Because she had unexpectedly discovered that her grandson was back and had to cook for him, the old lady spent more time here than she'd expected.
"Okay."
Xiao Xiao nodded.
The two old people left the dining room together.
They both went to the teahouse out front.
Xiao Xiao finished his lunch.
He was the slowest.
The little monsters had finished their favorite foods long ago.
They had each returned to their usual haunts.
Xiao Xiao tidied everything up.
He came out of the kitchen.
He walked into the courtyard.
Bo Bo trotted over at once.
Bo Bo looked happy and relaxed.
"Bo Bo."
Xiao Xiao smiled and patted Bo Bo's head as it leaned toward him.
Of course,
he kept his hand away from the Frog God sitting on Bo Bo's head.
"Frog God."
"Baa~"
"Ribbit ribbit~"
The two monsters responded enthusiastically.
Xiao Xiao played with the monsters in the courtyard for a while.
He was crouched beside the pond, watching Chirú, when—
He was already used to Chirú's beautiful human face.
He no longer found it strange that a fish had a human face...
Well,
it still felt a little incongruous.
But just looking at Chirú's face...
it truly was an absolutely beautiful one.
Especially in the water, amid the shimmering ripples, Chirú's beautiful face seemed all the more dreamlike.
Madam Xiao walked into the courtyard.
She'd heard the old lady say that Xiao Xiao was back.
As soon as she had a free moment, she came over to see him.
She wasn't at all surprised not to find him inside.
She looked toward the courtyard.
Sure enough,
the boy was crouching by the pond.
"Mom."
Xiao Xiao smiled.
He stood up.
"I'm fine."
Madam Xiao waved a