It’s morning. It became morning. Since that brat was left in my care it’s been 24 hours.

“… What is that f.u.c.king b.i.t.c.h thinking.”

I raise my body, swapping my eyes from the ceiling to the brat, bewildered. Sitting at the window, the brat drowsily looks back at me.

‘Take it’ seemed like an excessive joke but could it be she was serious? No no, she wouldn’t be serious about something like that … s.h.i.t, I’m irritated now. Also I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday.

“Oi, brat, anything you wanna eat?”

“…”

This brat sure is brave to ignore me, aren’t you looking me right in the eye… wait, could it be  that?

“Misaki, anything you wanna eat?”

“… Rice.”

I was right, dammit. If I don’t call her name she won’t respond, what a pain. And? Rice? White rice is fine? Well whatever, I’ll pick something suitable at the convenient store … wait, do I have money? … In my wallet is one 1,000 yen bill and some change, I won’t get the deposit for another 6 days.

“Miaski, wanna eat gyuudon?”

“… Gyuudon?”

**TL Note: Beef and veggies with rice

She tilted her head as if she really didn’t know what gyuudon was.

“How old are you?”

“…5.”

That’s a lie, right? A 5 year old doesn’t know what gyuudon is?

“It’s rice and beef. Wanna eat it?”

“… meat, like.”

So she’ll eat it. Actually, that’s the first time she smiled. A smile bought with 300 yen. That’s too cheap. Putting that aside, I need to work again, huh … s.h.i.t. If this brat wasn’t here I’d have enough margin for 6 days… That f.u.c.king b.i.t.c.h, I’ll remember this for when I see her again.

Quick and decisive. As she left the room, the s.h.i.tty brat let out a breath. It looked like cigarette smoke rising into the sky, so I reach into my pocket to take a puff.

“s.h.i.t, only 5 left, huh.”

The torture of 1 per day? That f.u.c.king b.i.t.c.h, I’ll definitely remember this.

Full of dissatisfaction I walk until the gyuudon shop and get 1 mini cup for 290 yen and one medium for 350 yen, taking the opportunity to ask for a children’s seat. Several minutes later, sitting on the chair brought for her, the s.h.i.tty brat ignoring the chopsticks in her hand stares at the gyuudon.

“What are you doing, hurry and eat.”

“…”

She nods and grips her chopsticks tightly, keeping that grip she stabs the gyuudon.

“You don’t know how to use chopsticks?”

“…n.”

“Seriously…?”

Clicking my tongue I call for the shop attendant and asked for a children’s spoon. I hand that to the brat, and watched over with a little nervousness wondering ‘it couldn’t be she can’t use a spoon either’. As expected, she could use the spoon.

“…Hot.”

The moment the gyuudon riding on the spoon enters her mouth, she spits it out. Looking at her I think ‘what an idiot’ when she once again put the spoon in her mouth. She shuts her eyes tightly and her mouth forms a flat line and slowly takes the spoon out.

“… Tasty.”

She happily says, and puts a second helping in your mouth.

Thinking she’s an unusual brat, I also reach out towards my gyuudon. It isn’t particularly tasty.

After eating a bit the brat seems to be full and said ‘… a lot’. I combine the approximately 550 yen worth of gyuudon and eat it, then take the brat back to my room. I use a public payphone to call an acquaintance to ask for a day job.

3 pm, at the designated place a moving truck meets me, and my acquaintance’s driver hands me a uniform. In the s.p.a.ce for luggage, I moved some in the center so I could change. I turn my anger towards that f.u.c.king b.i.t.c.h into power to move the boxes, when after moving how many pieces I suddenly wonder,

… if she seriously doesn’t come to pick that brat up, what will I do?

Immediately after, from behind something interrupts me. Sorry~, I was s.p.a.cing out. I was going to say that, but a large sound made me close my mouth.

“I’m sorry!”

Aaah, I thought that it was a weak newbie, and just as I thought he dropped something. Moreover whatever was inside that cardboard box broke, my condolences … wait, was it my fault? No, I’m not in the wrong. The one not looking ahead was wrong.

“Well it’s that. Properly apologize.”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

“Not to me, to the owner…”

In one hand he held some luggage, and in the other he’s scratching his head, the guy who looks like the owner yells out in an angry voice.

“You’re f.u.c.king kidding me, what did you do!?”

Uuwa, he sounds like an annoying brat… no, he’s in his twenties like me? Well, it’s the mental age that’s the problem. If my stuff broke I’d be angry too but, I wouldn’t yell. In the first place I’m not carrying anything though. For now, my condolences to this weak guy.

“What did you do, oi, say something!”

The brat grabs the man’s collar. He’s truly angry but, was it really that valuable?

I can understand being angry, and we’re the one’s at fault so I thought to let him finish being angry but, he raised his hand so I reluctantly came in to stop him. It was a little bit my fault too.

“Hey hey, the company will reimburse you with these circ.u.mstances.”

“That’s not the problem, idiot!”

He starts shaking the arm I grabbed, the brat starts to lose his cool.

