What a Child Thinks is Important, No Matter Her Age

Because both Chiharu and Izumi wanted to stroll around the park while enjoying the cherry blossoms at night, Kazuya and Himari followed along with their wishes instead of rushing back home.

Chiharu was carried by Kazuya while Himari walked with Izumi next to her. The merriment of the people flocking around in the riverside park affected their mood as well.

Groups of people gathered with their friends, having fun eating and singing under the flowering trees. Some were even napping and chatting. Even though the night had just begun, the lively atmosphere had already reached its peak.

"Uncle, let's go to a picnic?" Chiharu blurted out, "Chiharu wants to sit on a mat, eat delicious food and enjoy the cherry blossoms!"

She was quite jealous when she saw the people having picnics under the blooming petals of cherry blossoms. She wanted to have a picnic too!

"Let's see, Uncle has free time this weekend," Kazuya glanced behind his shoulders. He looked at Izumi who walked beside Himari, "Do you have basketball practice this Saturday or Sunday?"

Izumi recalled his practice schedule, "I have none on Sunday."

"Then, we can go on Sunday!" Chiharu exclaimed happily. Her beady eyes looked straight at a certain someone, "Teacher Kato! Let's join us? It would be boring if Chiharu is the only girl. Teacher could bring Chobi too~"

Kazuya let out a helpless laugh, "Don't make trouble. You really know to impose on Teacher Kato's time. Besides, what's wrong with Uncle and your big brother as males?"

Chiharu scoffed, "Uncle and Big Brother couldn't wear flowery dresses! Chiharu wants to matchy-matchy with Teacher Kato."

Her reasons made the three of them laughed.

"Teacher Kato~ Come and join us? Teacher can cook delicious lunchboxes for us too, right, right?"

Kazuya really wanted to slap his forehead for his niece's shamelessness.

"Haha, I have plans to come here for flower viewing too," Himari was referring to her plan with Nanako, "I'll come with my friend. She has been asking me to accompany her here."

"Then, we can meet here and have a picnic together!" Chiharu's eyes were twinkling. Her small hands were holding tightly onto the lapels of her uncle's jacket.

Himari smiled with sweat forming on her forehead.

Her entire chubby face exuded a golden halo that was hard for Himari to resist.

Huhu, should she accept it or not?

Seeing that his homeroom teacher was put on a tough spot by his little sister, Izumi finally broke his silence. He calmly persuaded Chiharu.

"Chiharu, Teacher Kato wants to go out with her friend. Big Brother and Uncle would accompany Chiharu, okay? We could play everything that Chiharu wants."

But, the outcome was undesirable as Chiharu suddenly sniffled as if she wanted to cry.

"But, but... Chiharu wants Teacher Kato to join us, can't I?"

Her whole appearance looked so pitiful. Her big and round eyes were gleaming with unshed tears while the little girl tried hard to not cry.

Kazuya felt bad looking at his niece.

"Chiharu," He raised up one hand and gently rubbed her small head, "Why do you really want Teacher Kato to come with us? Before, when you asked Aunt Mayu to join but she refused, you didn't cry like this."

"Chiharu's not crying!" She retorted instead of answering her uncle's question.

"Okay, okay, you're not crying," Kazuya followed along with her words. His lips drew a faint smile, "Teacher Kato has her own plans. We shouldn't pester her when she already has an appointment with her friend."

Himari shifted her gaze from the man and the little girl in his arms. A sense of uneasiness pang across her heart.

"Chiharu," Himari stood closer to the man and the little girl, "Chiharu really wants Teacher to join you?"

The little dumpling nodded meekly. She remained pasted on her uncle while batting her eyelashes.

Himari curled up her lips, "Hehe, it is because you want me to make the lunchboxes for the picnic?"

This little dumpling's fixation on food was so amusing!

But, Chiharu's answered shock Himari. While she was surprised, Kazuya and Izumi were saddened by it.

"Chiharu gets no Mama and Papa, only Uncle and Big Brother. Uncle is like Chiharu's Papa. Can't Teacher Kato becomes Mama?"

No one knew how many times the little dumpling envisioned herself in a normal family but, Chiharu felt if she mentioned it, it would only make Uncle and Big Brother sad.

