[Miyabi: Since it's already on the agenda, then do your best. I'll support it when it's released!]
[Chiba's Fallen Angel, Kuroneko: Okay!]
After finishing his chat with Gokou Ruri, Sato beckoned to Vanilla, who was lying in the corner of the table.
"Meow!"
The white kitty walked over to him and licked his palm with her pink tongue, leaving a moist, ticklish sensation.
Sato smiled and gently rubbed Vanilla's fluffy head. The little one closed her eyes in enjoyment, letting his hand stroke her.
"Where's Chocola?"
He looked around but did not see the other cat.
Just as he was about to get up to look for her, the phone on the table suddenly rang. He paused and picked it up.
"Second brother?"
Seeing the name on the screen, Sato was momentarily stunned. Why was he suddenly calling?
"Hello, is this Sato?"
"It's me. Second brother, what made you call me all of a sudden today?"
"Well…"
On the other end, Nohara Hiroshi's voice sounded strange, carrying a sense of exhaustion and relief after surviving a disaster.
Sato's expression gradually became serious. "Did something happen?"
"As expected, nothing can be hidden from you. It's like this…"
Nohara Hiroshi then explained everything in detail over the phone.
As Sato listened, his mouth slowly opened wider and wider.
"Y-you're saying the house… the house exploded?!"
He suddenly stood up from his seat, asking again in shock. His voice trembled slightly without him noticing.
"Yeah, it exploded."
"You mean the house you still have thirty-two years of mortgage left on, not Shin-chan's toy?!"
"Yes, the house I still have thirty-two years of mortgage left on, not Shin-chan's toy! Can you stop emphasizing the thirty-two years of mortgage?!"
Nohara Hiroshi's voice was full of helplessness.
"Is Shin-chan and everyone else okay?!"
"Everyone's fine. The house collapsed, but luckily insurance will cover rebuilding."
"How did something like this even happen?"
"In short, it was a series of accidents."
"Where are you staying now?"
"For now, we're staying at a neighbor's house. I called to ask, do you have any vacant apartments for rent there?"
"There should be one upstairs. I'll check with the landlord in a bit."
"Thanks!"
On the other end, Nohara Hiroshi let out a long sigh of relief.
Sato continued, "If you come here, will it be convenient for your work and for Shin-chan's school?"
"I checked the map. My commute is just two stations farther, and Shin-chan's school is only a few minutes longer. It won't be much of an issue."
"Alright, I'll go check for you first."
"Thanks, Sato."
After hanging up, Sato let out a long breath. He had broken into a cold sweat just now.
It was a blessing that no one was hurt. But how did a gas explosion even happen like that?
Muttering to himself, Sato got up and went downstairs to find the landlord.
Fortunately, there happened to be an empty room upstairs. Since the apartments in Aoyama were mostly suites, the space was large enough to accommodate Shin-chan's family.
After calling Nohara Hiroshi back, Sato hailed a taxi and headed toward Kasukabe.
…
Looking at the ruins in front of him, Sato fell silent for a long time, then turned to look at the family of four and their dog beside him.
"It collapsed…"
Shin-chan crossed his arms and said in a deep voice.
"Yeah…"
Nohara Hiroshi looked at the ruins, his mood heavy. After all, this was the house he had spent thirty-two years paying for, and it held so many memories…
Marriage, children, promotions…
"Then… does that mean we can move into a villa now?!"
Shin-chan suddenly changed tone, his eyes sparkling as he turned to Nohara Hiroshi.
Thud!
"How is that possible! And who do you think caused this?!"
Nohara Misae's temples twitched as she knocked Shin-chan on the head.
"Huh?! This has something to do with Mom too!"
Shin-chan crouched on the ground, holding his head and pouting as he looked at her.
"Alright, as long as everyone's safe."
At that moment, Nohara Hiroshi stepped in to smooth things over with a sigh.
"Yeah, it's good that everyone's okay."
Sato added, then turned to ask, "Were you able to salvage your belongings?"
"The explosion shockwave collapsed the house, but there wasn't much of a fire, so most things were saved. They're all in the neighbor's yard now."
"Then let's move them over first. I've already spoken to the landlord."
"Okay."
…
"Yo, Sato!"
"Saitama-san!"
Carrying a bag of vegetables, Saitama returned to the apartment and looked at the busy scene with curiosity.
"Ah, hello. I'm Nohara, the new resident."
Nohara Hiroshi stood up from moving luggage and greeted him politely with a proper adult introduction.
"Oh… h-hello."
Saitama paused, then instinctively looked at Sato.
Sato explained, "This is my brother. Due to an accident, he'll be staying here for a while."
"So you're Sato's brother. Welcome!"
"Do you need help?"
Hearing that he was Sato's brother, Saitama immediately became enthusiastic. After glancing around at the furniture, he asked.
"Well, about that…"
Before Nohara Hiroshi could finish, Saitama had already walked over to the refrigerator after looking around. Turning back, he said, "I'll help carry this fridge upstairs."
As he spoke, Saitama held a bag of vegetables in his left hand, then wrapped his right arm under the refrigerator and lifted it as easily as if it were another bag of groceries, walking toward the apartment.
Nohara Hiroshi stood frozen, his mouth wide enough to fit an egg, then slowly turned his head toward Sato.
Sato looked at Saitama's back with a subtle expression, then explained,
"Saitama-san was born with incredible strength, so his power is a bit… astonishing."
Incredible strength… that's terrifying.