In the park, Christmas carols echoed cheerfully, and countless people moved back and forth in the lively plaza, like a moving maze.
"Mhm... The lost children's center is located... here."
After confirming the route with the map on her phone, Yutsuki raised her head, preparing to head toward her destination.
However, a slight tug ca from the hem of her coat.
Yutsuki turned her head to look. The little girl currently pulling her coat was hesitating in place, her teary eyes reflecting confusion and anxiety.
"Um... Onee-chan.."
"Mhm... what's wrong?"
"Will Mama... really co find ...? Did she throw away because I was stubborn?"
"Of course not."
Yutsuki smiled gently and answered as a matter of course.
She could tell that although the little girl in front of her was introverted and shy, judging from her appearance and clothing, her family still doted on her very much, otherwise she wouldn't have gotten lost here at the amusent park.
(She's probably the type whose parents care about her but have very little ti to personally take care of her. The child loves her mother, but because she doesn't understand her well, she is very anxious.)
Yutsuki crouched down, her gentle amber eyes staring at the little girl.
"Little miss~, What is your na?"
"...Kosaki."
"That's a beautiful na." Holding Kosaki's small hand, Yutsuki smiled and said, "Your mama must be very anxious looking for you right now, so we need to go to a place where your mama can find you."
"...Mhm."
Hearing Yutsuki's words, the little girl managed to stop her tears and nodded gently.
(Ah... Fortunately she ran into , not so suspicious person. Let's hurry up and take her to et her mother.)
After letting out a silent sigh of relief in her heart, Yutsuki picked up her phone to send Shido a text ssage, letting him know she was taking a lost child to the lost children's center.
"Excuse , this child seems to be lost, could I trouble you to take care of her?"
"Alright, wait a second."
Hearing Yutsuki's call, a young girl with light chestnut hair wearing a staff uniform walked out from the building. Looking at the person who arrived, Yutsuki froze for a mont.
"Princess Bamboo?"
"I told you to call Class rep... Eh?" After subconsciously roasting her, Saoto Natsutake looked at the elegantly dressed young girl in front of her. After freezing for a mont, she asked hesitantly, "...Ryougi-san?"
"Why are you here?"
"Working at the amusent park."
Natsutake answered a bit awkwardly.
"Going out to work even on Christmas, you really are diligent,Princess Bamboo."
"I-It's fine. The wages during this period are relatively high after all. Also, could you please stop using that nickna to address here?!"
"Oh? Not emphasizing that you are the class rep as forcefully as usual?"
"It's the holidays after all, and this isn't school, so there's no need for to emphasize that point, right?" Natsutake gave a bitter smile, crouched down to look at Kosaki hiding behind Yutsuki, and asked kindly, "Hello, little friend."
"Ugh——"
Kosaki grabbed Yutsuki's coat hem, shrinking her head back in fear.
"Eh..."
Seeing herself avoided, Natsutake couldn't help but feel a bit deflated.
"Sorry about that, this child seems a bit shy around strangers."
With a bitter smile, Yutsuki gently patted Kosaki's head and said gently.
"Alright, Kosaki-chan. This big sister is an acquaintance of mine, you don't need to be afraid."
"...Really?"
Kosaki asked anxiously.
"Mhm, exactly. She is the Princess Bamboo who ca from the moon."
"Wrong, wrong! Please don't give children weird misunderstandings about , okay?!"
Natsutake hurriedly waved her hands in denial. Looking at her exaggerated reaction, Yutsuki couldn't help but find it amusing.
"I think being like this makes you more popular with kids."
"Princess Bamboo..."
This nickna seed to pique Kosaki's interest. She poked her head out, her big round eyes full of curiosity.
"Ah... fine, whatever."
Natsutake wanted to explain, but seeing Kosaki's pure, innocent eyes, she could only drop her head with a bitter smile.
"Anyway, let this child stay here for now. I'll broadcast an announcent to notify her parents."
"Mhm, thank you."
Seeing that the matter was settled, Yutsuki couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
(It's about ti to head back, it wouldn't be good to keep Shido waiting too long.)