The words said by the old lady they met inside the dessert shop kept repeating themselves in her little mind. She couldn't help but think that the four of them really resembled a small family, like her friends' in the kindergarten.

"Chiharu, don't say that."

Izumi was the one who broke the awkward silence.

Chiharu pouted her lips. She ignored her elder brother and hid her face by pressing it on her uncle's chest.

Kazuya and Himari exchanged a glance. Both of them appeared so helpless, more so Kazuya. He tenderly caressed the little dumpling's head while his eyes remained on Himari.

"I'm sorry, Teacher Kato. She's still small. Don't take seriously what she said."

Kazuya suddenly felt embarrassed and sad when he recalled Chiharu's words. The little girl had always been so cheerful. He didn't expect her to yearn for a family like that.

On one side, Izumi lowered his head. He clenched and unclenched his fists.

Suddenly, he felt he was a failure of a big brother to his only little sister.

A gush of wind blew past them, fluttering the cherry blossoms above their head.

"There's nothing wrong for her to think like that," Himari's smile didn't match the sorrowful look in her eyes. She softened her voice, "What a child thinks is important, no matter her age."

Then, Himari's eyes fell on the little dumpling who turned her head to the other side to avoid looking at them.

"Chiharu, do you like chicken karaage and cutlet sandwich? How about a fruit sandwich? Teacher could make them for the picnic."

The little dumpling's shoulders jolted, showing that she heard Himari's words.

"Really? Teacher Kato, really?"

Chiharu turned from a dejected ball to a fluffy one in just a second.

Himari tilted her head to one side. With one corner of her lips turned up, she replied while looking at Kazuya, "Well, it depends if your uncle would allow me to follow you guys."

"...I'd be more than glad if you could join," Kazuya answered after a moment of hesitation.

Himari smiled at him then focused on Chiharu, "So, it's decided then. We'll have a picnic this Sunday. But, I might bring my friend with me."

Considering Nanako's temperament, she would be more than happy to join them. She wasn't one who would shy away from strangers.

"Okay," Kazuya's helplessness turned into joy. He shot a meaningful look to the little dumpling in his arms, "You'd make Teacher Kato cooks for us. What should you say to her?"

"Hehehe," Chiharu giggled, not even showing an ounce of shame," Teacher Kato, thank you~ Chiharu will love you more than Uncle and Big Brother!"

Her promise made them burst into laughter.

"So, you favor us base on who could give you delicious food?" Kazuya frowned. He didn't know either he should feel displeased or not.

"Hehehe," Chiharu covered her mouth with her small and chubby hands, "Uncle always buy Chiharu pretty dresses and toys, of course, Chiharu loves Uncle too~"

"Then, what about me?" Izumi chimed in.

Chiharu blinked. She asked innocently, "Does Big Brother has money to buy food or dresses for Chiharu?"

Izumi almost choked. He was too speechless to answer his little sister.

His little sister didn't need him Q^Q

"Enough, don't tease your big brother like that," Kazuya flicked on the little dumpling's forehead. He glanced at his wristwatch. The time had almost reached eight o'clock, "It's quite late. We should return home now."

Then, his attention fell on Himari.

"Let me send you home first."

"Okay," Himari agreed.

The four of them headed to the car park. By the time they arrived at the car, Chiharu had dozed off.

"Tsk, how could she not be even chubbier? Only knows to eat and sleep," Kazuya chided his own niece while he put Chiharu on the child's car seat. Izumi entered the car without having to be asked.

"She's cute with the baby fats," Himari made a remark.

Somehow, Chiharu reminded her of a small and fluffy bear cub.

"En?"

Himari stopped from getting inside the car. Her eyes were focused in a direction.

"Teacher Kato, what's wrong?" Kazuya looked at her through the car roof. One of his hands paused from opening the car door.

"I think I saw someone that I know," She murmured faintly yet the words were still audible to Kazuya.

"Your friend?"

Himari shook her head, "A colleague. Ah, maybe I saw it wrong."

For a second, Himari guessed the one she saw was Teacher Masuda standing under the brightly lit cherry blossom tree.

With a mask under her chin, she was talking animatedly to the man next to her. Himari couldn't see the man's face well because he wore a cap and a mask as well as a pair of thick-rimmed glasses, obscuring his face.

Was it her rumored husband that no one had ever seen?