The Promise of Yuuko Asahino - Volume 2

Epilogue

Part 1

"Do you see it? Maybe it's under the sofa there?"

"Mother I already checked, I can't find it!"

She let out a controlled sigh. "Okay, let's keep looking. I won't be late just yet, so if we find it soon I—"

Her words were cut off by the sound of their doorbell ringing, sending Toshi into a frenzy. "No, down boy!" scolded Yuuko as he opened the door. "Hello Yuya, I'm sor— err, excuse me that I'm late."

"I've been waiting by your front gate for ten minutes!" she stomped. "It was your idea to walk to school together, why are you so late!?"

"I know, I'm.........if you want, you can go ahead and we walk together tomorrow instead."

"I-I never said I wanted to do that!" she said, the bottom of her ears turning red. "Just!...ahh! What's taking so long, let me in!"

"You can't!" he said, pushing the door against her.

"Why not?!"

"You just— wait! Seriously—no!"

Yuuko was thrown backwards as Yuya burst through the front door, landing face first in front of a dog with a curved tail, staring curiously at her.

"Ahh, it's the dog from that time."

"Wait, no no no he's still not good around people!" Yuuko sprang to his feet as fast as he could, trying to stop her. "Yuya, he might bite!——huh?"

He stopped his words dead in their tracks for one simple reason, for the first time since he'd gotten Toshi, he was acting friendly with someone he met for the first time.

Yuya was squatted in front of him, petting him on the head and letting him sniff her clothes. He didn't know how to react, much less what to say, when his dog hopped into her open arms.

"That's......weird."

"What?"

"He never acts nice with people he doesn't know. Well, I guess you met once before, but I don't really think that counts."

"Maybe I'm special," she giggled as he pawed her knees.

A small part of Yuuko felt jealous she got along with him so quickly, but another part was happy to see her with such a big smile on her face.

"That dog is certainly something else, I still don't know where Yuuko picked him up from."

"OH! G-Good morning Miss Asahino."

"Good morning Yuya," smiled Hikari. "Ara, you certainly look nice today. I can see your ribbon matches your new backpack."

"I-It's not...umm......thank you."

"Please don't mention it, Yuuko only used it for one year so it should still be in relatively good condition. Speaking of which," she turned towards her son. "It's getting late, we need to find it otherwise you'll have to stay up late."

"Ahh! Right!"

The pair continued their search as Yuya watched on in confusion. Yuuko was in the kitchen, searching underneath their dining table while Hikari lifted the sheets of the kotatsu, quietly muttering to herself. After that, they began searching in whatever place they saw, the corners of the room, the stairs, Yuuko even ran upstairs and searched his bookshelf.

"Uhm, excuse me, Miss Asahino? What is it you're looking for?" she asked as Yuuko returned down the stairs.

"We're searching for my spare house key. You see, Yuuko normally has one for his return to school, but I get home very late sometimes." she said, patting down her coat pocket. "Yuuko usually goes to bed before I arrive, but if there's no key for me to enter with—"