Ch.4 A Name. Since It's White, Small, and Round... Omanju

Yuzuki's POV

"I'm home! Okaa-san, about this child... Okaa-san is awake?!"

"Ara, welcome back, Yuzu. You couldn't refuse another long shift at your part-time job...that's bad for your health."

Since then, I've been hugging it, looking at its face, burying my face in its short but fluffy, pleasant fur, and smelling its fragrant scent, and before I knew it, we were home.

I was happy that this child smells nice, like a kitten or a puppy, but I was so shocked by what happened that I forgot all about that.

It's an old Japanese house that's several decades old... well, it's a standard house around here, so it's just unnecessarily large, including the garden, which makes cleaning a real chore.

After bringing this child home, I started thinking things like, "What about toilet training?" and "How should I raise it?" but before I could think about any of that, I was surprised to see Okaa-san sticking her head out into the hallway on her own.

"You don't need to sleep?! Because normally you would..."

"Yes. I've felt much more relaxed since I woke up a little while ago."

My Okaa-san.

Ever since Otou-san ran away, Okaa-san has raised me all by herself—and because of that, she got sick and her health deteriorated.

Ojii-chan, Obaa-chan and our other relatives are gone because of the attack that occurred when the dungeon first appeared about 10 years ago.

So, my only family now is Okaa-san.

Not only did Okaa-san get out of bed, but she actually woke up so quickly, just like a normal person, in response to the sound of the door opening.

"Ara, that brings back memories. I remember Yuzu coming home like that, hugging your doll."

"I did?"

"Yes. Until the beginning of elementary school, we even got permission from the teachers because you would cry if you didn't hold one. Those were the good old days."

"...So I was doing something so girly..."

I don't remember... Did I do that?

"Kyui."

"Oh, that's right, Okaa-san! Can I keep this child?"

"Ara ara, so it wasn't a doll after all."

"Yeah, a monster! ...Ah."

After saying all that, I felt the blood drain from my face and thought, "Oh no, I shouldn't have said that."

—Because for Okaa-san, Obaa-chan and the others... Okaa-san's Okaa-san and Otou-san... to the monsters...

"Ara ara, It does look like a doll though."

"Kyui?"

"Fufu, so cute."

But then, unusually, Okaa-san walked over energetically, without leaning on the wall or using her cane, and began to intently examine the monster I was holding.

"...Is it find?"

"Yes, because It hasn't eaten yuzu."

"...I see."

"Yes."

She just casually said, "Eaten by a monster."

...Mom, ever since you got sick, you're not surprised by most things anymore...

"And then?"

"Eh?"

"What's its name?"

"No, I haven't give one yet..."

Oh yeah, that's right.

I've been holding it for so long that he's a little damp... It hasn't peed, has it...? I lift the manju-like monster in front of me.

It's incredibly light and fluffy.

"Kyui."

White downy fur, white skin, blue eyes, and a short tail.

"...Hey Okaa-san, what animal do you think this is similar to?"

"Well... since it's a monster, it's cute, but... it doesn't really resemble any animal yet... a dog, a cat, a rabbit... if you told me it was one of them, I think I could believe it..."

"Yeah, that's true. So I'm wondering what to name it."

I was thinking of various names for it until I became completely absorbed in petting it.

"If it were a dog, maybe something like Pochi?"

"!?"

"If it's a cat, how about Tama?"

"!?"

"If we're talking about colors... maybe like daifuku?"

"!?"

"Daifuku mochi?"

"Ara, sounds delicious."

"!?"

"Well, since it's white... Anko mochi, kinako mochi, dango, cotton candy..."

"Cotton candy... muffins... rare cheesecake... I'm getting hungry..."

"!?!?!?!"

Okaa-san and I thought about it seriously together.

"...Ah, Okaa-san, it's boiling over!"

"Ara ara, you're right!"

Wait, Okaa-san... she was standing in the kitchen.

This only happens a few times a month.

"...Kyui..."

Okaa-san, apparently exhausted from standing and chatting, walked away whilst leaning against the wall.

"It's been a long time since I've seen a mother this energetic..."

"Kyui..."

After seeing Okaa-san off, I noticed something in my arms... Is deflating.

Huh?

This child, seems like it's tired?

Maybe it's just my imagination.

◇◆◇

"Kyui!"

Munch, munch, munch.

"Oh, carrots. Are you sure you want them raw?"

"Kyui!"

"Looks like it's fine. I see, so you like raw vegetables."

Munch, munch, munch, munch, munch, munch.

A pleasant sound resonates in the ears.

Following the instructions of those kind classmates—who were around one year older and of the same gender as me—I arranged the items in the refrigerator, and the first thing it grabbed was the carrots.

Of course, the ones cut into long, thin strips.

"Carrots... well, now that I see it, It does kind of look like a rabbit... Is it? It's pure white, after all."

"Carrots, huh... Small animals generally like them. I guess they're kind of like herbivores."

"It's great that it likes vegetables. We often get them from our neighbors."

"If only our garden were a little bigger, we could probably harvest them properly from there..."

"Yuzu is busy, and I can't even water them... It can't be helped."

The manju is eating skillfully with both hands, munching away.

...It doesn't have paw pads or anything, it's just one finger, I wonder how it's doing that... Oh well, it's a monster, so I guess it's just dexterous in some way.

"...Maybe Omanju would be good..."

"Ara, you don't want a more delicious-sounding name? Even if it's rare, it sounds soft, doesn't it?"

"Squeak!?"

"Yeah, that's fine too, but... Huh? What's wrong, Omanju? You dropped your carrot... Are you full already?"

"...Kyui..."

But then it started eating again, so I guess it probably choked or something.

My old cat used to do that too, when it got flustered while eating.

"Omanju-chan... so cute!"

"Yeah! It feels chewy and delicious!"

"Kyui..."

Okaa-san and I have the same taste, so we often get along well in situations like this.

Back when she was still healthy, we never argued about things like shopping or where to eat.

We savored Okaa-san's cooking after a long time.

But Omanju, which had started eating first, seemed to have filled up after eating the equivalent of one carrot... and was looking at us with tired eyes.

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Author's note:

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