After choosing a big adventure at Lupine's Bar

Mingkong sat on the steps of the corridor on the classroom floor, opened the bento box, cut the cooked and soft beef into small pieces with a spoon, picked them up, and was snatched away by the little snake.

The first grader stared blankly at the snake-like creature that adjusted its angle and swallowed the piece of meat in one gulp, expressing genuine confusion.

"Is your personality different from before?"

Should it be said that it has become lively?Or is it more arrogant?In short, it is completely two snakes.

The white little snake burped, blinked its nictitating membrane, the snake stammered, but did not make the characteristic hissing sound of snakes.

"Different forms of the body will affect the character. Is this common sense in the human world?"

"Ha..." Ming Kong was noncommittal, playing with the snake with meat pieces between his chopsticks, "It seems to be true."

He sat on a high place, looked all the way down through the corner of the stairs, and looked at the spiral of steps winding down.

"Thank you, Dengguo."

"It's true that I haven't been entangled by ghosts or monsters these days, nor have I been possessed."

"Yeah, so you have to respect me a little more, you know?"

"...Isn't that enough respect?"

"How can you be as virtuous as Lingzi?"

"Eh? Will it..." Mingkong tilted his head, "People often say that my mother and I are nothing like, except for appearance."

Then, his voice changed, "If you fall head-on, you will die."

"...how did the topic jump to this point?"

"One of the characteristics of children is that they always think of what to say."

The Dengguo wrapped around his neck like a necklace.

"Anyway... I'll pull you up before then," there seemed to be sweet juice flowing in the ripe red eyes, "don't think about it."

"..."

Mingkong did not continue to expand on this topic, but smiled and kept silent.But it's not because of embarrassment or guilt, it's just that it doesn't make sense to continue.

"How did you meet your mother?"

"Um…?"

Deng Guo shook the tip of its tail, and the soft scales swept across Mingkong's neck, itching.

"Suddenly appeared, and got involved in a self-talking manner, that's probably how it is."

"Is my mother always like that...Although I have only seen her as a 'mother'."

"Aren't you curious about the past?"

"I'm not curious," said the little ghost who said that he was a child not long ago, and he didn't have the inquisitive curiosity that a child should have. "It's a memory that has nothing to do with me. I didn't need to know."

The little snake was upset.

But he didn't know why he felt upset, he just got childish and sulked.

"How long will Deng Guo be with me like this?"

The existence between gods and monsters called "Deng Guo" blinked, raised its head, and stared at the face of the child it was caring for while it was passing the time.

The other party showed a perfunctory smile for the teacher.

"My lord..."

After hesitating for a moment, the topic was interrupted like this.

"Mingkong, I'm sorry, I was held back by my classmates before."

The little girl with shoulder-length hair trotted to Mingkong, pressed her hand over the hem of her skirt, and sat down next to him.

"They came over to ask me what's wrong with my neck, and one after another, they managed to fool them all, which took a lot of time..."

"They are also concerned about you, otherwise they wouldn't ask."

"Satisfying one's own curiosity accounts for the largest proportion. Everyone is still at the age of self-centered existence."

"It's more interesting to stay with Mingkong."

Mingkong chuckled, "Only you can say I'm funny."

He watched his sister puff up her cheeks, chewing the food in her mouth like a small animal like a squirrel.

They have been together since before they were born, and they have never been separated for more than half a day.

but……

"But it's also good to have lunch with friends once in a while, to chat about things in class, hobbies and so on."

Relationships are very important things in school.

Although Meikong himself has always had a negative attitude in this regard, his sister is different.

She is the type that would be popular in school days.

"Because..." She rubbed the bandage wrapped around her neck to cover the pinch marks with the pulp of her index finger, "Fame and space are much more important."

"Compared to anyone."

After hearing this, Ming Kong felt his mind go blank for a moment.

His eyes moved from his sister's light-colored soft hair to the face that resembled his own, to the neck that was still wrapped in bandages.

The scars left by his fingers that day still haven't healed.

For him, the "perpetrator", although his heart was beating in the same way as before, a small part of it had already been eaten away.

While spitting at the strange fact that he was injured as the victim, black blood was gurgling.

Carefully wrapped up all of this, not wanting those who have already been hurt to worry about themselves, maintaining the superficial calmness.

But while doing so, he soon knew that the other party also had the same idea as himself.

The first thing I felt was fear and helplessness.

"I think the same way."

He smiled back.

"Ah."

