Shin-chan froze.
"Tomato... juice?"
"I was drinking tomato juice. You suddenly ran over and startled me, so I choked on it. It wasn't blood at all."
Shin-chan opened his mouth.
Red.
Tomato juice?
He stood there, mentally connecting everything together for about three seconds.
Then his whole body seemed to deflate like a punctured balloon, and he went limp.
"Oh..."
Just that one word.
But the tone was so complicated it was hard to tell what he was feeling.
Hiroshi and Misae looked at him, and at last it clicked.
"Shin-chan." Misae crouched down and looked at him. "You've been so well-behaved these past two days... was it because you thought I was...?"
Shin-chan didn't say anything.
But his face turned red.
Misae froze for a second, then suddenly laughed.
And as she laughed, her eyes started to redden a little.
This child...
So that was the reason.
She reached out, wanting to pat his head, but Shin-chan had already turned and run over to the medical ninja.
"Big sister~"
The medical ninja froze for a second, then smiled.
"Hello there."
"My name is Nohara Shinnosuke. I'm five years old." Shin-chan put his hands behind his back and looked up at her. "You're really pretty."
The medical ninja laughed.
"Thank you for the compliment."
"Big sister, are you a medical ninja?"
"That's right."
"Then you must be really amazing, right?"
"I'm alright, I guess."
Shin-chan suddenly remembered something. "Big sister, I have a friend who wants to become a medical ninja. Do you know how someone becomes one?"
"Your friend?"
"Yeah." Shin-chan nodded seriously. "She said she wants to become a medical ninja someday and heal people."
The medical ninja's expression softened.
"Is that so? Then she must be a very kind child."
"Yeah, she's really nice. She even made cookies for me." Shin-chan nodded. "So, big sister, can you tell me how to become a medical ninja? I'll go tell her later."
The medical ninja thought for a moment, then crouched down in front of him.
"To become a medical ninja, first you have to learn chakra control really well. Then you have to study a lot—really, a lot—and you need patience and compassion. Once your friend is a little older, she can find a proper teacher and start learning."
Shin-chan listened very seriously, then nodded.
"Okay, I'll tell her."
"Mm." The medical ninja smiled and patted his head. "Thank you for asking for her."
"You're welcome!" Shin-chan leaned in a little closer. "Big sister, do you want to go on a romantic journey with me?"
The medical ninja's smile froze.
From the side, Hiroshi grabbed Shin-chan and pulled him back.
"Alright, alright, we're leaving!"
Shin-chan was dragged away, but he still remembered to turn back and wave.
"Bye, big sister. I'll come play with you next time."
The medical ninja stood where she was, watching the little red figure being dragged away, and couldn't help smiling.
When they walked out of the hospital, there was only one strip of sunset left at the horizon.
Hiroshi was dragging Shin-chan along. Shin-chan's little feet scraped across the ground twice before he finally got his footing.
He looked back once toward the hospital.
That pretty big sister was already gone.
"Dad."
"Yeah?"
"That big sister just now—her eyes were really pretty."
The corner of Hiroshi's mouth twitched.
Shin-chan said very seriously, "Next time I get sick, I want to come see her again."
Misae glared at him from the side. "What do you mean, get sick? Don't say things like that."
"Then can I come if I'm not sick?"
"What would you come for if you're not sick?"
"To see the pretty big sister, obviously."
A cross-shaped vein popped up on Misae's forehead. "No!"
Shin-chan let out a disappointed sigh. After walking a few more steps, he spoke again.
"Mom."
"What now?"
"When the little brother or sister comes out, can I play with them?"
Misae froze.
"What do you mean by 'play with them'?"
"I mean..." Shin-chan thought about it. "Like playing with toys."
"No!"
"Then like playing with Shiro?"
"Also no!"
Shin-chan scratched his head.
"Then what can I do?"
"You can..." Misae paused. "You can play with them, take care of them, and teach them how to talk and walk."
Shin-chan tilted his head.
"Then can they play with me?"
"They can."
"Can they eat snacks with me?"
"When they get older, yes."
"Can they eat my green peppers for me?"
Misae took a deep breath.
"No!"
Shin-chan's face fell. "Then what's the point of having a little brother or sister?"
Hiroshi couldn't help laughing.
"Shin-chan, younger siblings aren't something that have a 'point.'"
"Then what are they?"
"They're..." Hiroshi thought for a moment. "Your family. You'll have company in the future."
Shin-chan blinked.
"Company?"
"Yeah. Someone to play with, someone to grow up with, someone you can take care of and who can take care of you."
After walking a few more steps, Shin-chan spoke again.
"Dad."
"Yeah?"
"Where do little brothers and sisters come from?"
Hiroshi's steps faltered. He exchanged a look with Misae.
"Well..." Hiroshi scratched his head. "It's, uh... you know..."
"They come from Mommy's tummy," Misae said directly. "Didn't you hear that just now at the hospital?"
"Oh." Shin-chan nodded. "Then how did they get in there?"
Hiroshi's face froze.
Misae's face froze too.
Three seconds of silence.
"Well..." Hiroshi coughed awkwardly. "You'll understand when you're older."
Shin-chan tilted his head.
"Why can't I know now?"
"Because... because you're still little."
"So being little means I can't know?"
"That's right."
Shin-chan thought about it.
"Then when I grow up, will I be able to know?"
"Yes."
"Then since you already know the answer right now, can't you just tell me now?"
Hiroshi choked on his own breath.
Misae burst out laughing beside him.
Hiroshi shot her a glare, then looked back at Shin-chan. "When you grow up, you'll figure it out yourself."
Shin-chan sighed in disappointment.
"Adult stuff is so complicated." After a few more steps, he remembered something. "Oh right, Mom."
"What now?"
"What are you going to name the little brother or sister?"
Misae froze for a second. "We haven't decided yet."
"Can I name them?"
"What do you want to name them?"
Shin-chan thought very seriously.
"If it's a boy, Green Pepper Killer."
The corner of Misae's mouth twitched. "And if it's a girl?"
"Pretty Big Sister No. 2."
Hiroshi nearly laughed himself to death.
Misae took a deep breath. "No."
"Why not?"
"What kind of name is that?"
"I think they're good names." Shin-chan said seriously. "You can tell what they're for right away."
"What is Green Pepper Killer supposed to do?"
"Kill green peppers."
Misae fell silent.
She suddenly felt like the moment she tried to reason with this child, she had already lost.
Hiroshi was shaking with laughter beside them.
"Alright, alright." He patted Shin-chan on the head. "We can talk about names later. There are still several months left anyway."
Shin-chan walked ahead, humming some random little tune.
Hiroshi and Misae walked behind him, watching that cheerful back.
"Misae."
"Yeah?"
"This is better."
Misae nodded. "Yeah."
Even if he was annoying and drove them crazy every single day—
This was still better.
That quiet, obedient, overly careful Shin-chan had made both of them uneasy.
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 70 Chapters Ahead of Others!