It hadn't really been that much trouble.
The old man just had to accept that his grocery store, which hardly ever had any customers, might soon have a regular little visitor.
It was all right.
The old man told himself.
It wouldn't be for long.
Children's interests never lasted more than three minutes.
They were curious.
They could be stubborn.
And they could give up just as easily.
It was only for a little while...
The old man could accept that.
"Let's go home."
The old man interrupted the child.
He couldn't take any more of it.
The goose bumps all over his body made him uncomfortable.
"Did you come out by yourself?"
"Ah!"
The child suddenly jumped to her feet, looking flustered.
"I..."
"I came with my mom and dad!"
After a long while, once everything had settled, the child finally remembered that fact.
The old man didn't understand why the child was reacting so dramatically.
Why was she always so easily startled?
"...Oh."
The old man didn't understand what was wrong with what she'd said.
A child this young...
It was normal for her to go out with her mom and dad.
Otherwise, her parents wouldn't have been comfortable letting such a little child go out alone.
"I, I..."
The child was on the verge of tears.
"My balloon flew away..."
"I ran after it..."
"And got separated from my mom and dad!"
Wait.
Did that mean...
The old man rubbed his temples.
He thought he was starting to understand what the child meant.
"You're saying..."
"You ran after your balloon when it flew away..."
"And got separated from your mom and dad?"
"Actually..."
A thought suddenly struck the old man.
"Your mom and dad don't even know where you