"You... how could you suddenly..."
Yukinoshita Yukino's reaction at this moment was as if she had been caught off guard by an opponent's super-armored opening move in a game. She was completely stunned.
Uchiha Ryo: "What are you standing there for? Just come over here."
Before Yukinoshita could react, she was pulled by Uchiha Ryo in front of the three little ones.
Hoshino Hinata: "Ah, the pretty 'onee-san' is here. Can you be our shadow for a little while and take us across?"
Shirosaki Hana: "Sorry to trouble you."
A corner of Yukinoshita's eye twitched. She looked at Uchiha Ryo speechlessly. I thought you were going to do something, but it turns out you just wanted me to help you babysit?
Because they were going the same way, the three little ones quickly started chatting with this newly arrived "onee-san."
Himesaka Noa: "Yukinoshita-oneechan, you study at Shuchiin? My mom says everyone who studies there is amazing."
Hoshino Hinata: "Are you and Ryo-oniichan friends, Yukinoshita-oneechan? So you and Ryo-oniichan are neighbors! Me and Noa are too!"
Shirosaki Hana muttering: "Chocolate cookies chocolate cake chocolate donuts~"
Yukinoshita Yukino was not good at dealing with children, but these two little ones were a bit too enthusiastic.
After finally escaping Hinata's and Noa's various questions, Yukinoshita came to Uchiha Ryo's side.
"Uchiha-kun!"
Uchiha Ryo: "What?"
Yukinoshita: "Where did you abduct them from? Shouldn't you just turn yourself in!"
Uchiha Ryo: "....Hey, hey, what kind of person do you take me for? Hana-chan's mother asked me to help take care of her for three days. As such a warm-hearted person, I naturally agreed."
Yukinoshita looked at Shirosaki Hana with doubt.
"Entrusting a child to you... do you even know how?"
Yukinoshita Yukino found it hard to imagine that a guy who was too lazy to even take care of his own cat and just let it run wild would know how to take care of a child.
Speaking of which, poor Enyun-chan. With no one to open her canned food at noon, she had to carry the can to school! What an irresponsible master~
Thinking of Enyun-chan, who had appeared in the Classic Literature Club today, Yukinoshita became more and more suspicious that Shirosaki Hana would be starved for three days.
Uchiha Ryo: "What's with that look? Taking care of a child is easy, right? Especially an elementary schooler like this. You just have to walk her to and from school every day, help her with her homework, and make some food. The day is over just like that."
Yukinoshita turned her head to look at Shirosaki Hana walking in front, then suddenly took a step forward and said.
"Hana-chan, if you feel like you're in danger, or if you're very hungry, you can come upstairs and find me."
Uchiha Ryo: "I already told you I'm not a dangerous person!"
.....
Hoshino Hinata: "Is this Ryo-oniichan's house? I've never been to this kind of apartment building before."
Uchiha Ryo: "Don't run around. Just play here. I'm going to make some snacks."
Then, he turned his head and looked helplessly at Yukinoshita Yukino.
"So why did you follow me in? Your home is upstairs."
Yukinoshita looked at the three little ones sitting on the sofa. "Can you handle the snacks? Do you want me to do it?"
Uchiha Ryo waved his hand. "You should just go and accompany them. By the way, do you like children?"
Yukinoshita lowered her head. "It's not so much that I like them, but rather that I envy their carefree lives."
Uchiha Ryo didn't speak. He first put the pudding from the bag into the refrigerator, then prepared to make chocolate cookies.
Since Yukinoshita had offered to help him take care of the children, that was for the best. She would have to learn sooner or later anyway, so it was better to get some contact with kids in advance.
In the kitchen, Uchiha Ryo couldn't help but marvel. Since when did he start using his Sharingan to copy so many life skills? Whether it was snacks, or cooking, or other things.
Perhaps this is what life in this slice-of-life world is all about. Uchiha Ryo quite likes it.
He came out with the snacks. In the living room, a smiling Yukinoshita was playing with the three children.
That's right. It's not just for living. My power... exists to protect this peaceful life.
"Come and try the snacks."
Shirosaki Hana: "Oh!!"
After Hinata and Noa finished their snacks, Yukinoshita also stood up.
"Well then, I'll be going back."
Hoshino Hinata: "Noa and I are going back too. Although Ryo-oniichan's snacks are delicious... my Mya-nee won't lose—"
Watching the one big and two small girls walk out the door, the only ones left in the house were Uchiha Ryo and Shirosaki Hana, who was still enjoying the cookies.
"Hana-chan, you really like to eat."
Shirosaki Hana looked up. "Even so, I still exercise every day. Because Mom says that exercise can burn energy, and burning energy means I can eat more."
"Meow—"
A white cat suddenly appeared on the windowsill. It jumped into the room, then walked into the living room with expectant eyes.
I've made my rounds at Shuchiin, Toyogasaki, and that STARRY bar today. I should have farmed a lot of affinity, right!
"It's a kitty!"
Enyun-chan: "...."
What's the meaning of this? I have to continue acting cute and farming affinity even after I get home?! Is this how you raise a summoning beast?!
Enyun-chan jumped onto the sofa and lay down, unwilling to move, letting Shirosaki Hana's small hands continuously pet her. Life is hard, the kitty sighs.
Uchiha Ryo: "Does Hana-chan like cats? Or do you have pets at home?"
Shirosaki Hana, while petting the cat, was contributing G-Points to Uchiha Ryo.
"Mom was afraid I'd be lonely by myself, so she bought me a hamster.... But after Mr. Hamster passed away, I didn't dare to have pets anymore."
A hamster, huh. The lifespan of such a small animal is only two or three years. It's indeed hard for a child to let go after getting attached.
Shirosaki Hana stopped petting. Enyun-chan also slowly opened her eyes and meowed twice at Hana-chan, whose expression had suddenly become a little sad.
Uchiha Ryo also placed his hand on Shirosaki Hana's head.
"To be born, and then to die. This is something all life must go through. The important thing is to live a wonderful and happy life within that limited time."
"Hana-chan just needs to happily enjoy delicious food and play with her friends every day. You can think about those things when you grow up."
Shirosaki Hana put down her cookie and held the cat in her lap again.
"Then... was Dad also wonderful?"
That's right. Hana-chan was from a single-parent family. Her father seemed to have passed away not long after Haruka-san became pregnant.
Since she was a child, Hana-chan had never experienced a father's love. She had only... imagined what her father was like when her mother mentioned him.
Life is born, life dies.... But life can also be saved.
Family members related by blood, when they gather, it is kinship. Then you find those like-minded people and become companions with them, and when you gather, it is friendship.
Shirosaki Hana had never met her father, so she didn't quite understand the pain of loss. Although Uchiha Ryo was the same, he couldn't imagine such a thing happening either.
That's right. In this relatively peaceful world, Uchiha Ryo's power existed solely to protect the people he cared about.
Perhaps for the young Hana-chan, the death of a hamster was already an incomparably painful event.
Then.... Uchiha Ryo hoped that this kind, cute, and angelic girl would never have to experience such pain again.
Hana-chan blinked her cute, sapphire-like eyes. "Why are you spacing out, Ryo-oniichan?"
Uchiha Ryo: "It's nothing.... I was just thinking about what delicious food to make for Hana-chan tonight."
Shirosaki Hana nodded. "Mhm. Then I'll let you think, Ryo-oniichan. Can I borrow the bathroom? It's a habit of mine to take a bath every day."