Huh?
The little boy widened his eyes, confused.
What?
"You don't need to go back and find the shopkeeper."
Xiao Xiao let go of the boy's collar.
He winked at him.
A smile appeared in his eyes.
The little boy looked stunned.
W-what did he mean?
"...Why?"
"I wasn't going to..."
The little boy raised both hands.
"Give the turtle back to the shopkeeper?"
"Because..."
Xiao Xiao beckoned to the boy.
"Come a little closer."
From where the boy was standing, people outside could see his back.
The little boy obediently took a few steps closer.
Xiao Xiao was still crouching.
He looked at the little boy.
"Because Little Guy never belonged to that shop in the first place."
"If that's the case, why would you give it back to the shop?"
Huh?
The little boy's mouth fell open.
W-what did he mean?
"But the turtle was in that shop."
The little boy didn't understand.
"I saw the turtle in the aquarium at that shop..."
How could the turtle not belong to the shop?
"Do you know why neither you turning out your pockets nor the shopkeeper searching you earlier..."
"revealed Little Guy?"
Xiao Xiao was very patient.
Even adults would have to work hard to accept this.
Let alone a child.
And before accepting it, the boy first had to understand it.
The little boy froze.
He didn't know...
He'd actually been very puzzled at the time.
When he had nowhere left to run, nowhere left to hide... and could only turn out his pockets—
Earlier, as he'd hurried away from the shop, he'd stuffed the turtle into his pocket.
He'd already been in despair.
He was certain he'd be found out.
He couldn't imagine what would happen if he was.