The younger sister seemed to feel it, and put her palm on Mingkong's hand that was resting on the steps beside her legs, and her knuckles were gently clasped inward.

"…yes."

She put the lid on the eaten bento box and snapped the buckle on.

"After school, whoever gets to the school gate first will wait there, and I will go back to class first."

Meikong watched her back disappear from sight, and relaxed the corners of his mouth.

"Am I laughing fake?"

"It looks fake to her."

The little snake opened its mouth and yawned.

"The previous question..."

While Deng Guo was talking, the preparatory bell for the end of the lunch break and the start of the first class in the afternoon rang, mixed together.

"From the beginning, it was only because of Reiko that I took care of you, so until that woman died, this agreement will remain valid."

Mingkong tilted his head.

"I see."

He cleared the dishes and sat up.

"Is the first section Chinese..."

Muttering meaningless words in his mouth.

Seeing this, Deng Guo retracted her head, closed her eyes and meditated.

Tsk, you brat who can't act like a baby.

Three years later, on a morning that was no different than usual, misfortune struck.

When Natsume Reiko's news came, Meikong and the others were still in class.

It was the class teachers of the two who called them out after receiving calls from the hospital.

Traffic accidents caused by truck drivers due to fatigue driving are very common today.

Yes, it's common, but not so common that it's no surprise that it happened to me.

I never thought it would happen to Natsume Reiko.

He did not die on the spot, but was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment.

But when the brother and sister rushed to the emergency room, they still didn't even see each other for the last time.

Mingkong hugged his sister, staring straight at the piece of flesh covered by the white cloth.

It's not so sad that it's unresponsive or something.

It's just because it was too sudden and unbelievable, so it didn't feel real at all.

Although whether it is from the residual breath or the logic of confirming the identity, it is indeed the person who used to be named "Natsume Reiko".

"If you're not following me, but by your mother's side..."

Would she still be alive, still stretching, complaining that she was exhausted, and pushing the door open with a smile?

Little Snake was noncommittal, but said, "This assumption doesn't make sense."

All matters after confirming the remains will be represented by the distant relatives on the mother's side.

For the time being, they are still living in the same home in a remote area of ​​Tokyo for two days.

The feeling is that I don't think that person is dead at all.

After all, she was already very busy, and she would only go home during dinner time, so it was normal for her to not see anyone for a whole day.

On the day of the funeral, they held the portrait together and sat surrounded by a group of adults, surrounded by all kinds of whispers of disgust and avoidance.

There is no way, the father is unknown, and the mother has no relatives, which is the case.

He covered his sister's eyes and ears.

"Famous...?"

The name is empty.

In this world, the only person who would call him that now is my younger sister.

and so……

Make her the happiest person in the world.

"Come on, pull the hook."

He put down his hand, and the little finger of his right hand hooked his sister's.

"I will protect you until you don't need me anymore, I will always be with you."

"Hook, hook, a liar will swallow a thousand needles."

The younger sister pursed her lips and said in a trembling voice, "Hey, Ming Kong."

"Ok?"

She hugged her brother, her voice muffled, with a suppressed cry.

"I'm sorry... I've always been, always been afraid of you...!"

"But I also like you very much...but, even so, I'm still scared..."

"Obviously it's not a matter of name and space at all. It's not good for a guy who uses your body to do bad things. There's nothing to be afraid of monsters that can't be touched at all, but..."

"It's just that I'm scared, so don't be afraid to lie to yourself, lie to yourself that you are purely in love with you... Obviously you care about me so much, but I have always held this mentality..."

"I'm sorry... because, I really want to see my mother, and I want to talk to her again, it's too sad, so I said something I shouldn't have said..."

"There's no need to make such an agreement," she wrapped her arms tighter, "I've been relying on you to live."

Ming Kong hesitated for a moment, and hugged back, "Then take it as my own idea."

"If I don't find a reason, I can't continue to live with peace of mind."

The little snake in the pocket of the mourning suit blinked and changed its posture.

Ahh, here we go again.

Bad habits of the imp.

That's the root of that constitution.

You can't "heal" if you don't notice it yourself.

Distant relatives negotiated the result that they take turns taking care of them.

Originally, there was a couple who had no children of their own and wanted to adopt their younger sister directly, but because she insisted on being with Mingkong and was unwilling to separate, it was nothing.

On the night after the funeral, when he had no choice but to transfer to a school near his relative's house, Meikong had a dream.

In the dream, there was a long-haired girl in a blue sailor suit and a huge white snake.

The next day, Mingkong and Dengguo had a big fight because of this dream.