“Sensei~ Oh! Abe-san and… ohhh?” Chisato pushed the door open to the cafe and noticed a familiar regular customer sitting on the counter in casual clothing.
Next to their regular detective customer, Abe-san, was a blonde girl who seemed to be about four or five years old. “Who is this cute child?” She took a few steps forward, hands in front of her as if she was on her way to grab someone.
“Chisato.” Takina grabbed the collar of Chisato’s lycoris uniform before she could surprise the little girl. “You’re scaring her.”
“Haha, Chisato-chan, I knew you’d take some interest in her.” Abe turned to the little girl. “Go on, introduce yourself.”
The little girl carefully jumped from the stools and walked in front of Chisato and Takina. “Hello. I’m Kumiko, I’m six years old!”
“So cuuuuute!” Chisato crouched at the little girl and patted her head. “Nice to meet you, Kumiko-chan! I’m Chisato!”
“Chisato-onee-chan.” The girl repeated her name.
“Mm! Mm! The angry cat over there is Takina.” Chisato pointed a thumb behind her and felt a leg hit her thighs. Chisato leaned towards Kumiko to whisper something. “See? She’s violent.”
“Chisato!” Takina scowled at Chisato before flashing a charming smile at the age. “My name’s Takina. Nice to meet you, Kumiko-chan.”
“Angry cat-onee-chan?” Kumiko blinked as she looked at Chisato who was snickering and then to Takina.
“Ah, no, no. Ta-ki-na.” Takina crouched next to Chisato and focused on the little girl. “Okay?”
“Takina-onee-chan!” Kumiko grinned at her, those round cheeks looking soft and those eyes innocent and charming. It reminded Takina of a certain red eyed white haired one… “Nice to meet you!”
“She’ll be staying with us for today, maybe until tomorrow… but hopefully not.” Mika’s face turned sullen as Abe-san frowned.
Chisato stood up as she immediately understood the situation. “Should I go?”
Mika shook his head. “The request for us is to take care of that kid today only… Hopefully, there isn’t a tomorrow.”
“Abe-Ojisan said he’s going to pick up Mama from her work! Papa said that Mama just went to work, but I haven’t seen her in two weeks, and Papa’s also been busy with work…” Kumiko held onto Abe’s hand enthusiastically. “I just want to see Mama and Papa again…”
Takina’s eyes widened as she stood up and walked towards the counter. “Is it a kidnapping…?”
Mika and Abe shook their heads. Chisato and Takina looked at each other. Takina immediately crouched near Kumiko again with a bright smile.
“Here, Kumiko-chan. Do you like board games?” Takina took Kumiko’s small hand as she led her inside the cafe, far inside so they won’t hear the conversations happing at the front desk.
“Mm! Mama and Papa bought Monopoly when I turned six! We used to play often!” Kumiko followed Takina towards the table.
“Monopoly… huh. Kurumi?” Takina turned to Kurumi who was quietly sitting at a corner with her laptop. “Did you…?” She nodded. “Will you join us?”
“Don’t cry to me when you lose.” Kurumi grinned confidently as she went towards their table. “Nice to see you again, Kumiko-chan.”
“Kurumi!”
“That’s Kurumi-onee-chan.”
“Kurumi!”
Takina watched the shouting match as she tried to hold back her laughter. She turned to the counter as Mika, Abe, and Chisato discussed the details of the request. She noticed Chisato’s expression turn dark, then angry, then even more annoyed. What’s going on worries her…
~*
“With that said, we’ll be taking Kumiko-chan to safe house 3 for today and will be observing the situation then.” Chisato walked over to the monopoly table an hour or so after they have temporarily closed the cafe for the day time and would open in the afternoon instead.
“All right. How about the cafe?” Takina asked as she rubbed the back of the six year old sitting on her lap sleeping after being exhausted from the monopoly games with Kurumi, that was later joined by Mizuki.
“Sensei said we should take her far from a place with plenty of people so we’ll be taking care of her for today.” Chisato smiled at the child solemnly. “I’ll carry her. Go get your things? I’ll wait outside.”
