Is that some kind of superpower siblings have?

    Can...Can Takemichi do that?!

    "Um...guys?" The two Shibas finally turned to look back at Takemichi, their faces sad and...hesitant?

    Yuzuha's the first to speak up. "We wish we could...but we need to go home soon," she answered and something in Takemichi's stomach dropped.

    Did Takemichi do something wrong? Do they not like him anymore? What does he do? What—

    Hakkai ruffled Takemichi's black hair, breaking the smaller boy out of his thoughts. "How bout tomorrow? We can go to the playground a few blocks away!"

    ...They still like him? Yay!!!

    "Ok—" just as Takemichi tried to form a response, the smaller boy watched with horror as a feminine hand reached out from above the curly haired boy and took Hakkai's hand out of his black curls.

    Both the Shibas tensed under the new person's presence—frozen in fear.

    Finally, the adult spoke, "Get your hands off my kid."

    Hakkai snatched his hand away from the intimidating lady and held it close to his chest, like the woman had burned it with her fiery touch.

    Takemichi peered up at his mother in fear and quickly turned to face her.

    "If I see you touching my son agai—"

    "M-Mom—It's ok—They're my friends!"

    That got his mother to stop her rampage.

    Her blue eyes scanned the frightened kids in front of her, his mother's face carefully blank as she accessed the situation. Then she smiled. It didn't quite reach her eyes, but it was better than the expressionless look she was giving them.

    "Sorry, I thought you kids were trying to bully my little Michi here! I didn't know you were his friends," his mother explained, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. The two kids were still paralyzed in their spot.

    "I-I was gonna invite them to come eat with us..." Takemichi told his mother, a look of guilt quickly forming on her face.

    "...oh...." She was speechless as she peered down at Takemichi's friends. The smaller boy began fidgeting in his spot.

    "...shirt...like..." huh?

    Takemichi turned back around to face the taller kid who spoke those words. Hakkai's body was shaking and his face was bright red, catching the two Hanagakis off guard.

    Is—Is he about to explode???

    "You ok, dear?" His mother asked the blue-buzz haired boy who continued to vibrate in his spot.

    "S-Sorry about my little brother," Yuzuha finally spoke up, not appearing as shell shocked as she did a few moments ago. "He doesn't know how to talk to girls," the brown haired girl explained, reaching her arm up to rest her hand on Hakkai's shoulder reassuringly.

    In a robotic-like motion, Hakkai leaned down to whisper something in Yuzuha's ear. The smaller girl smiled and nodded her head to whatever Hakkai whispered to her. Yuzuha then turned back to face Takemichi's mom, her other hand reaching up to fidget with a stray string that came off her backpack.

    "We like your shirt M-Ma'am...our um...our mom listens to that band's music a lot..." Yuzuha complimented, her brown eyes avoiding the older lady's gaze by staring at her blue sneakers.

    Takemichi's mom crouched down slightly to meet the taller boy's eye level before smiling warmly at him, making his face turn even more red.

    "Thank you, lil guy! Me and your mom should get together so we can jam out, yeah?" His mother supplied while softly patting the frozen boy's head.

    She then crouched down even more to reach Yuzuha's eye level, elegantly brushing a strand of an hair behind the little girl's ear. "You're a really good older sister, honey. Keep up the good work, ok?" Yuzuha nodded shyly.

    "Well, Michi—" His mother stood back up and ruffled up his hair. "Go say goodbye to your friends. The ramen's not gonna eat itself, yknow!" With that, Takemichi nodded—throwing a bright smile at Yuzuha and Hakkai.

    "Bye Yuzuha! Bye Hakkai! See ya tomorrow!"

    Hakkai raised his hand like a robot while Yuzuha waved her arm to the soft breeze of the wind, a smile on both of the kids faces.

    "Bye Takemichi!! See ya!"

    With Takemichi's hand grasped tightly in his mother's, the black haired lady pulled her umbrella back out and held it over the pair as they walked down the street, away from the school.

    Talk about an eventful first day...

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

Extra

    As the raindrops repeatedly fell against the clear material of their umbrella, the mother smiled warmly at her son who, for the most part, was spacing out as he eyed the large water puddles that littered the sidewalks.

    She couldn't believe he was making friends so fast...

    "Hey baby," Takemichi looked up from the glistening puddles to the older woman.

    "Do...do you like your new friends?"

    As expected, it didn't take long for her Michi to answer.

    "Yeah! I think they're cool!" He exclaimed enthusiastically, unintentionally splashing rain water on the older woman.

    The orange lights hanging from afar caught the two Hanagaki's attention, causing both their stomachs to rumble hungrily.

    The mother tightened her hold on her son's hand as she quickly guided him towards the ramen shop.

    "Stop dragging your feet, Michi! We've got noodles to slurp on!"

    "I'm gonna slip mama!"

    She peered down at the giddy face her son was making; she laughed happily, her movements not slowing down in the slightest.

    "Don't worry, baby! If you slip, I'll be right there to pick you back up!"

    "Promise?"

    "Promise!"

    A warm feeling began blossoming in the older Hanagaki's chest as they cheerfully made their way to the ramen stand.

    For the first time in her life, she finally felt like she made the right choice.

    ...Maybe she isn't a bad mother after all.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

•

•

•