After riding for about twenty minutes, Akira slowly arrived at the door of his home.
Shouko, sitting on the back seat, still seemed reluctant to stop. Hugging Akira from behind, she asked softly, "Can we ride a little longer, Akira?"
"Let's take a break first," Akira replied with a small smile, slightly out of breath.
When Shouko saw the sweat on his forehead and how tired he looked, she quickly changed her tune. "Okay, let's rest then. You worked hard."
Akira locked the bike by the front door for easy access later. Walking inside with Shouko, they slipped off their shoes and changed into slippers. He removed his helmet and headed to the living room.
His parents weren't around, but a note had been left on the coffee table:
"I'm visiting the neighbor for a bit. From your beautiful mother!"
Akira narrowed his eyes at the message and let out a small laugh, reminded of his mother's playful personality. At that moment, Shouko's voice called out:
"Akira, here—have some water."
Instead of following him directly, she had gone to the kitchen and returned with a glass of warm water.
"Thanks." Akira accepted it, testing the temperature before drinking it all in one go.
"Here, wipe your sweat." Shouko grabbed some tissues from the coffee table and handed them to him, then gently turned on a small fan nearby.
"It's okay, Shouko. I can do it myself." Akira tried to take the fan, but she stepped back, shaking her head.
"Why not just turn on the air conditioner?" came a familiar voice. Akira turned to see his father, Daiki Miyamura, entering the living room.
"Huh? Dad, why aren't you with Mom?"
"She took Hachiko to visit the Nishimiya family. I'm heading out to fish," Daiki replied, proudly patting the gear on his back.
Akira grinned, remembering past trips when his dad would come home with oddly mismatched catches. He used to brag about his sea fishing skills, but one time returned with only river fish—yet somehow still earned genuine praise from Shouko.
"Good luck, Uncle!" Shouko called cheerfully as she turned on the AC.
"Take care, Dad," Akira added calmly.
Before leaving, Daiki ruffled both their heads and promised to bring back "something big."
As the door closed, Shouko quietly sat down beside Akira and murmured, "Sorry, Akira. I didn't realize you were that tired."
He gently patted her head. "It's no big deal—just a little bike ride. Besides, I'll be fine after cooling down."
"You're always helping me… I want to do something too." She looked up with bright eyes. "I can give you a massage!"
"Wha—no, that's okay." Akira waved his hands, clearly embarrassed. "You're still little…"
"Just a minute!" she insisted, holding up a finger with determination.
Unable to resist her earnest expression, Akira finally relented. Shouko stepped back slightly and began to gently press his shoulders.
"You're pretty good at this," Akira commented, surprised by how natural she was.
"I watched a show with Mom yesterday," Shouko said proudly. "I copied what they did and practiced on her."
Akira nodded, amused. "Thanks. That's enough, though—I'm feeling better."
"Already?" she said, a little disappointed.
"Really," he reassured her. Just then, the front door opened again and his mother's voice echoed through the house.
"I'm back, Shouko!" Shizuka Miyamura called out, noticing the parked bicycle.
"Welcome home, Aunt Shizuka!" Shouko stood up and walked to the hallway to greet her.
Akira remained sprawled on the tatami, grabbing the remote to turn on the TV.
"You're home early," Shizuka said as she entered the living room, holding Shouko's hand.
Shouko explained for him, "Akira was tired, so we came back to rest."
"You should ask him to teach you how to ride," Shizuka smiled warmly. "Then next time, you can carry him instead."
Shouko's eyes sparkled. "That's a great idea! If I learn, Akira can sit in the back and rest for once!"
She ran over to him and tugged at his sleeve. "Akira, will you teach me how to ride?"
He chuckled. Since school started, she had been acting more and more spoiled toward him. He briefly thought about another classmate who might be influencing her—someone mischievous with twin ponytails.
"Alright," he agreed, standing up and stretching. "Let's go."
"Be careful, you two," Shizuka said from behind.
At the entrance, Akira handed Shouko a white helmet. "Here, wear this."
She looked at him curiously. "What about you?"
"I'm just teaching, so I won't be riding much."
"No way!" she said firmly, placing her hands on her hips.
"Okay, okay," Akira laughed, ruffling her hair. "You're really getting bossy lately."
Shouko puffed her cheeks. "I just want you to be safe."
As they stepped outside, Akira couldn't help but feel that Shouko was growing up fast. There was something cheerful and determined about her—and maybe a little mischievous, too.
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Bonus chapter: 100/200/300 POWERSTONE!
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