It was a very peaceful day for Kamado family. It's a normal thing, actually. Just managing their own bakery every single day. The sales are impressive, as usual. But today is a bit different, because this night will have a huge change in their lives.
'Nii-chan, don't forget to tell them tonight.' A teenage girl whispered.
'Don't worry. I know what I'm doing.' A boy, a year older, replied to her.
'Then, I leave it to you.' She said.
The boy gave her a thumbs-up.
"Tanjirou! Can you help me out here?" Suddenly a woman's voice was heard.
"I'm coming!" The boy earlier answered. "Gotta go, Nezuko." He said to the girl.
The girl, Nezuko, nodded and continued brooming the floor while humming calmly. As she was doing her work, a young boy appeared in front of her, making her stumble to a table nearby.
"Oops, my bad." The boy said.
"Takeo! Huh.. what do you need?" She asked while rubbing her itching left foot.
"...Are you planning something?" The young boy, Takeo asked after a slight silence.
"..Eh?" She let out a confused face.
"What's the thing you're whispering with Nii-chan?" He asked again.
She stared at him, then realised.
"Wait, wait! You got it all wrong! It's only about highschool!" She hurrily objected.
Please don't.. she begged in her mind.
"Sure?" He was still feeling uneasy.
She frowned, but then she replied with a nod. Takeo raised an eyebrow, but gave up in the end.
"Fine." He left without saying no more.
Nezuko watched him until he's no longer seen.
"Fuh.." She sighed while shaking her head.
Why is he so sharp.. she monologued but ignored it later as she took a ripped cloth and wiped the table.
.....
"Mom, what shall we eat for tonight's supper?" Tanjirou asked while carrying a box.
"Um, some milk buns with jam or ice cream, I think?" The woman, also his mother, answered. Yeah, she just can't think of other suggestion that possible due to their normal food cycle.
"But, we just finished them a week ago?" He said.
"Then, you can ask your dad to stop at a nearby konbini* later." She replied with a very gentle smile. She really likes to talk with her childrenーno, everyone that she meets like that.
Tanjirou was helping his mother carrying two medium-sized containers of leftover pastries into their small green car. Even though their bakery was pretty popular, they still have a few leftovers. It's a shop, after all.
"Kie, Tanjirou, have you done?" An older man walked through them.
"Oh, Tanjurou-san. We're almost done." The mother, Kie said to her husband and Tanjirou's biological father.
"Dad, can I go to the konbini later?" Without hesitation, Tanjirou asked.
"Sure." Tanjurou quickly replied.
"Mom, Dad, Nii-chan, let's go home!" Takeo walked out from the unit with his two younger siblings, Hanako and Shigeru, followed by Nezuko who's carrying their youngest sibling, Rokuta.
"Everything's done?" Tanjirou asked.
"Yes!" Said all of them but Rokuta.
"Get in the car, everyone." Tanjurou directed.
The children replied with an 'okay' and continued playing and teasing with each other until they got in the car. Kie giggled seeing her children's behaviour.
"Alright, let's go." Tanjurou started to drive off.
.....
The car stopped in front of a 24-hour konbini. Tanjurou took a ￥1000** note from his wallet and handed it to his eldest son.
"Go buy the things that you need." He said.
"It's okay, Dad. I can use my own money." Tanjirou rejected.
"Just use this. You're buying for the whole family, right?" His father asked, as if he knew Tanjirou's intention.
The boy grinned and slowly took the money from Tanjurou. "Thank you, Dad." He thanked, then went straight to the konbini.
"Excuse me.." He said, as if he was entering someone's house. Well, he's just too polite to enter somewhere without saying anything.
As he walked inside, he spotted a familiar figure that he hasn't see for a long time.
Is that..? He went straight to the person.
To be continued...
*convenience store
**about 6.31$ USD