chuckle
The moment Akemi met her eyes, she felt this auntie... or perhaps big sister, tense up all at once.
Akemi hugged Little Bear tighter in confusion, a vague thought forming in her heart: Was this big sister... afraid of children?
She quickly put on a sweet smile, trying to soothe the other woman the same way she soothed her Little Bear.
That smile seemed to charm the big sister a little, but before the atmosphere could ease, something seemed to occur to her. She jolted again, then turned away and stopped looking at her.
"..."
What a strange big sister.
Akemi looked at her retreating back and could only silently avert her gaze as well. Between them, an eerie understanding formed, as though well water did not violate river water.
Amid the strange atmosphere, the elevator numbers flickered upward. Then, something suddenly caught Akemi's eye.
She rubbed her eyes and looked again, only to see a cat's head poking out from behind a potted plant around the corner.
When their eyes met, the cat raised a paw and swiped twice through the air, somehow gesturing for her to "come over."
Seeing that fluffy, adorable little head, Akemi's face lit up with delight. Hugging Little Bear, she pattered toward the corner.
"Akemi?" Her mother jumped in surprise, then hurried after her. "You can't buy any more snacks. You've already had plenty today."
The two chased each other around the corner, and Akemi's mother finally caught her, scooping her up in one motion.
Akemi looked around blankly, then turned to her mother for help. "A little kitty needed me, so I came over here, but it's gone now."
"A cat? How could there be a cat in Tokyo Tower?" Her mother looked around. "Akemi, did you see it wrong? Mommy knows