The Golden Pear [YA - Featured]

♫~Notes 38~♫

 "Thank you for your collaboration," a policeman said as she left the room.

She bowed, leaving. 'Finally, it's over.' Filling out the papers about the fire filled her with anxiety. Remembering old and fresh memories alike slowed down her writing process. Thankfully, the people around her were kind and understanding of her situation.

"Are you finished?" Kagetsu, who waited for her in the hall, asked.

She nodded, rubbing her eyes. All that filling tired her mind.

"Alright! Time for the fun part!" He waved his hand as if he was leading a group of scouts, earning a smile from her.

His never-ending energy jumped into Freya, and she hopped after him as if she was a small kid. After a few minutes, the girl made a question mark in the air.

"It's a secret." He flashed her a wide grin.

In the moment's spur, she shoved her finger in his armpits.

"Uah—Sneak attack!" He breathed out as his body shook with an uncontrollable desire to laugh. "No! Stop!"

Her fingers tickled him for a few more strokes before she showed him mercy.

Kagetsu bent down, holding his stomach and catching his breath. "Oh, crab! I need to pee." He clenched his tights, looking around.

'My bad!' Freya tugged his sleeve, pointing into a one-way side valley anybody rarely traveled, given the trash cans took most of the space.

"No way! We have public toilets for this!" His eyes spotted the desired building near the police station, and he dashed that way.

Freya followed him at a slower pace. 'Aren't boys okay with any place?' Rocking her brain, she remembered her boy classmates from elementary school, doing their business, big and small, behind trees or in bushes regardless of a nearby toilet.

Mumbling something about man's pride or that bowls are for girlies when she asked as a kid. 'Kagetsu... is a peculiar one.' A smile plastered across her face. 'In the kindest way possible.'

After he had left the public toilet, they headed toward the surprise. Before long, a screaming voice shattered the relaxing mood. Looking around, Kagetsu spotted an old woman, pushing her clenched hands against her chest as a dashing black ball of fur ran up a tree.

It was one of many places across the city where people could stop and spend time with their families and friends. Unless they met pests like rats or spiders.

"Somebody call rodent control!" the woman shrieked.

Kagetsu's eyebrows knitted as he paced toward the lone tree.

The rat stopped, sitting on a branch, visibly scared more than the yelling woman. Kagetsu shielded his eyes. "Are you okay?"

The woman turned toward him. "Why, thank you. I'm fine." She fluttered her eyelashes. "And they say teens nowadays know no manners."