The old woman recalled the scene from earlier.
"The child was carrying a little green frog backpack."
"She ran straight toward me."
"So I called out to her."
"I told her to slow down."
"Running so fast was dangerous."
"She nodded and told me she understood, but her speed didn't change at all."
The old woman shook her head helplessly.
"That was all. We only crossed paths for a moment."
The old woman looked at the woman.
"It seems I can't really help you."
"No."
The woman pulled up the corners of her mouth and shook her head with a smile.
"Thank you."
"Was the child alone at the time?"
"Did she meet anyone?"
The woman suspected that someone had arranged to meet the child, which was why the child had gone out.
"She was alone."
The old woman answered without hesitation.
"When I saw her, she was alone."
"But I can only say that she was alone when I saw her."
"As for the rest of the time..."
"Whether someone was waiting for her at the entrance to the residential compound..."
"I have no idea."
The old woman felt somewhat remorseful.
"If I'd known she had come out alone, I would've followed her to take a look..."
She hadn't thought much of it at the time.
She had simply encountered a familiar child on the road and greeted her. Then the child and she had continued on their respective ways.
She hadn't expected...
That the child had actually left a note and run away from home alone.
"I see..."
The light in the woman's eyes dimmed.
She had originally thought she would be able to learn something about the child.
Although she had indeed learned something about the child,
It wasn't anything crucial.
It couldn't solve