Flower Arranging—flower arrangement—is usually regarded as an elegant art form.
People on the outside highly praise Flower Arranging and often believe that a woman born into an Flower Arranging family who studies flower arrangement must be very refined, with an ethereal air in every movement.
However…
“Kaname, this way, this way~” Right now, not a shred of elegance could be seen on Erika.
As soon as they entered the house, she kicked off her small leather shoes, completely ignoring the servants’ exclamations.
She reached out to grab Kaname’s wrist and dragged her toward the depths of the hallway.
This was a typical traditional Japanese mansion, with a vastness that was staggering.
Stepping through the gates of Erika’s home, Kaname’s first impression was that the ‘flower content’ here was incredibly high.
The air was filled with an elegant scent, a mix of fresh soil and the fragrance of vegetation.
At the corners of the corridors, on the entrance counters, and even beside the wall hangings, meticulously trimmed Flower Arranging works could be seen everywhere.
The courtyards were all carefully designed Karesansui landscapes, with white sand covering the ground and several uniquely shaped bonsai dotting the space.
Even the stone lanterns by the path were covered in lush green moss.
The dark wooden floors were polished to a shine, capable of reflecting the two of them.
Through the shoji doors, a huge glass greenhouse could be seen in the distance, which was likely where the core industry of this family lay.
Compared to the slightly dilapidated and crowded Daycare Center, this place was simply another world.
Erika crossed the cloisters with practiced ease and stopped in front of a spacious room.
She then moved aside, letting Kaname walk in first like a little gentleman.
Immediately after, she turned and threw herself at her mother, who had caught up from behind.
“Mama~ Kaname loves reading books so much!
She was reading them even when she was sick!
Can I go to the study and get some Pokédex books for her?” Erika hugged her mother’s waist and looked up to use Charm, her voice as sweet as honey.
“Alright, alright.
What a studious child.” Erikas Mother bent down and reached out to tidy Erika’s bangs, which had been messed up from running, her eyes full of doting affection.
“But don’t read too late.
Kaname’s hand hasn’t healed yet and she needs to rest early.
Don’t pester her too much, okay?” “I know~” Erika rubbed against her mother’s palm, then made a face at Kaname before excitedly running toward the study to fetch the books.
Kaname stood in the middle of the room, quietly watching this scene.
“E-bui…” The zipper of the backpack was pushed open a crack.
At some point, Eevee had poked out its little head.
Its gaze went over Kaname’s shoulder, staring directly at the backs of the mother and daughter interacting outside.
The emotions showing in its large eyes were complex and hard to decipher.
“Are you envious?” At this moment.
Kaname didn’t scold Eevee for popping its head out without permission.
She closed the door, blocking out the external sounds, and asked in a calm tone.
Eevee snapped back to its senses and turned to look at Kaname.
“E-bui?” —Aren’t you jealous?
After spending a day and a night together, Eevee had gained a basic understanding of Kaname.
This human hatchling likely lacked parental care from birth; she was solitary and cold, even capable of the appalling act of cutting herself just to achieve her goals.
In Eevee’s eyes, Kaname was the same kind of creature as itself.
Both were pathetic creatures abandoned by the world, only able to survive by baring their fangs on their own.
But the other human hatchling outside the door was clearly different.
Erika had a warm nest, plenty of food, and her mother’s meticulous care.
Though naturally wary and disgusted by humans, Eevee could still feel a warmth from Erika that it yearned for.
It was unwilling to accept human charity, yet it couldn’t help but envy Erika for having all of this.
“I don’t feel anything.” Kaname shook her head, walked over to the tatami mat, sat down, and placed her backpack on her knees.
Although she hadn’t met Erika’s father yet, based on their brief interaction, Kaname had seen enough to judge that this was a model family full of mutual love and harmony.
However, that was all there was to it.
She didn’t envy Erika for having a family while she herself was an orphan.
“Instead of wallowing in self-pity here, why not find a way to improve yourself and change your current situation as much as possible?” The pink-haired girl remained expressionless as she flicked Eevee’s forehead with her finger, saying words that profoundly shocked the young Pokémon.
“Even if you stare until your eyes pop out with envy for Erika’s mother’s care, parents won’t suddenly manifest in reality to take care of you.” “The reality is that you were severely injured and almost died outside.
Now you’ve fallen into my hands, and I have to spend effort caring for and protecting you.” Eevee was stunned, staring blankly at Kaname.
“Recognize reality, recover quietly and as quickly as possible, and stop giving me more trouble—that is the most important and only thing you need to do right now.” Kaname stared into Eevee’s eyes, speaking each word deliberately.
“Only by becoming stronger and surviving do you earn the right to talk about anything else.” …
Dinner was typical Japanese home cooking, exquisite and mild in flavor.
Kaname was not stingy with her praise.
A few lines like “Auntie’s Tempura is ten thousand times better than the Daycare Center’s” and “The Miso Soup tastes so warm” made Erikas Mother beam with joy, to the point where she almost wanted to adopt her as a goddaughter on the spot, and she kept piling food into her bowl.
After dinner, under the guise of aiding digestion, Kaname pretended to read in the living room for a while before being urged to take a bath.
Fortunately, Erika didn’t clamor to bathe together with Kaname.
This allowed Kaname to breathe a sigh of relief.
Currently, her relationship with Erika was a bit too intimate, and Kaname was worried that something might snap in the girl’s head and she’d suddenly remember her words from two days ago.
If she were to innocently say something like “I want to be Kaname’s bride” in front of her mother…
Even if Erikas Mother was extremely well-bred and would only giggle it off as childish nonsense, the scene would definitely be awkward enough to make one carve out a Celadon Department Store in the floor with their toes.
To avoid this situation, Kaname decided to remain vigilant at all times and minimize scenarios that would lead Erika to have strange associations.
But Kaname’s happiness clearly didn’t last long.
After bathing and changing into the spare pajamas provided—which had a faint floral scent—Kaname pushed open the bedroom door while drying her wet hair.
The scene that met her eyes made her hand freeze mid-air while drying her hair.
In the middle of the room…
Erika was kneeling on the tatami, holding high with both hands the brown fluff-ball that should have been hidden in the backpack, which now looked entirely weary of life.
Eevee’s limbs hung limp and its eyes were dead, as if it had already given up on thinking.
Seeing Kaname enter, Erika’s eyes lit up, and she thrust the “prop” in her hands forward, announcing excitedly, “Let’s play house, Kaname!” She pointed to herself and then to the soul-less Eevee in her hands, her face overflowing with a motherly glow.
“I’ll be the mommy, and Eevee is the baby~” “…” Kaname fell silent.
She looked at Eevee.
Eevee struggled to roll its eyes, casting a plea for help toward Kaname.
Kaname expressionlessly looked away.
There was nothing she could do.
Since she was destined to play games with Erika, how could she be the only one to suffer?