n𝚘𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚜𝚎𝚕 𝚒𝚗 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜

chapter 2 Cloud 9

We walked around aimlessly, the weight of recent events lingering in the air. The echoes of our mother's stern voice still resonated in our ears.
I eyed Tanaka from the corner of my eye. I could see his gloomy aura right through my glasses. The thing is, Tanaka is a tender-hearted kid. Getting scolded by Mom is not his cup of tea, unlike me, who purposefully causes trouble just for fun. I love pranks; imagine changing your house into a gingerbread house , and then, how about a dango house?🍡 And maybe commit arson or even punch someone-I know exactly who is lucky, that one lecturer of mine. How dare he call me a monkey just because I entered the class through the window. Hmph, that old geezer will pay for it, just wait. Oh, how about I commit arson in his place? Tamako, you're a genius! Mwahhhaaahaha. *inserts strange creature noises.*

Now back to Tanaka, my poor baby.
Tamako's pov

"Oh, don't be so gloomy, Tanaka-chan~" I said, nudging his shoulder lightly with a grin. "Mom is mad at us; I shouldn't have thrown Taka's dirty diaper," Tanaka frowned slightly while saying. I looked at him before smiling a little while messing his hair. "You know what, kid? I still have some pocket money. I ain't broke yet, so it's on me. Just tell me how many dorayaki you want." Darn my pride. Tanaka's eyes widened and sparkled, too bright if you ask me. "Really!!?" "Really," I replied. "Can I have a hundred dorayaki? No, you are not that rich. How about 50!?!?!" Ouch, there goes my pride.

"Let's just go to the store first, Tanaka."

At the store~~~

As Tamako and Tanaka entered the store, the familiar jingle of the doorbell echoed. The storekeeper, who had witnessed their antics on numerous occasions, looked up from behind the counter and couldn't help but smile.
"Well, if it isn't trouble and mischief walking in again," the storekeeper chuckled, greeting them with a knowing nod. "What brings you two here today?"
Tanaka shyly waved and greeted, "Hello, Kobayashi-san."
" Yo!! Kobayashi-san, good to see you again," I said with a friendly smile.
The storekeeper chuckled at his politeness, appreciating the familiar yet endearing presence of the two siblings.
" a significant number of dorayaki for this little rascal," I added, playfully nudging Tanaka."
Tamako approached the counter and said, "We're here to buy 3 dorayaki and 2 dango, Kobayashi-san." Tanaka, still beaming with excitement, nodded in agreement. The storekeeper, accustomed to their routine, started gathering the items with a knowing smile.

"Here," I said, handing the dorayaki to Tanaka. His eyes widened with happiness as he eagerly accepted the sweet treats. The storekeeper chuckled, witnessing the simple joy that a few dorayaki could bring to the young boy's face.I smiled. Don't get me wrong-I love messing with him, but honestly, I am quite attached to him. I literally raised him; he is the first baby I held, and then Taka.
Tamako, rubbing her eyes with a yawn, turned to her father."Dad," she whispered, tugging at his sleeve, "why are we here in the hospital?" Her father smiled, gently explaining, "We're here to welcome your baby brother, into our family. Isn't he adorable?"Tamako nodded, her eyes still half-closed from drowsiness. "Yeah, but why do babies come from the hospital? Couldn't they just be delivered to our doorstep like a package?"Her father chuckled softly, "Well, it's a bit more complicated than that, sweetie. But it's a special place where we get to meet new family members like Tanaka."Tamako, still half-asleep, mumbled, "Okay, Dad. I guess hospitals are like baby stores then." Her father couldn't help but laugh at her sleepy yet amusing perspective.

I smiled at that memory and turned around to see a missing Tanaka. I stood there dumbfounded. Huh? I looked at the storekeeper, 'Kobayashi-san, did you see my brother?' 'Oh, Tanaka went outside.' 'Okay, thank you,' I said, paying for the sweets and picking my dango, then went out.

I saw Tanaka waiting for me outside, eating dorayaki. I released a sigh of relief I didn't know I was holding. *Flick* 'Hey, what was that for?' Tanaka mumbled with a dorayaki in his mouth, holding his forehead.

'Don't go running around without me,' I replied lazily. 'Let's g-' Before I could continue, I stopped mid-air. 'Tanaka, hold this for me,' I said, passing him the dango sticks.

Tamako glanced around the store, making sure Tanaka was happily engrossed in his dorayaki. With a mischievous yet warm smile, she tiptoed back into the store to buy a special treat for their mother - a lemon bread she knew she loved.
The shopkeeper, Kobayashi-san, noticed Tamako's return and the thoughtful addition to her purchases. Their eyes met, and Kobayashi-san gave her a knowing look, understanding the quiet gesture of love. Tamako rubbed her head awkwardly, a hint of a blush coloring her cheeks.
"Tamako-chan, you've got a big heart," Kobayashi-san whispered, handing her the wrapped lemon bread. Tamako nodded, her usual mischievous demeanor softened by the genuine warmth of her intentions.
Outside, she rejoined Tanaka, who looked up with curious eyes. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to the lemon bread.Tamako grinned, "A surprise for Mom. Let's go home and share it together." The two siblings left the store, a subtle bond of love weaving through their shared secret, making the lemon bread even sweeter.
As they reached outside the house, there stood an angry mother, and the siblings gulped, ready to hear an earful.
But before they could say anything, their mom surprised them. Instead of scolding, she hugged them tightly, her worried expression softening."I was so worried," she admitted, "and I'm sorry for kicking you outside without explaining. I should have handled it better." The sincerity in her voice caught Tamako and Tanaka off guard.

Tanaka, looking remorseful, quickly piped up, "I'm sorry, Mom. We didn't mean to cause trouble."
Tamako, always ready with a quirky remark to lighten the mood, chimed in, "Well, you did throw a diaper like a frisbee. Do you think he should consider joining the Olympics, Mom?" She grinned mischievously.

Baby Taka, sitting on the floor, found the whole situation amusing. With adorable giggles, he clapped his tiny hands.
Mom smiled warmly, "The dinner is ready, and your dad won't be able to make it tonight. He's got some pending works he needs to finish up." She glanced at Tanaka and Tamako, gauging their reactions.

Tamako, always ready for a remark, grinned, "Well, more lemon bread for us then! Dad's missing out on the feast."

Tanaka, a bit quieter, nodded in understanding. "I hope he finishes his work soon. I wanted to tell him about the dorayaki adventure and show him the lemon bread we got for Mom."

Mom, sensing Tanaka's disappointment, put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll save some for him, and you can share all the stories when he's back. Now, let's enjoy our dinner together."
The family gathered around the dinner table, creating an atmosphere of warmth and togetherness