Shirakawa Yui hesitantly raised her voice."C-can I… can I come see my mom and dad?"
Her head was bowed, so her expression wasn't visible, but the faint hope in her trembling words was unmistakable.
"Of course you can," the doctor replied warmly. "No one will stop you. And if anyone dares say otherwise, you tell Uncle me, alright?"
"You…?"
"I'm the doctor here. My name is Ninazuka Eiji. But you can call me Uncle Ninazuka." He smiled gently and patted Yui's head.
From the side, Ajitsu Haruto—who had been quietly watching—saw the little girl slowly calming down. He gave Ninazuka a grateful look, and Ninazuka answered it with a small nod.
"Yui, how about you go home with Uncle Ajitsu for now? Tomorrow, Uncle will bring you to visit your mom and dad."
"Mm!" Yui nodded firmly. I'll visit them often. I won't let them feel lonely…
She glanced back one last time, watching the nurses cover her parents' bodies with white sheets. Her face didn't show much, but inside her heart was bleeding. Mom, Dad… you're gone. How am I supposed to live from now on?
Yui had no idea how she left the hospital. Lost in grief, she only came back to her senses when she found herself standing at the gate of a warm, cozy villa.
Looking up, she saw Ajitsu Haruto smiling kindly at her."Your big brother is inside, and there are delicious sweets waiting too~"
Yui knew Uncle Ajitsu was a good person. She could feel the same warmth from him that she used to feel from her father. She didn't want him to worry. She had to be strong.
So she lifted her head and forced a big, bright smile."Mm!"
The front door opened, and Ajitsu led Yui inside.
The moment they stepped in, voices called out:"Welcome home!"
Then came the sharp pops of party cannons—bang, bang!—and colorful confetti rained down from above.
Yui froze, dazed for a moment.
A figure rushed toward her, scooping her into a hug."You must be little Yui, right? Ahhh, so cute! Too cute! Way cuter than A-Ren!"
Ajitsu Haruto's lips twitched slightly as he glanced around. The whole house had been decorated for celebration.
He had called home earlier to explain Yui's situation, asking his wife to be prepared for the girl's arrival. But he hadn't expected… this.
And even more surprising—his son was actually standing there, watching. Given his usual attitude, Haruto hadn't thought the boy would even show up.
"H-hello, Auntie…" Yui stammered nervously, overwhelmed by the woman's enthusiasm.
"Hello, hello!" beamed Ajitsu Yuki, her starry eyes sparkling as she looked at Yui with delight. She had a daughter now! (Adopted still counted!)
(Here the author briefly introduces the heroine's parents for the readers)
Yui's mother — Otonari ReikoA university professor of music, still youthful in appearance. From childhood, she taught Yui piano and violin. Yui wasn't a master of every instrument, but she was proficient with those two.
Yui's father — Otonari JinjiA professional tennis player who once partnered with Echizen Nanjiro in doubles. Though Nanjiro admired Jinji's talent, they hadn't contacted each other in years—ever since Jinji got married. Yui's tennis skills all came from her father. She had mastered his signature techniques, and under his guidance, she even developed many new ones of her own. These would be revealed later in the story.