"Ugh..."
However, Kosaki seed to sense Yutsuki's thoughts, tightly gripping her hand, not wanting her to leave.
"I really can't deal with you..." Chuckling with a sigh, Yutsuki cald Kosaki's emotions with a steady tone, "Don't worry, Kosaki-chan, until your mama arrives, Onee-chan will stay with you the whole ti."
"Mhm."
After that, Yutsuki kept Kosaki company at the lost children's center to pass the ti.Saoto Natsutake broadcasted the announcent over the PA system. Soon, about fifteen minutes later, a woman rushed over in a hurry.
"Mama!"
"Kosaki! Where did you run off to? You worried to death."
"I-I'm sorry..."
"Sigh, forget it, Mama was at fault too. I didn't consider your feelings..."
(How nice...)
Looking at the hugging mother and daughter, while Yutsuki felt relieved, a trace of envy couldn't help but surface in her heart.
"Thank you so much for your help."
"No, no, it's nothing. Kosaki-chan, be careful not to run around and get lost next ti."
"Mhm! Bye bye Onee-chan! Bye bye, Princess Bamboo!"
"Bye-bye~"
"G-Goodbye..."
After saying goodbye to Kosaki, Natsutake asked with so curiosity.
"Speaking of which, Kosaki's mother's outfit looks so much like Ryougi-san. Braids and a coat."
"Ah... To tell the truth, I was also a bit surprised." Bringing this up, Yutsuki couldn't help but shrug helplessly and said, "At that mont, suddenly being grabbed by a little girl I didn't recognize and being called 'Mama', I was completely stunned."
"That really is..." Hearing this, Natsutake couldn't help but laugh, then nodded in understanding. "But it makes sense. After all, Ryougi-san looks very different today. When I first saw Ryougi-san's outfit, I also thought I mistook you for soone else."
"Is that so..."
Yutsuki scratched her cheek a bit shyly. Seeing Yutsuki's reaction, Natsutake seed to understand sothing.
"Ryougi-san, are you out on a date with soone today?"
"Mhm, you could say that..."
"In that case, you should hurry back. Keeping your boyfriend waiting too long isn't good."
"Mhm... true."
Hearing Natsutake's words, Yutsuki didn't bother to retort,she smiled and nodded in understanding.
"Well then, I should head back too. Good luck with work, Princess Bamboo."
"So stop calling by that nickna!"
(Now then~ What shall we play next?)
Glancing at the dazzling array of ga attractions along the way, Yutsuki felt excited.
(Well... given Shido's personality, for the final stamp, he will definitely choose that place.)
Predicting Shido's plan in her heart, Yutsuki couldn't help but look forward to it.
"...Mhm? Shido isn't here?"
Returning to the vicinity of the original bench, Yutsuki looked around. She couldn't find Shido's figure anywhere, and couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled.
"Could it be he went to the lost children's center to look for , and we missed each other on the way?"
Taking her phone out of her pocket, Yutsuki tried dialing Shido's number.
[Hello, the number you have dialed is currently switched off—]
"Switched off?" Hearing the dial tone cut off, Yutsuki couldn't help but furrow her brows. "That guy Shido... could sothing have happened?"
Walking to a quiet corner away from the crowd, Yutsuki manifested a very small portion of her Astral Dress and Angel, using Rasiel's ability to hack into the amusent park's surveillance monitors.
Soon, Shido's figure appeared on her phone screen.
"Good, it looks like nothing happened." Yutsuki first breathed a sigh of relief, then felt very puzzled. "But I should have sent a text. The place he's running around isn't the children's center... Could it be... his phone ran out of battery?"
Seeing that Shido in the video didn't make any motion to place a call, Yutsuki felt her guess should be correct.
"In that case... what should I do next?"
Logically speaking, Yutsuki should go reunite with Shido directly right now. But for so reason, Yutsuki felt that doing that was a bit unexciting.
After thinking for a mont, a trace of a little devilish, wicked smile appeared on Yutsuki's face.
"Well, it's a rare Christmas... Let's tease him a little bit."
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