"How come you're here?"
After his excitement faded, the little boy asked curiously.
"I had something to do here."
The mushroom-head boy answered simply.
"Oh, okay."
The little boy accepted the mushroom-head boy's explanation without a second thought.
To him, why the mushroom-head boy was here didn't matter.
What mattered was...
He'd seen the mushroom-head boy again.
The little boy was very happy.
After that Spring Outing, especially with how out of place he often felt in class, the little boy had really missed the mushroom-head boy.
For some reason, the mushroom-head boy reminded him of Big Sister.
He'd felt an instant connection with both Big Sister and the mushroom-head boy.
He could clearly sense their kindness and affection toward him.
He... was really happy.
Because of them, he didn't doubt himself quite so much anymore.
Maybe he... wasn't so bad after all.
There were people who liked him, too.
The little boy was very reluctant to part this time.
He wanted to get the mushroom-head boy's contact information.
This was the first time he'd worked up the courage to ask someone for their contact information.
But the mushroom-head boy shook his head.
The little boy's heart sank.
Did the mushroom-head boy... not want to give him his contact information?
"I don't have any contact information I can give you."
The mushroom-head boy was blunt.
The little boy was a little bewildered.
He didn't?
But...
Wouldn't his home phone number do?
As far as the little boy knew, every household had a phone.
And...
Although he didn't have one himself,
he knew that some of his classmates had cell phones.
"I don't have one."
The mushroom-head boy shook his head.
"My situation is a little unusual."
The mushroom-head boy's explanation was vague.
But