“Making a fuss won’t bring back what was broken right? Give up, you s.h.i.tty brat.”

“You-, are you f.u.c.king kidding me? What’s with that att.i.tude, I’m a customer!”

“I’m a part-timer so even if you say that I don’t care. At any rate, give up. You’ll properly get your reimburs.e.m.e.nt, that’s fine right?”

Jeez, with that mood I persuade him and he sinks into silence. Then instead of responding his fist comes flying. Since I take it without guarding my mouth fills with the taste of blood.

“A hit for a hit…”

My kick sends him flying several meters into a wall, at the same time my being fired is decided.

“….Haah, now I can’t ever do this work again, huh.”

While being fed up with this, I dropped the luggage I was carrying. It makes a deep sound. From there I look at the trembling man and his shoulders jump and begin to shake.

“You can say it was my fault, make up something suitable. Then later. Next time be careful.”

Leaving a parting remark, before the supervisor gets back from the toilet I quietly escape.

… s.h.i.t, isn’t this free labor.

While regretting taking my anger out on a telephone pole on the way back, I walk several kilometers back to my room. Sitting at the window I meet eyes with the brat.

… She still hasn’t come to pick her up, huh.

While the door was open, I look outside. The sun has completely sunk, meaning that it’s been 2 days now. I spit out a large sigh and enter the room, and the brat in a small voice says,

“…welcome.”

Don’t stop there, didn’t your mom teach you to say ‘welcome back’?

“Here, dinner.”

Of course I don’t have money. What I handed over is a PET bottle I fished out of the trash and cleaned then filled with water. Well it’s better than having nothing to eat or drink.

“… Thanks.”

Why does this brat have such a happy face. Instead of being afraid of me when I look at her, she says her thanks and has room to smile, this brat sure has guts. No, she isn’t scared because of my face?

Putting that aside, to be happy to receive water…

“What do you normally eat?”

I whisper to myself as I open another PET bottle and stick it in my mouth. The wound hurts a little.

“…desk.”

“Ah?”

“… occasionally, desk, top, eat.”

What was that just now, code? This brat, could it be she thinks I’m an idiot and is testing me? Fine by me, I’ll solve it.

According to the flow of conversation, I guess eating is the keyword so this is about food. Just before I said, “what do you normally eat?” so it’s natural to think it was a response.

In short, this kid occasionally eats the tabletops.

“… No no, how could that be.”

Calmly think about it. Tabletop would be, in other words on top of the table there was something. But “I normally eat something on top of the table” isn’t an expression for any specific food. That expression has meaning just for this brat. With that reasoning, it isn’t something that her parents give her. In short, the answer is,

“Occasionally I eat the leftovers on the table.”

Correct, the brat nods. I planned to make a fuss and say something like ‘Hyahoi, look at my deductive skills’ but that feeling disappeared. That’s not a funny joke. No, it’s not a joke at all. That’s why she can’t use chopsticks.

“… mom, always, Masa-kun”

Oi oi, abandoning your kid to play with men, that’s on the level of trash you s.h.i.tty b.i.t.c.h. Seriously, I feel pity for this brat. A s.h.i.tty parent, then abandoned to the s.h.i.tty base of society. Living well in this run-down apartment, that’s living life on Hard Mode. I cheekily used the phrase ‘abandoned’, well I came to a decision.

Even if I understand, there’s no sense of responsibility or anything.

For some reason the brat stares at my face, so I close my eyes. Maybe because I’m a little tired, I fell asleep instantly.

I saw a dream. I saw a very old memory. There I am, there’s my mother. She’s facing me, desperately shouting something at me. All the time I’m expressionless and always responded the same. Before long, she gives up and sighs, then she whispered,

You’re the worst, really —

It’s the morning. It became morning again. Since I didn’t take care of it, the inside of my mouth hurt a little.

“…s.h.i.t.”

Early in the morning, the first word out of my mouth is a curse. Because I heard that s.h.i.tty brat’s story yesterday I saw a weird dream, literally the worst morning.

“…Ah? What’s this.”

Irritably I bit my lips and suddenly had an uncomfortable feeling on my cheek. Touching it with my hand, something is stuck there.

“Bandage… huh? Why?”

The moment I thought it, I looked at the s.h.i.tty brat sitting at the window.

… this brat huh.

“Oi, brat. What did you do?”
“…”
“Misaki, what’s this?”
“…have, injury.”
“I knew it was you. Oi, where did you pinch this from?”
“…?”
“Where did you steal this from?”
“…wrong.”
“Don’t lie!”
“…not”

Ah, c.r.a.p, she looks like she’s about to cry. s.h.i.t, it’s because I saw that weird dream. It doesn’t matter where the brat stole this from, it has nothing to do with me. Despite that, why am I so irritated…

“…Uh”

“Aah?” **TL Note: think like yakuza ‘AAAH?’

I heard a woman’s voice from behind me and turn to see a scared plain black haired girl peeking in the open door.

She, if I remember right, lives next door…

“What do you want”
“…That child, didn’t steal it.”
“Ah?”
“Th-th-that, I, gave her. Yes.”
“You did?”

