You Invited Me, So I Came

Miya stood at the bedroom door, took a deep breath, and called out, "Shin-chan, wake up!"

There was no reaction from inside the blankets.

"Shin-chan!" she called out again, raising her voice by an octave.

I stirred in bed, then fell silent again.

Miya walked over, pulled back the blanket, and Shin-chan was curled up in a ball, his eyes tightly closed, and drool hanging from the corner of his mouth.

"Get up, someone is looking for you."

"Hmm..." Shin-chan rolled over, "Just five more minutes of sleep..."

"No, they're already waiting in the Living Room!"

Who is it...?

"I don't know her either. She was a girl, very pretty, and she had bodyguards with her."

Shin-chan opened his eyes a crack, glanced at Miya, then closed them again. "She's a girl... let her wait a bit..."

A cross appeared on Miya's forehead.

"Get up!"

She reached out to grab Shin-chan's arm, Shin-chan slid to the other side of the bed like an eel, wrapped himself in the blanket, rolled around, and curled himself up like a spring roll.

"Mom is so fierce..."

"Shin Nohara!"

Miya walked over, grabbed him by the back of his collar, and pulled him out of bed.

Shin-chan was swaying in the air, his eyes still closed.

"They've already come to our house, and you're still sleeping!"

"Who is it...?" Shin-chan asked groggily.

How would I know? You arranged the meeting yourself.

Shin-chan finally opened his eyes, looked at Miya, then at the Outside Window, then at Miya again. "Did I make this appointment?"

"Do not you remember?"

Shin-chan thought for a moment and said, "I don't remember at all."

Miya took a deep breath and put him on the ground. "Hurry up and get dressed, let's go out and see."

Shin-chan slowly put on his red short-sleeved shirt and Yellow shorts, yawning as he did so. Halfway through, he fell asleep standing on the floor.

"Shin Nohara!!!"

Miya's roar startled Shin-chan, and Shin-chan quickly got dressed.

"Hurry up, hurry up, people have been waiting for ages!"

Shin-chan was pushed to the Living Room doorway, rubbed his eyes, and looked up.

A girl was sitting in the Living Room.

She was wearing a pale yellow kimono, her hair was neatly combed, and she sat upright.

Shin-chan looked at the girl, tilted his head, and asked, "Who are you?"

Miya's fist nearly hit him on the head.

"You don't know the person you're meeting?"

Shin-chan scratched his head, glanced at the girl again, and thought she looked familiar but he didn't recognize her.

The girl stood up, folded her hands in front of her, and bowed slightly. "My name is Ai Suotome. We ate dumplings together at the Dango Shop yesterday."

Shin-chan thought for a moment.

Yesterday?

Dango Shop?

He did seem to go to the Dango Shop, and he did seem to eat dango with someone, but what did that person look like again?

He only remembers the pretty older sister.

Ai turned her head and glanced at Kuroiso.

Kuroiso immediately stepped forward, holding an exquisite wooden box in her hands.

"This is a small gift for your first visit."

Shin-chan took the wooden box and shook it. "Are there Chocolate Stick inside?"

Miya stared wide-eyed at the box. She recognized the lacquer pattern from a magazine; one of those boxes Hiroshi several months' salary.

Shin-chan pressed his ear against the box, trying to figure out what was inside.

Miya took the box away and then politely asked, "Have you had breakfast?"

Ai shook her head.

"How about... we eat something together?" Miya said, then immediately regretted it.

Kuroiso frowned slightly, and her lips moved as if she wanted to say something.

Ai's gaze swept over, Kuroiso shut his mouth and took a step back.

"Okay." Ai nodded in agreement.

Miya stood to the side, watching this scene, increasingly confused.

Who is this kid? He's so generous, and he even has bodyguards.

Without thinking, she turned and ran to the kitchen. "Almost done, just a moment."

In the kitchen, the miso soup in the pot was still hot, the grilled fish was on the stove, and the rice had just been cooked.

She hurriedly served the rice, then remembered the identity of the little girl in the Living Room, hesitated for a moment, and changed the bowls she usually used.

Breakfast was served.

Miso soup, grilled saury, white rice, pickled radish.

Shin-chan was already seated, picked up his chopsticks, and stuffed a piece of grilled fish into his mouth.

Miya looked at Ai nervously.

Ai looked down at the bowl and chopsticks in front of her, then at the dishes on the table. Kuroiso stood behind her, bent over, and whispered something. Ai shook her head.

She picked up her chopsticks, took a small piece of pickled radish, put it in her mouth, and chewed it a couple of times.

Miya's heart was in her throat.

Ai chewed twice more, swallowed, and then started drinking the miso soup.

Miya a sigh of relief.

Shin-chan, who had already eaten most of his bowl of rice and had his mouth full, asked indistinctly, "Is it good?"

"Hmm..." Ai thought for a moment, "It's a flavor I've never tasted before."

"Mom made so much food today." Shin-chan still had a few grains of rice stuck to the corner of his mouth.

Ai picked up another piece of fish.

The fish was a bit salty and slightly burnt.

In the capital, the kitchen would never serve such a thing, but she said nothing and quietly finished her meal.

After finishing his meal, Shin-chan put down his chopsticks and patted his stomach. "I'm full."

After saying that, she jumped off the chair, ran to the Genkan to put on her shoes, and said, "I'm going to school."

Ai looked up. "Going to school?"

"Um."

Which prestigious private school?

"Ninja Academy," Shin-chan said, "Is where you learn Ninjutsu."

Ai nodded and didn't say anything more.

Shin-chan walked to the Genkan, put on his shoes, Shiro ran over from the corner, circled his feet twice, and wagged his tail rapidly.

"Shiro, go to school."

Shiro Whitey barked and followed at his feet.

"Are you going?" Shin-chan turned around and glanced at Ai.

Ai stood in the Genkan, looking at the Red Figure: "Can... I go?"

"Sure," Shin-chan said, "But classes are so boring, I can't understand anything the teacher says."

Seeing his expression, Ai suddenly smiled, "Then I'll go take a look."

"Your Highness," Hei Ji stepped forward, trying to stop her.

Ai at him.

Kuroiso shut her mouth and took a step back.

Shin-chan had already run out the door. "Hurry, hurry, we're going to be late!"

Ai followed, and when she reached the door, she glanced back at the Nohara House.

The house was small, with a narrow hallway and a low ceiling. The bowls and chopsticks on the table hadn't been cleared away yet, and the miso soup was still steaming.

She turned around and followed the red figure.

The morning light spilled onto the streets, making everything seem different from life in the capital.

Shin-chan ran a couple of steps, then stopped and waited for her.

You walk so slowly.

Ai quickened her pace. "How about this?"

"Still too slow." Shin-chan ran back, tugging at her sleeve and pulling her forward. "Hurry up, hurry up!"

Ai was being pulled along by him, her steps faltering slightly, the hem of her kimono almost tripping her, but she didn't let him stop.

Kuroiso followed behind, her brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly. After hesitating for a moment, she ultimately said nothing.

Three people and a dog disappeared around the street corner.