“Understood.” Takina nodded and carefully carried the sleeping child from her lap and passed her over Chisato’s strong arms. Chisato put an arm under the child’s legs and a supporting hand onto the child’s back carefully positioning her arms around Chisato’s neck, the child’s head leaning onto Chisato’s shoulder.
Chisato carried the child as she nodded at everyone in the cafe, and Abe was already long gone to his mission. The door chime rung as she left the cafe and stood outside, looking at the dark sky.
“Due to a huge gambling debt pushed onto him by his father, Kumiko-chan’s father ended up shouldering the costs. With the loan sharks coming after him, and him being unable to pay the debt, they had kidnapped the child’s mother and is holding her for ransom. Today, Tokyo PD finally traced where she was being held, and we just wish the trade and the mission goes well so we could finally reunite them together, and shut down this illegal loan shark business.”
“I’m going.”
“You can’t. With the Enkuboku incident being fresh, we can’t freely involve ourselves in this one.”
“But Kumiko-chan’s mom… She might get caught in the crossfire.”
“Chisato, even if we get the necessary permission, we still can’t go.”
“But…”
“Believe in Abe.”
By moving forward in full force, things do go well, but things also don’t go well. This day was one of those that Chisato didn’t like what happened in the past that affected the events of today.
“For now, we’ll focus on keeping you safe, and hope that you can meet your mom tomorrow, Kumiko-chan.” Chisato gently patted Kumiko’s back as she slept. The chime rung behind her and Takina was outside. “Let’s go?”
“Yes.” Takina nodded as the two of them walked in silence, down the path without talking about anything. Kumiko could wake up any time, and they can’t be caught talking about the situation.
“Mm…” Kumiko slowly opened her eyes, rubbing it as she took in her surroundings. “Mm…? Chisato-onee-chan? Takina-onee-chan? Where are we going?”
“Ohh~ Kumiko-chan, good morning. We’re going home to Chisato-onee-chan and Takina-onee-chan’s home!” Chisato removed her hand from Kumiko’s back and gently cradled her so she could face her. “Did you have a good sleep?”
“I’m sorry for falling asleep, Takina-onee-chan.” Kumiko bowed her head at Takina.
“That’s all right. Did you have a good sleep?” Takina smiled at the girl and patted her head.
“Mm! Chisato-onee-chan’s arms is a good place to sleep too!” Kumiko tightened her arms around Chisato’s neck and hugged her.
“Want to ride my shoulders?” Chisato gave her a bright grin. “We’re going down this path, and then zooooom through the park and trees!”
“I want to ride!” Kumiko raised her hands, excited.
“Chisato… Be careful, okay?” Takina looked at Chisato who only winked at her. She reached for Chisato’s lycoris bag after she let Kumiko down in front of her.
Chisato then crouched in front of the little girl and turned around to for the girl to climb her back. Takina hovered around them to make sure Kumiko doesn’t fall backwards as she sat her tiny legs around Chisato’s shoulders, and Chisato tightly held onto those tiny thighs on her shoulders as Kumiko held onto her forehead.
“All settled? Not scary?” Chisato looked up at Kumiko who only excitedly nodded. “All right~! It’s time to enjoy Chisato-Onee-chan Taxi Services!” She positioned her left foot forward, and right foot back as she prepared for a spring. “See you later?”
Takina nodded with a warm smile. “Take care.”
Chisato then took off as Takina took her time to walk through the park. She ran at a steady speed downwards the path before turning into the park. Takina jogged lightly to catch up to them, and she watched Chisato laugh and ‘drive’ around the park trees, the park swings and slides.
“Enjoying your ride, ma’am?” Chisato slowed her jog a little and heard joyful laughter right above her. “That fun, huh?” She started jogging around again as she reached the end of the park, waiting for Takina to catch up to them. “Hi beautiful.”
Takina pouted at Chisato with a blush. “Stop that.”
“Chisato-onee-chan.” Kumiko gently patted Chisato’s head as Chisato and Takina stopped side by side. “Are you and Takina-onee-chan dating each other?”
“Da–…?!” Takina blinked at the child. “Aren’t you a bit too young to know these things, Kumiko-chan?”
