Chapter 040: Lost Child

Higura was with Yui and they were going for some shopping since she invited him out. It was a rare experience for them to be alone outside of school so it felt a little strange for Higura since on days he didn't stay after he normally would just go straight home.

"So how much further is the store?"

"Not too much further. But this quite a special experience."

She smiled cheerfully and Higura couldn't help but feel like he was going on a date with her.

'No no! I can't think like that! Yeah…This definitely isn't a date.'

He looked around the area to see if he can bring anything up for a conversation since he couldn't come up with anything. While looking around he noticed a child crying and tapped Yui on the shoulder pointing over to the child.

"Is she okay?"

"She's probably lost…Let's help her!"

Yui had a serious pumped up look on her face and pointed onwards while Higura pushed her over to the child.

"Do you need help?"

Yui was asking the girl a question which made her look up with her tear covered face and was sniffling while trying to talk.

"I…I-I can't find my…My mommy!"

The girl burst out into tears even worse then the way they had found her and Higura began panicking since she couldn't think of way to make her calm down. The girls cries suddenly dispersed and he saw Yui giving the girl cookies from a bag.

"When did you have cookies?"

"I was planning on giving them to you as thanks but I think this lets them be of better use."

"Hm…So what now? Should we bring her to the police station?"

Yui turned to look at him with a pout then turned back to the girl.

"So, what's your name?"

The girl was nibbling on the cookies which made her voice a little hard to hear clearly but they could understand her.

"I'm Shio…And thank you for the cookies…"

"How old are you?"

"Five…"

"Would you like us to help you look for your mommy?"

The girl nodded while continuing to nibble on the cookies she was given. It was as if Yui had entered a mother mode and was acting well…Motherly. She tried to pick Shio up but couldn't get her too far off the ground and so she turned to Higura for help. He picked the girl up and put her on Yui's lap and so he now pushed two people.

"Do you have any idea where your mommy may be?"

"No…"

"In that case you can stay with us until we find her. Do you like that idea?"

Shio nodded her head and no longer had any cookies as she had eaten them all and had become sad because of it. Higura pushed the two around the city looking for Shio's mother but wasn't having any luck but Yui managed to keep Shio calm by talking with her along the way.

"So do we have anywhere else we can look?"

Higura was whispering in Yui's ear so Shio wouldn't hear what they were talking about.

"I can't really think of where they could be…I have an idea that may work though…"

"Then go with it since I trust you have better judgment then me."

Yui began talking to Shio.

"So, do you know where your daddy is?"

"He said he was going to work…"

"In that case where does your daddy work?"

"I'm not really sure…But I think he deals with books…"

"Do you know what he does with books?"

"I think he makes them? I'm not really sure, it's confusing…"

Higura tried to think of the possible jobs but suddenly thought about his job as an author.

'Wait…Doesn't my editor have a daughter?' "Um Shio?"

"Hm?"

"Could it be your father's an editor?"

"Oh! I think that's it! Then again…"

"Could you describe what he looks like?"

"Black hair, green eyes…He's tall, like you…"

'That sounds nearly identical to my editor…Guess I know were we're going.' "In that case I think I may know your father."

Higura pushed the two over to his publisher and went inside. He went up one of the elevators and met with his editor. He then walked Shio over and could instantly tell that she was definitely his daughter.

"How could you wander away from your mother? You know you shouldn't do that, you're lucky that Mr.Sato found you and not some untrustworthy person."

Shio's father continued to scold Shio before standing up to talk with Higura.

"Thank you for helping her look for my wife, I can't stand the thought of what would have happened if you hadn't found her."

"It was no problem. I only pieced together a few pieces and thought that maybe she could be your daughter."

"Still, I'm very grateful for your help."

He looked behind Higura and then looked back to Higura.

"I won't slow your date down any longer, get along love birds."

"W-Wait! We're not dating!"

"Oh really? My misunderstanding! See you for when you submit your next novel!"

He walked off at a fast pace and took Shio with him. While being taken away Shio waved goodbye to Higura and Yui. They waved back and continued on with their day.

"And so ends our temporary parenthood. Of course it doesn't always have to stay that way…"

"Eh? Did you just say that?"

"By whatever do you mean?"

Higura made an inspecting face before returning to normal, he looked normal on the outside but was going through thoughts like a madman.

'Wait, wait, wait! If she said that doesn't that mean she views me as a potential partner?! I mean I know we spend a lot of the school day together but it hasn't been that long! Does this mean a confession is going to happen in the future?! Wait, wait…I can't get ahead of myself…Haaaa, when did my life become so complicated?'

Yui was smiling happily knowing perfectly well what she just did to his head.