It was nice that it was cloudy so we didn't have to worry about the sun.
There is no shade where we are now, so if it had been sunny we would have been drenched in sweat.
Of course, it's summer, so it's bound to be hot.
But it was the most comfortable day I've had in the last few days.
"Meow"
The cat seemed satisfied after being petted so much. Until now, it had been rubbing its body against my hand as if it was pampering, but now it was curled up and lying on the ground. Its eyes were closed as if it was time for a nap, so I decided to stop paying attention to it for the time being.
"Hime, please."
Then he handed Hime the drink he had bought from the vending machine earlier.
It was a small can of grape juice. The other day when she came to my house, she said she didn't like dark carbonated water, so I chose a type that looked easy to drink.
"Is it okay if I get one for myself too? I already have one for myself."
"Yes. I've already bought it, so feel free to drink it."
"...You're still the same wonderful older brother. Thank you."
After bowing deeply, Hime accepted the can of juice.
This child is the type to be reserved around others, so I'm happy when she is so honest and dependent on me. It makes me feel warm inside, knowing that she has opened up to me.
"Mmm... it's delicious. It's nice and cold."
"In the summer, I only drink cold drinks."
"I'm telling you the same thing as your sister. Drinking too much cold water will upset your stomach, so be careful. Your sister suffers from that every year."
Hijiri is probably a good example of what not to do. Perhaps it is because he is so bold that Hime has become so cautious.
"What are you drinking, Yohei?"
"I had a sports drink. I was sweating, so I felt like drinking something."
"It's a great way to stay hydrated."
"Yeah. But on a hot day like this, I feel like eating ice cream too."
"Ice cream... it certainly looks delicious."
"Is there a convenience store nearby?"
"I don't know. I didn't see it when I came here."
"If you're going to walk aimlessly, maybe it would be better to rest here."
"I agree... I'd hate to throw away the ice cream, but it's a bit too hot to walk around."
That's true. It would be fine if I knew where the convenience store was, but I didn't really know where I was, so I didn't feel like going too far.
Just like Hime said, I'd rather just relax here than wander around aimlessly.
I sat down on the tire and looked up at the sky. It was cloudy, but there were no rain clouds in sight, so the weather didn't look like it would get worse.
"Oh, the kitty is sleeping."
"...You really have no sense of caution."
"She's cute and loose... a bit like her older sister."
"I wonder if he looks like Hijiri-san?"
"They're both so similar in that they're both so lazy."
Hime is smiling while looking at the cat.
It's also cute how his expression softens when he remembers his sister.
Today, Hijiri-san is being talked about everywhere.
This is proof that Hime adores her sister.
I wish you could have come with me today too.
I hadn't said anything in particular, but I thought it would be normal for Kiyoshi to come along. However, Hime had come alone, so I was actually worried about Kiyoshi.
So I decided to ask at this time.
"Eh? Is that why Onee-chan hasn't come? There's nothing deep about it... It's the same reason as Nyanko. It's hot, so she wants to laze around."
"Yeah, it was as expected."
Knowing Hijiri, I wasn't surprised at all.
It was exactly as I expected, so I couldn't help but laugh.
"Also, he gets headaches when he's surrounded by letters, so he can't go into the library. He hates it when books get too close and runs away."
"Huh. Sounds like a vampire who hates crosses."
"That's exactly what it feels like."
...We continued this conversation, which seemed to have some substance but was actually quite empty, for a while.
Summer vacation. Spending a relaxing time in the park without worrying about time.
It's sure to be a boring day with nothing happening.
But this time was calm and very comfortable.