I Bought a Girl

「We’ll end it with this. More information will come later. I’ll hand you this form now, it needs to be filled out, so write on it and hand it back to me, please」

「Thank you very much for everything」
「No, no. This is my job after all」
「Ruri. Say thank you as well」
「….thank you very much」
「Best regards in the future. Ruri」

Ruri replied with a nod.
The procedure of transferring schools. Thanks to Sakai-sensei, it finished quickly and smoothly.
Ruri’s school life will begin tomorrow.
Whilst writing on a form, as if remembering something. Sakai-sensei opened her mouth.

「Ah. Come to think of it, I forgot to ask」
「What is it?」
「What kind of relation does Ruri-chan have with Takeda-san」(TLN: She uses his surname and her first name :O)
「Eh!?」
「When I asked at the front door a short while ago, you said her surname was the same as your,s 『Takeda』, however on the form you wrote her last name as being 『Hasegawa』. So I was just wondering…」(TLN: Hasegawa was her previous surname, he hasn’t legally changed it to Takeda yet)

This young teacher Sakai-sensei.
Her long hair is tied at the back using a hair clip. I think she may be more beautiful than Takatsu-sensei. Well, I guess rather than beautiful, she’s more cute.
Anyway, contrary to her appearance. She seems to be someone who doesn’t miss trivia details.
Even though I carelessly said that at that time, how can I deceive her?

「I’m a relative of this child. I don’t have much experience and ended up saying the wrong last name. HAHAHAHAHAH」

Yoshi! Perfect deception.

「Really. Then please feel free to ask for help at any time」
「Thank you very much. Please take care of me at that time」
「Does Ruri understand as well?」

Ruri nods seeming a little distressed.
I wonder what’s wrong?

「Do you want to take a look at the school building?」
「What do you want to do? Take a look?」

I looked at Ruri. She looked back at me.
Ruri did not utter a word.

「Let’s take a look then」

Ruri finally nods in reply.
She’s a totally different person at home than outside. She talks more at home.

「Then, can you please guide me?」
「I understand. Then, let’s go」

I walked with Ruri, behind Sakai-sensei.
Whilst being guided around the school building, I look at Ruri in the corner of my eyes.
Thinking about it now, perhaps Ruri isn’t sure whether or not to decide for herself.
It might be because she’s never been given a choice before. She might be afraid of being turned down and the other person getting angry.
Tomorrow she will probably meet with a barrage of questions from the other children. It will be sad if she can’t make at least one friend.
I have to buy her a school bag. I think there’s a place that sells them nearby. We’ll buy one on the way back.

「Then. With this, the tour is finished」
「Thank you very much」

When I lowered my head in a bow, Ruri did the same, having learnt from me.

「Please take care of her from tomorrow」
「Same here. I’ll be waiting」

Shortly after, we left the elementary school.
Ruri will be a school child from tomorrow onwards.
I feel relief.

「The teacher seemed gentle, didn’t she?」
「Yes」
「Are you still afraid to speak?」
「……」

Ruri lowers her head.

「I see. But if you don’t get used to it quickly, you won’t make any friends」

Ruri didn’t return a nod to my words.

「Ok then. Let’s buy a school bag then return home」
「…..is that ok?」
「When you think of elementary school children, you think of school bags. I’ll get you one to celebrate your admission」

Ruri didn’t answer, she just tightened the grip on my hand.
She seems to have laughed a little.
I walked along with Ruri in hand. Hoping that her laugh wasn’t just my imagination.