? After that, you always cried your eyes out.”
“M-more…! I’m not a crybaby anymore!”
She puffed out her cheeks, then quickly broke into a shy smile.
“B-but… being carried by you like this again, Leopin-kun… It’s been so long… it feels really nostalgic.”
“Yeah. It does.”
“After you saved me from falling, you always held me until I stopped crying… And then you walked me all the way home.”
“Then I’ll walk you home again, just like before.”
“Huh?”
Still holding her, I started walking through the forest.
At first, Monaka closed her eyes dreamily, lost in nostalgia—but as we reached the residential area, she suddenly panicked.
“Kyah!? L-Leopin-kun!? There are other students around! If they see us like this…”
“What, you don’t like it?”
“N-no, not at all! I don’t dislike it one bit! I’m just worried it might trouble you…”
“Don’t worry about me.”
I kept walking between the rebuilt huts.
The area began to buzz.
“H-hey, look…!”
“That trash guy is carrying Lady Monaka!?”
“Why!? Why him!?”
“Could it be… those two are really close…?”
“Damn it! Why him!? First Akemi-san, now Lady Monaka—he’s the only one they care about!”
With a series of crashes, the ramshackle huts collapsed once again.
Screams of jealousy echoed through the residential area.
At some point, Monaka clung tightly to me, burying her face in my chest.
Only her ears peeked out from her long hair—bright red even in the dim light.
When we reached her house, I set her down near the entrance.
She hurried away from me, then turned back in front of the door and snapped into a deep bow, face blazing red.
“Th-thank you for walking me home! G-good night, Leopin-kun!”
“Yeah. Good night. See you tomorrow.”
That was all I said before leaving the residential area.
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