Pirate's Freedom

After Hikigaya went out to find his teacher.

Yukinoshita glanced at the very conspicuous bulging blue luggage bag blocking the door.

"What's in there?"

"That's luggage."

"Wow!"

At some point, Ira was standing silently in front of Yuigahama, looking up at them.

"How come you don't make any sound when you walk!"

Yuigahama was shocked.

"Hehehe~"

Ila's face turned red and she scratched her hair in shyness.

"I'm not complimenting you! But..."

Yuigahama covered her chest and let out a small exclamation. Although Yukinoshita's expression was cold, her eyes also flashed.

"So cute~"

If you look carefully, whether it is the pink-haired little girl in front of you or the other three by the window, they are all unrealistically cute in terms of appearance.

"If it weren't for those [radio waves], these kids would definitely be very popular with their classmates."

Yuigahama sighed as if it was a pity.

"I'm afraid the truth is different from what you think, and that's not a good thing."

Not knowing what he thought of, a shadow flashed across Yukinoshita's face.

"Eh? Xiao Xueno..."

Yuigahama was a little overwhelmed.

"Radio waves?"

Ila blinked her big eyes, tilted her head and asked questions.

"I remember the autistic man said... that... he could hear some weird sounds!"

"No, the specific manifestation of the radio wave system is that they are paranoid about a phenomenon that does not exist. To be precise, they are people who go their own way and have difficulty communicating."

Yukinoshita put her hand on her forehead and explained again.

"She is still a child. She won't understand what you say like that, Xiaoyukino."

Yuigahama defended sheepishly.

"If you put it like that, you won't understand it even more."

Yuigahama's explanation was so concise that even Yukinoshita couldn't tolerate it, but today was destined to be a day full of strange things.

"You can hear the sound."

Yuigahama and Yukinoshita lowered their heads together, looked at the little girl in front of them, pointed at their ears, and said in a confident voice.

"It asked me what I wanted to do."

"Ah! It's true...!"

Yuigahama showed an exaggerated expression of surprise.

"Who is that?"

Even though she had just received a heavy blow from Nami, Yukinoshita has now regained her composure and decided to get to the bottom of it, but...

"It's a marble."

Ila said.

"...Marbles...what are they?"

"I know! It's a round glass ball. I've seen boys in elementary school play with it."

Yuigahama gestured with her hands, making Yukinoshita understand what marbles were.

"Why...[Banzi] wants to talk to you? And...what did you say?"

Raising her hands to massage her temples, Yukinoshita's voice was harsh and helpless.

"I talked a lot...well...it wanted to help me, but I said no. It said it was the first time it met a companion. I said we were different and it was very sad. I comforted it not to be sad. It wanted to be with you. I want to be a friend, I told it that we are already friends...huah...huah..."

After saying so many words in one breath, Ila stuck out her little tongue and took several breaths in succession.

"So... so cute~~!!"

I just felt that my heart was being touched. Yuigahama showed an intoxicated expression, and she deliberately responded with a soft and waxy tone.

"That is to say, you have made a new friend, which is great, huh~! We also want to see it, let's take a look, okay?"

"Okay, it says..."

The little girl agreed readily, then tilted her head and said seriously.

"Here he is, and he's alone."

"Yeah~! Is it a ghost~!"

Yuigahama crossed her arms and looked around while screaming softly.

"Yuigahama, ghosts don't exist at all. There is no need to say such stupid things."

Yukinoshita feels that Yuigahama is so stupid now, not to mention...

"Friends don't just talk casually."

"Hey, Yukino-chan, are we friends?"

Yuigahama looked at her pitifully with wet eyes.

"……Maybe……"

Yukinoshita's face turned a little red, she looked away unnaturally, looked down at Ira and asked.

"Can you tell me what your relationship is with Mr. Porusalino?"

"Well...he is dad's...acquaintance?"

Ila said in an uncertain tone.

"Huh? Aren't you friends?"

Although from a genetic point of view, the possibility of being related to Polusalino has long been ruled out, but to be able to entrust his child to him, at least it should be a very close friend relationship.

