This made the child, who had always been well-behaved, very uneasy.
There was also a little excitement.
The child had told her friend not to tell anyone because she didn't want her parents to know she'd broken her promise to them.
She never expected that in the end...
She would be the one to tell her parents.
Thankfully.
Her parents weren't especially angry.
The child hunched her shoulders like a quail and let out a huge sigh of relief.
"All right."
The woman gently patted the child's head.
"You must be tired today, too."
"Go wash up."
"Get to bed early tonight and rest."
"Okay."
The child nodded.
"Don't overthink it."
The woman reached out and gently brushed aside the child's bangs.
"When you wake up tomorrow, you'll see that there's nothing wrong."
"Really?"
The child's eyes sparkled.
"Really."
The woman smiled.
"Yaya is a good girl."
"No one will dislike Yaya."
"Even if I saw the big leopard?"
The child blurted out.
Then she pressed her lips together, feeling annoyed with herself and awkward.
The woman paused in surprise.
She reached out and rubbed the child's head.
"Go on."
The child nodded in a fluster.
Then she turned and left.
The woman watched the child walk away.
Even if you saw the big leopard...
As her parents, they loved their child.
No matter what she looked like.
But apart from her parents...
No one else would accept everything about her unconditionally.
The child's friend had taught her a very important lesson.
The woman didn't think the ponytailed girl had done anything wrong.
Even though seeing the child hurt and upset made her heart ache.
But if she put herself in the other girl's shoes...
If her child