"Always... by my side?"
Kyosuke's eyes lit up at once, like two little bulbs suddenly set ablaze.
He sprang down from his chair with a whoosh, abandoning his meal and his bowl, and rushed like a gust of wind to his mother, who was tidying up the dishes in the kitchen.
His voice trembled a little with excitement.
"Mom! Mom! I want that! The thing on TV!"
His mother jumped in fright, turned around, and looked at him. "What thing? Why are you making such a fuss?"
"That one! Pikachu's! The electronic pet that can let Pikachu stay with me all the time!"
Kyosuke stretched out a finger toward the living-room TV, his little face flushed bright red with excitement.
Unfortunately, the GG had already ended, and the TV had begun showing the weather forecast.
"Oh, that..."
His father raised his head from behind the newspaper and adjusted his glasses. "Seems like a new toy? It was in that GG just now."
"Mm! Yes! I want to buy it! Mom, give me my allowance! I want to go buy it right now!"
Kyosuke's tone carried a force that said he absolutely had to get it, and even his little fists were clenched tight.
His mother wiped her hands, somewhat hesitant. "This... it's a toy that just came out. Who knows if it's expensive..."
She looked at her husband, then at her son's eager face.
"I don't care! I have to buy it! I want it today!" Kyosuke stamped his foot, his attitude firm.
His father put down the newspaper and sighed. "You little rascal, that robot you bought last month—you only played with it for a few days before you stopped touching it."
"This time is different!" Kyosuke retorted loudly. "Pikachu is different! It'll stay with me!"
His mother looked