Kumiko shook her head. “I have a classmate from school who has two mamas! They were both pretty people!” She smiled brightly as she swayed her body a little left and right. “They always give me sweets and cute accessories~ Their daughter is my best best best friend!”
“Hmm~ I see~ Why did you ask?” Chisato and Takina looked at each other as they resumed walking.
“Because the two of you always look at each other ‘like that’!”
“Like that?”
“Like how my mama and papa look at each other!” Kumiko smiled. “Especially the one look they make before the mwah mwah kiss!”
“A- Ahh… L- Let’s move on from this topic, okay?” Takina patted Kumiko’s back as she felt her cheeks heat up with a blush.
“But to answer your question, yes, Takina and I are ‘like that’.” Chisato smiled.
“Chisato!”
“It’s fine~ She totally understands it.” Chisato smiled at Takina.
“As expected, two pretty onee-chans look great together!” Kumiko nodded, as if satisfied.
“Agreed!” Chisato nodded with her.
“Don’t join her, geez…” Takina sighed as she smiled wryly at them.
~*
When they arrived at the safe house, it was already mid-afternoon. With Kumiko being tired from the Chisato Taxi Services, they all took a bath together. Chisato watched over Kumiko as Takina cooked dinner for the three of them.
They enjoyed chatting about Kumiko’s day from school, as they watched the TV. Before they noticed it, it was already 8pm. With Kumiko complaining ‘she’s not sleepy yet’ and that ‘tomorrow is a holiday’ so she could ‘stay up’. Takina and Chisato only sighed and complied by letting her watch cartoons.
“…It would be nice if Mama could go home soon…” Kumiko swayed left and right before leaning her weight onto Chisato, and her head slowly dropping to her lap.
“Yeah…” Chisato caressed the child’s hair. “Good night, Kumiko-chan.”
“She has finally spent all her energy, huh?” Takina smiled as Chisato nodded.
“I’ll put her to bed and go back.”
“Okay.”
~*
“She’s still asleep?” Takina watched Chisato as she sat back next to her. Chisato nodded.
“Sound asleep.” Chisato smiled. The moment she sat back down the couch, Takina immediately moved next her, resting her head onto Chisato’s shoulder. “Oho~? Spoiled Takina-chan today?”
“…We were around Kumiko-chan the whole day, so we didn’t really have much time together.” Takina closed her eyes as she rested her head onto Chisato’s shoulders. She felt Chisato move her arm around her shoulders, hugging her tightly. “You’re surprisingly good with children.”
“You are too.” Chisato leaned her head on top of Takina’s. “Takina.”
“Yes?”
“You ever thought about having a child before?”
“With you?”
“Why did you ask that?”
“Knowing you, you might go off in a weird tangent like, me with some man, so I wanted to clarify.”
Chisato smiled. Completely figured out, huh? “Yeah, with me.”
“I’ve never thought about it. We’re lycoris, we could die at any time but, after today…?” Takina wrapped her arms around Chisato’s body. “I want to retire, and have one, adopt one, with you.”
Chisato nodded. “Me too. Let’s make one.”
“There’s literally a child on our bed, Chisato.”
“We’re doing it in the couch–“
“No, we aren’t.”
“Taaakinaaaa.”
“No. Hold it in, at least until tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow… I hope Kumiko-chan gets to meet her mom again.”
“I hope so too.”
Thankfully, the deal went well, and the next day, Kumiko-chan was finally reunited with her mother. Abe and her mother thanked Takina and Chisato for taking care of their child as they bid them good bye.
“That reminds me.” Chisato turned to Takina. “Would you consider yesterday as a first date, with a child?”
Takina only blinked at Chisato. “Are you thinking weird stuff again?”
“I was literally just asking a question.” Chisato pouted at her.
“I suppose…? You and Kumiko-chan had very similar personalities.”
“We did?” Chisato smiled at her, the cute puppy smile that she always does when she’s happy.
“Yes. The hyper-not-thinking-about-the-future part.”
“That didn’t sound very positive.”
“Only in your head.”
(Someday Soon/END)