I look at the brat and she nods. I turn back to the plain girl and ask,

“Why.”
“Eeeeh, Yesterday, it was late at night? That child said you have an injury~, yes …. um, eeh.”
“I don’t get it, speak clearly.”
“Eeeh, that’s why, I gave it to her, she didn’t steal it!”
“Is that so.”
“Um, I heard a voice so I came, that’s why.”
“I didn’t ask, it’s fine, just leave already.”
“Y-yes, I’m sorry!”

Leaving the door open, she quickly ran away. From the entrance a cold wind came in, cleared my head a little and I sort through the situation.

“… Something like this will heal on its own.”

I only said those words to the brat. I accidentally said that, I refuse to say anything else.

…Aaaah, lame. Why am I acting like a brat.

While sighing I stand up to close the door, the s.h.i.tty brat coughs behind me.

“Yes yes, I’m closing the door now.”

After I close the door, a thud came out. I didn’t shut it strongly, while tilting my head I realized the sound came from behind me and turn around. There the brat has fallen over.

“Oi, whats wrong?”

As I drew closer to her side I raised the brats body. She’s sweating severely and her breath is rough.

“You ok?”

Instead of answering the brat coughs. Her body temperature transmitted through the clothes is really high, at any rate it seems really painful.

“… What should I do.”

Bringing her to the hospital is the safe action. But what will happen? If this kid was seriously abandoned, the hospital will call the police. Then I make friendly conversation with them, this brat will be put in an inst.i.tution.

What, there’s nothing to worry about then. It’s decided. Rather than here, or returning to that b.i.t.c.h’s place, it’d be better for her to be adopted and raised by some virtuous people. At least, the bare minimum line is that she would be raised by the government.

There’s a wide difference between bare minimum and lowest in society. You don’t even have to think about it. That’s something I know best.

“…You, oh, kay?”
“Don’t overdo it, sleep.”

The brat unsteadily raises her small arm and touches my cheek.

“… Injury, hurt?”

I couldn’t speak. She wasn’t saying she was okay. This brat was asking me. She was worried about me so she said it.

What the h.e.l.l is this brat, why is she worrying about other people? No matter how you think about it, it’d be natural for her to cry and scream and curse the world. And yet, why…

… Is it alright?

“I said it before didn’t I?”

… No no, even if I denied it what could I do?

“Something like this, it’ll heal by itself.”

… Something like raising a child is impossible for me. I don’t even have money to take her to the hospital to be looked at. Calm down, this pity is meaningless. This feeling, throw it away. After all, I can’t do anything.

After all — f.u.c.k that. Something like that, who decided that?

“I’m taking you to the hospital right now. Hang in there for a little longer.”

I put the kind on my back and stand up and burst out of the room. The reason is simple, I am annoyed. It’s definitely because I saw that dream this morning, I remembered old things.

“s.h.i.t! Don’t look down on me!”

This kid’s feelings, I understand them a little. You receive life at the adults convenience, you become unhappy at the adults convenience. However you try to do something since you have no power, no matter how you struggle you can’t do anything.

Even so, I can’t do anything? After all I know I will fail so, I’ll give up before I even try? Don’t f.u.c.k with me … That sort of thing, I will never accept it.

“Fine by me, I’ll do it.”

I carried the kid on my back and ran through the town with all my strength. While glaring at the idiot onlookers, I aimed straight for the hospital.

“Hear me! Misaki!”

This is my own selfishness. I don’t pity or want to save this kid, I don’t have any such thought. After all, this kid has only ever been pushed around for other peoples convenience.

But, so what?

I am living as I want. I don’t know what’s right. I’m just going to do what I want to do.

“I’m going to raise you! I’ll make you the happiest in the world so prepare yourself!”

All the way until the hospital she didn’t respond. But I think it properly got through. Whether or not she understood is doubtful but, at any rate, I’ve decided.

I handed over the kid to the hospital and one-sidedly told the receptionist ‘I’ll come tomorrow to pick her up, please look after her’ and ran out of the hospital.

While breathing heavily I found a payphone, and grab the receiver.

“… It’s me.”
“Is that you, Ryousei? What ya did, after that —”
“Please! Give me a job right now!”
“…Please? That’s the first time I heard ya say something like that. Somethin’ happen?”
“Shut up, just give me a job. For that girl, I need money.”
“…Hahn, I don’t really get it, but alright. In one hour, come to the usual station.”
“Station, got it!”

I put down the receiver, and jumped out of the telephone booth.

For now it’s money. I don’t know how much the hospital costs, but 10,000 yen should be enough to cure 1 kid, probably. The problem looks like a large hill, but it’s doubtful I can understand what the problem is…

“… What, that makes it interesting then.”

Tendou Ryousei, 23 years old.
Living in a run down apartment with a monthly rent of 10,000 yen, a person at the bottom of society.
I was satisfied with that life, I didn’t wish for a special event or anything.

But, it seems like I made a mistake.

Somehow or another.
On this day, I decided to raise Misaki.