Bubbles of joy welled up.
"Feeling relieved now?"
At the classroom's back entrance, the principal smiled at Child's Mom and Child's Dad as she asked.
Child's Mom and Child's Dad looked at the little mushroom-haired girl beside the podium.
She was visibly nervous and at a loss, but...
The little mushroom-haired girl's eyes were shining.
There was surprise, disbelief, and delight...
Her eyes were even a little red.
Child's Mom felt her own eyes grow warm.
She took a deep breath.
"Principal, thank you."
"This is what we're supposed to do."
The principal smiled.
After learning about the new child's circumstances, they had arranged this welcome ceremony.
They hoped it would quickly help the new girl feel less like a stranger in her new surroundings.
Watching their child take her seat, Child's Mom and Child's Dad bowed slightly to the principal. "Principal, please take good care of her."
Child's Mom and Child's Dad left the kindergarten with some lingering worries.
The scene they had seen before leaving had been lovely.
But who knew whether something unexpected might happen later?
Still, the sky was clear today.
They had also reminded the little mushroom-haired girl over and over to get along well with her new classmates at kindergarten.
There were things she shouldn't talk about.
In other words, she mustn't tell anyone anything about the shadow.
As for why she had left her previous kindergarten—
If anyone asked...
They had made a point of telling the teacher about it.
The teacher should have reminded the children in the class not to ask the little mushroom-haired girl about it.
If any of the children ignored the teacher...
The little girl shouldn't tell them everything.
She could simply say she didn't want to talk about it.
Or she