Hime's impression of Shinyo was very interesting.
Hoshimiya Hime is an eight-year-old girl who is mature, but of course she is no ordinary person. At the very least, she is not someone that an ordinary person like me can easily understand.
So there's still a lot we don't know about this kid.
She's not the type to express her emotions in an easy-to-understand way, so there's still a lot we don't know about Hime.
So I don't want to miss this opportunity.
I want to know more about Hime. I want to understand her better.
It was because I felt that strongly that I unconsciously asked the question.
"Hime, haven't you really talked to kids your age for a long time?"
Earlier, this child said, "I have never had a conversation with a child my age." I wanted to ask him more about that.
After all, if you live a normal life, there's no way you wouldn't talk to kids of your age.
But Hime is not ordinary.
"I was already attending university when I was six years old, so there weren't many kids my age around me."
This child entered this school last year when he was seven years old.
That would mean he attended a university abroad before that, so that makes sense.
"Ah, but... I did go to a nursery school for a while. I was three years old, and at the time I was with children my own age."
"So, three years old?"
That's really too old.
By the time Shinyo was three years old, she was able to chat haltingly, but only with things like "Woof woof, there you are!", "I'm hungry!", and "I love you, Yo-chan!"
So it's a difficult age to have a conversation.
"However, I had been speaking in this tone since back then, which scared the nursery teachers..."
"Afraid? Why?"
I think it's amazing that he was able to learn language at the age of three.
But more than that...I couldn't accept the reactions of those around me, and that started to bother me.
"I think it was creepy that a child who was only three years old and could speak fluently was like that. I remember very well that I was avoided."
Hime spoke calmly.
It's a long time ago, so he probably doesn't care at all. He talks about it nonchalantly and doesn't seem to have any emotional attachment to the matter.
But I had a terrible pain in my chest.
"I was an unlovable child. It can't be helped."
"...I am!"
Please don't say that.
There's no way Hime isn't cute.
I've said this before, and it still feels the same.
"--I think Hime is really cute."
Because even a shy person like me couldn't help but say something like this.
Every time she acts sweet to me, my heart warms, and I'm so excited that she's become attached to me that I end up buying her sweets every day, and I even go to school looking forward to seeing her.
He thinks Hime is cute.
...Hime seemed to understand my feelings perfectly.
"Yes, I know... so I don't mind what happened in the past at all."
She said, laughing shyly.
"Well, Youhei-kun loves me so much... hehe."
It's not a thoughtful smile.
A smile that looks genuinely happy.
Seeing that expression, the pain in my chest immediately subsided.
I'm glad. If Hime feels happy now... then I'm really glad.