"Well... they seem to fight if they stay together, but Dad said he would pick us up."

"Wow, your dad sounds so unreliable."

Yuigahama clicked her tongue.

"Don't say bad words!"

Ila puffed out her cheeks.

"No, no!"

Seeing Irina glaring at her, Yuigahama waved her hands repeatedly.

"I want to go back!"

"Xiao Xuenoi..."

Seeing the little girl running away, Yuigahama sadly turned her head to seek comfort.

"Did I just say the wrong thing?"

"……No."

His eyes were fixed on Ila's back for a while, watching her run back to the window to huddle with her companions, and Yukinoshita returned to her seat and sat down.

……

As the noise on the sports field gradually disappeared, the setting sun began to shine into the office of the service club. The sun setting into Tokyo Bay sent out its last few rays, melting the darkness entrenched in the distant horizon.

"Why hasn't the autistic man come back yet?"

The setting sun has almost reached the sea level, and now you can clearly see the shining sea from the social office on the fourth floor.Looking further down, you can see that the baseball club is tidying up the field, the football club is moving the goals, and the track and field club is tidying up the hurdles and mats.

The club activities are almost coming to an end, but the four people lying by the window are still watching it with great interest.

"This child... maybe we should find a way to wake her up."

Yukinoshita closed the book in her hand that had not read a few pages and spoke.

"Xiao Yukino, don't worry too much. Although these children are strange, they still have so many good friends."

"Even so, there will come a time when we are apart, and when that happens, it's easy to feel isolated and hurt."

Yukinoshita's expression was slightly lonely, and Yuigahama was also speechless.

Children's friendships are very fragile. When family members move due to job transfers, when they are admitted to a different middle school, or even if their simple hobbies change, the innocent words of "be friends forever" will drift away with the wind.

"Knew it--"

Just when the two fell into silence, a lazy voice came in first along with the sound of the door opening.

"As a family, no matter how different the image is, the way of thinking is more or less similar."

"So slow! Too slow! Teacher Porusalino, don't even entrust us with the task of taking care of the children."

Yukinoshita had an unhappy expression on her face.

"Oh yo yo, there are all kinds of things going on here too..."

Porusalino looked extremely helpless and said to the little girls who turned around at the window in a very headache tone.

"So, what exactly did Tata Tot say to you?"

"Dad said he wanted to [clean the house before treating guests], so he asked me to go out first."

Ila spoke.

"and then?"

Porusalino asked with eyes wide open.

"Then we came over together."

Nokigao replied.

"Didn't you tell me anything else?"

"He asked us to come to you when we get here, and you will be responsible for everything."

Karina added.

"Is there no key or room card? Or is that bag full of yen?"

Porusalino glanced at the luggage bag aside and sighed heavily.

"What is that? Tata Tot said he wants pocket money from you. Let's make a deal first. I will only accept Bailey."

Nami is always particularly keen and persistent when it comes to money.

"I'm so sorry, but now I am relying on debt to survive."

Porusalino said without any embarrassment.

Teachers at Sobu High School are paid their salaries on the [-]th of every month. Unfortunately, it is still nearly half a month away.

"No! Aren't you an admiral? Admirals are so pitiful, and being in the navy has no future..."

Nami had an unacceptable expression on her face.

"Oh, your thoughts are very dangerous."

Porusalino turned his head and looked at the slender figure holding his arms.

"Yukoshita-san, how about doing the teacher a favor and letting them stay at your place."

"Being able to say this without changing my face has greatly changed my impression of the teacher."

Yukinoshita showed a cold smile.

"This is more than a problem that students should face. Besides, Mr. Porusalino, your last commission has not been completed yet."

"Then consider it my commission."

With the crisp sound of heels hitting the ground, a beautiful teacher in professional attire and a white coat stepped in, and Hikigaya followed her panting.

"I've heard everything, Yukinoshita."

She put one hand on her hip in high spirits and made her conclusion in an interesting tone.

"You live alone anyway. Since the house is empty, how about having a few more tenants temporarily?"