The Power within Innocence

Chapter 5 - Innocent Greeting

Yuki pov:

"And guess what, nee chan! Sensei said that I'm going to play the Prince!" Arata was grinning up at me, happiness literally radiating from him.

"And I'm going to be the Tree God!" Akio chimed as well as they both held my hand while heading home. Both of them were skipping besides me totally excited about the play they would be doing in their school.

I chuckled softly, finding their excitement rather adorable. "That's wonderful, Arata, Akio! Both of you have to practice well, okay?" I chuckled again as they nodded vigorously to me.

As I opened the door of the house, they ran inside and began jumping around in the living room while trying to act out their characters as adorably as possible. Being children, they had their own ideas of what it meant to be a Prince or a Tree God. I wonder where the teachers got the idea of a Tree God from anyway. It was most definitely creative and I have to say, I was quite excited to see what kind of play the kids were going to act out!

Just imagining cute toddlers in costumes and acting on stage made me grin widely.

I shook my head before heading to the bathroom. I called the twins and they ran in behind me. I helped them wash their hands, feet and faces before letting them go on playing with each other. I too washed up, kind of tired after the long day at the vegetable store and spending time at the twins' friend's house. Arata and Akio wanted to play for a while and we had ended up staying at Hotaru san's house till almost eight.

Namiko san had given me some food that she had cooked for lunch so I didn't have to prepare anything for dinner. I was glad in fact, because I really needed this break. Leaving the kids to their playing, I headed to the kitchen to heat up the food.

Its been a whole month and two weeks since we came here. I'm really surprised at how fast time has flown by here. Well, I guess time hasn't gone by too fast but thanks to my schedule that has been keeping me busy and thanks to all the people of the town who were so nice to me, life has been better than I expected. Being with the twins, talking to all the people who came into the shop and when I went shopping; I think it really was a good decision for me to come here.

Besides, Hitoshi san and Hiru have visited us too. Hitoshi san came in twice to make sure that I had settled in well and everything in the town was to my comfort. He was a really nice person, kind of like a fatherly figure in fact. His gestures of putting his hand on my head in comfort, his gentle voice and smile....I was happy that someone as nice as him was helping the head of the town.

Hitoshi san was a busy person so it was obvious that he wouldn't be able to come and check on me often. But that's fine because I knew his concern for me was always there. As for Hiru, he dropped by to the store or to our house at least once a week.

Arata and Akio had gotten quite friendly around him too. He was a nice person but I was still a little suspicious about why all the townspeople were so nervous around him. No one would really tell me anything even if I asked and so I had just come to my own conclusion. Maybe he was just being a spoilt brat and he got whatever he wanted when he asked for it. People were just nervous to say no because they didn't want to become rude in front of the son of their town Head Minister.

I giggled to myself as I stirred the vegetable porridge on the stove. Thinking about Hiru being a bratty kid seemed funny. I wonder how much of a mischief maker he was when he was younger. My mom always told me that I caused her a lot of trouble when I was younger.

My smile fell as I thought of her. I really did miss her. There were still so many things that I didn't know how to take care of, especially when it came to Akio and Arata. I never had siblings to begin with so sometimes if they cried, I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to console them....the only thing I could do was convey my own thoughts in simple words. And sometimes, it didn't work.