'The Guaranteed-Hit Dungeon Explorer 2: Leveling Up by Plinking Arrows from the Safety of the Back Line' E-Book Exclusive Bonus Short Story 'An Encounter on a Certain Day'
"Huh...? Yua?"
"...Ah! Amamiya-san!?"
An event on a certain day.
I went shopping at a nearby mall to restock my dwindling supply of water and portable rations for my explorations, and I happened to run into Yua.
Yua was holding hands with a small, teary-eyed girl who looked like she hadn't even started elementary school yet.
"Um... by the way, who is that child?"
"Ahahaha... It seems she got lost... I told a store clerk and had them call her mother, but..."
"I see... So, you're waiting with her until Yua and her mother arrive."
"That's about it. Since I got involved once, I want to take responsibility and wait with her until her mother comes."
Now that I think about it, there was an announcement earlier about a lost child... So this is her.
"..."
I looked at the girl again, and she subtly tugged on Yua's hand.
"Hmm? What is it?"
"...Yua Onee-chan, who is that Onii-chan?"
"Ah, right. This Onii-chan is Kaede Amamiya Onii-chan."
"Kaede Onii-chan?"
"O-Onii-chan?"
When Yua introduced me to the girl, the girl immediately started calling me Onii-chan.
...Being called Onii-chan is kind of a new experience.
But at the same time, it makes me feel a little itchy.
"Um, nice to meet you."
"Yeah... Sana-chan is Sana-chan..."
I see, so her name is Sana-chan... Anyway, I feel like she's really wary of me. Am I that scary?
...Ah!
"Hey, Sana-chan, do you want some ice cream?"
"Ice cream...?"
"Yeah. Look, there's a store selling ice cream over there, right? That one."
I spotted an ice cream shop not far from where Yua and Sana-chan were waiting and invited Sana-chan to go there.
"...Yeah, I'll eat."
"Alright, then Yua, let's go buy some together! Ah, but if Sana-chan leaves this spot, her mother might be troubled when she arrives, right?"
"That's true... It would be bad if Sana-chan left here."
"...It's okay, Mama will wait until I buy ice cream. Probably."
Oh... Is that really okay, Sana-chan...?
＊ ＊ ＊
"Bye-bye, Yua Onee-chan! Kaede Onii-chan!"
After buying and eating ice cream, Sana-chan's mother finally arrived safely.
Sana-chan, who had been quiet until a moment ago, waved her hand at us cheerfully. Then, she and her mother, who kept bowing her head repeatedly, walked away hand-in-hand.
"Phew... I feel completely drained, even though it was only for a little while..."
"Ahaha... Good work, Amamiya-san."
"You too, Yua."
No, seriously, I feel so tired... especially mentally.
"Even so..."
I recalled the time I spent with Sana-chan and Yua while waiting for Sana-chan's mother.
I remembered Yua wiping Sana-chan's hands and mouth with a handkerchief after she got messy eating ice cream, and generally taking care of her.
"Yua looks like she'd be a good mother..."
As I recalled that scene, I couldn't help but say that out loud naturally.
"Fwah!? M-Me, a mother...!?"
The moment I said that, Yua's face instantly turned bright red, and she became flustered.
"Ah—yeah. Well, seeing you take care of Sana-chan just now, I kind of thought that."
"Aww... I see... Haha..."
Yua's face was still bright red, and she gave a wry smile, unsure how to respond to my words.
...Did I say something weird?
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