Perhaps it was a sound coming from far away.
Their attention quickly returned to tonight's star—the epiphyllum.
The little girl turned her head and looked around.
They had returned to the foot of the wall.
She was both anxious and confused.
"Why are we coming down?"
"I haven't finished looking at the flowers."
"They're really beautiful."
"It bloomed right in front of me..."
"Let's go."
I'd gotten a call from the man saying they'd found the child, so I'd run all the way back.
"Oh, right!"
"Nannan!"
Running away from home was a minor issue.
Your whole body was trembling slightly.
"He knows!?"
At that, the man's voice still couldn't help growing louder.
The little girl shouted angrily.
Yet she couldn't make a sound.
"It's all right as long as you're safe."
Every call had been made with all her strength. Even though it hadn't gone on for long, the man's voice had already grown hoarse.
So tired.
"Otherwise, your dad would still be out there looking..."
Not a thing was wrong.
"How could you sneak out of the house by yourself?!"
The man's expression darkened slightly.
"Did you think about that?"
Without waiting for the little girl to say anything, the man immediately fumbled for the phone on him.
"Okay."
"...We'll talk when we get home."
Now that I'd sat down, the coolness against my forehead made me touch it.
The next second, the little girl froze.
She twisted her body with all her might, trying to break free of the restraint around her.
Without waiting for the other person to speak, the man quickly stated why he was calling.
The little girl hung her head.
She was free.
Nannan's father got home just a minute after the mother and daughter.
The little girl's