Ringo couldn’t help looking up. What she saw was Takeshi Yamamoto’s sharply defined jaw, now drawn tight. The easygoing, friendly smile that was usually on his handsome face had disappeared, replaced by a serious expression.
His amber eyes narrowed slightly, and for some reason, Ringo sensed an intimidating aura from him.
But she suspected she had imagined it, because only a moment later, Yamamoto’s expression returned to normal.
Ringo rubbed her eyes and realized that the hand carrying the shopping bags was also pulling her aside, while his other hand was raised to about chest height. From behind, it looked as though he was gripping something.
“Takeshi?” Ringo asked cautiously. “What’s wrong?”
“Ah, nothing,” Yamamoto replied with a smile. “Some kids were playing baseball in the empty lot over there, and the ball came flying this way.” As he spoke, he held out the baseball in his hand for her to see.
Only then did Ringo understand.
No wonder Yamamoto had pulled her aside just now. The baseball must have been headed straight for her.
She hadn’t noticed anything at all, yet she’d narrowly avoided getting hit.
Thinking of that, she looked up gratefully.
“Thank you, Takeshi!”
“It’s nothing.”
After saying that, Yamamoto tossed the baseball back to the little boy who had come looking for it.
“Here you go. Be careful, all of you. It’s easy to hit someone over here.”
The moment the little boy recognized Yamamoto, his face lit up.
“Big Brother Takeshi! Big Brother Takeshi, come teach us baseball!”
The other boys also ran over as soon as they saw who it was, making Ringo instinctively retreat behind Yamamoto.
So many kids—
Ringo Shirakawa, who was especially bad at dealing with children, immediately entered maximum alert mode!
Glancing back at her before turning around again, Yamamoto apologized to the children.
“Sorry, not today. I’ve got something else to do.”
Ringo cautiously peeked out from behind him, only for one of the boys to spot her.
“Big Brother Takeshi, are you going on a date with your girlfriend?”
Ringo’s eyes flew open in panic, and she frantically waved her hands.
“N-No, I’m not—”
“What are you talking about?” Yamamoto laughed as he vigorously ruffled the boy’s fluffy hair. “She’s not my girlfriend.”
“Really?” Another boy looked skeptical. “But she’s holding onto you.”
Only then did Ringo realize she was still clutching Yamamoto’s jacket.
As if she’d been shocked by electricity, she immediately let go and clasped both hands together in front of herself. When Yamamoto turned to look at her, she gave him a sheepish grin.
“Hehe.”
Like a little hamster.
The thought crossed Yamamoto’s mind silently.
“You kids sure are precocious,” he said, bending down to look at them. “Tomorrow. I really can’t today.”
The boys immediately looked disappointed.
After thinking for a moment, Ringo quietly asked Yamamoto, “Takeshi, do you know them?”
“Yeah. They’re kids who live nearby. I met them while I was out exercising in the mornings,” Yamamoto explained. “I saw them playing baseball, so I taught them a few things.”
“I see…”
Ringo peeked toward the empty lot.
“Um… why don’t you play with them for a little while?”
“Don’t we need to get back soon?”
Ringo took out her phone, checked the time, and shook her head.
“It’s okay. It’s still pretty early.”
Looking around, she pointed at a bench not far away.
“I’ll wait for you over there. Oh, and give me the bags too.”
“No need.”
Yamamoto caught her by the back of her collar to stop her before turning back to the boys.
“Tomorrow. I’ll come teach you tomorrow.”
“Okay——!”
The boys cheered.
One of them deliberately reminded him, “Don’t forget tomorrow, Big Brother Takeshi!”
“I know,” Yamamoto said with a grin. “I won’t forget. Same time tomorrow.”
“High five, Big Brother Takeshi!”
“High five!”
Yamamoto gave each of them a high five before saying goodbye and leaving with Ringo.
“Takeshi, you’re amazing,” Ringo said, looking at him with admiration. “You’re so popular with little kids too.”
So this was what being a social butterfly looked like?
Just like Satsuki!
“It’s nothing,” Yamamoto replied casually. “I’m just pretty experienced when it comes to getting along with kids.”
Stare—
Noticing Ringo looking at him, Yamamoto quickly explained.
“I wasn’t talking about you. Remember when I told you I have a really young coworker? That’s who I meant.”
“Oh!”
Ringo nodded.
Now she remembered. After he’d mailed her those candies and she’d messaged him about them, he had mentioned it.
“A really young coworker…”
She looked worried.
“Takeshi… does your workplace employ child labor? Isn’t that… a problem?”
Hearing that, Yamamoto pinched his chin and seriously considered it.
“Hmm… I’ve never really thought about that.”
Would anyone actually care whether the Mafia employed child labor?
Probably not.
Besides, since Lambo had been with them since he was little, everyone naturally thought there was nothing strange about it.
Takeshi Yamamoto, the Vongola Rain Guardian, fell into deep thought.
Ringo watched him curiously.
Sensing her gaze, Yamamoto turned slightly and met her eyes.
“What is it?”
Ringo froze for a moment.
For some reason, an entirely unrelated thought popped into her head.
Whenever Yamamoto talked to her, he always looked her in the eyes.
Even just now, when he’d explained how he knew those kids.
He was always so attentive that it made her feel like he genuinely cared about what she asked.
Originally, Ringo had wanted to ask what kind of work he was doing now.
But then she remembered what Osamu Dazai had told her—that exhausted office workers didn’t want to talk about work during their precious free time.
So she gave up on the idea.
Looking down at the toes of her ankle boots, she said softly,
“It’s nothing. I just thought… you could’ve played baseball with them for a while. You like baseball so much, don’t you? I don’t mind waiting.”
Yamamoto had a feeling that wasn’t what she had originally wanted to say.
But since she’d deliberately changed the subject, she probably didn’t want to talk about it, so he simply followed along.
“Because I do mind. It’s so cold out. If I let you sit there waiting by yourself and you caught a cold, what then?”
His tone was earnest.
But Ringo froze.
His words were thoughtful and sincere, and she believed he truly meant them.
Yet hearing them reminded her of Halloween night, when she’d stood all alone outside the amusement park waiting.
It had been raining that night.
She hadn’t gotten wet, but it had been bitterly cold.
She hadn’t just felt cold physically.
Her heart had grown cold too.
For some time now, Ringo had deliberately avoided thinking about that night, trying to let the memory fade away.
But now that it had suddenly resurfaced, her chest tightened painfully, making it hard to breathe.
Only when Yamamoto called her name did she snap back to reality.
“Ringo?”
The person walking beside him had suddenly disappeared.
Startled, Yamamoto turned around and saw Ringo standing several steps behind him with her head lowered, lost in thought.
Only after hearing him call her did she look up and walk over, though she still seemed distracted.
Realizing that something was wrong—and that her mood had changed right after he’d spoken—Yamamoto asked with both concern and confusion,
“Did I say something that upset you?”
“No,” Ringo took a deep breath. Her breath turned into a cloud of white mist in the cold air. “It has nothing to do with you. I just suddenly remembered something unpleasant.”
She forced herself to continue.
“Let’s go.”
Yamamoto studied her face for a few seconds but didn’t pursue the subject.
“Speaking of which, Christmas is almost here. Is there anything you’d like as a present?”
Out of habit, he reached over and gently patted her head.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s something expensive. You don’t have to be polite with me.”
“Hmm… there’s nothing I especially want,” Ringo answered, her attention successfully diverted as she looked up at the still fairly clear sky. Then she clasped her hands behind her back and smiled brightly at him. “Besides, if you know your present in advance, it won’t be a surprise anymore. I’ll prepare a gift for you too, Takeshi.”
“Oh? I’m getting one too?” Yamamoto asked curiously. “Then what are you planning to give me?”
Ringo shook her head vigorously.
“I already said it won’t be a surprise if you know beforehand. No spoilers!”
“Hahaha, I see.”
Yamamoto nodded.
“Alright. Then I’ll look forward to it.”
“But…” Ringo’s gaze drifted away. “If you could give me just a tiny little hint about something you want or need…”
“Didn’t you just say no spoilers?”
“A tiny little hint doesn’t count!”
Meeting those hopeful violet eyes, Yamamoto thought for a moment before answering.
“Then let me think about it. Once I figure something out, I’ll tell you.”
“Mhm!”
Ringo nodded enthusiastically, but she still reminded him,
“Just a tiny little spoiler, okay?”
“Got it, got it.”
Glancing sideways at Ringo walking beside him with noticeably lighter steps, Yamamoto couldn’t help curling his lips into a smile.
Ever since they started talking about Christmas, the little girl’s mood had improved considerably.
But then another problem occurred to him.
He really didn’t need anything lately.
Even if he tried to think of something, nothing came to mind.
Besides…
What exactly counted as “just a tiny little spoiler,” anyway?