Text

RaikaAlright, I'm putting her down...! Here we go.

???Um...

YomogiS-So we put her on the sofa, what do we do next...!?

ChieriRaika, you said you would help her. You must have a plan, right!?

RaikaThat's... Let's think together!

Yomogi、ChieriWhat...!!

ChieriWhat are we gonna do!! We must do something immediately!

Miku(What must be done first is...)

Miku(1. Resolve the immediate trouble as soon as possible. 2. Resume the property search.)

Miku(3. Leave this dorm and reset my living environment. Okay...)

MikuEveryone. Could you quiet down a bit?

MikuHer breathing... yeah, she's fine. Then next, let's take her temperature.

Yomogi、Raika、Chieri...

YomogiWha-What do I do... She's a stranger... My heart is starting to ache...!

ChieriWhat are you saying in an emergency like this...!?

YomogiEven in an emergency, she's still someone we've never met...!

RaikaThe thermometer beeped! Miku, how's it!?

MikuIt doesn't look like she has a fever. And the injuries seem to be just minor scrapes.

Yomogi、Raika、Chieri*Sigh*...

ChieriW-Well, Chieri could tell that much too.

RaikaLiar~! You were flustered right there with me, weren't you~!

ChieriRaika, you're the one who was all talk, and you had no plan at all!

RaikaOh, sorry about that!

???Umm... Where am I...?

MikuOh... she woke up...!

???Wa...

RaikaWha-What!? Pardon me!

???Wa... water...

RaikaWater, she said water!!

YomogiH-Her stomach! Her stomach is growling too!!

ChieriThen Chieri will go get all the prepared dishes available!

RaikaThen I'll cook up all the rice we've got~~!

MikuEveryone, stop!

Yomogi、Raika、Chieri!!

MikuShe's not fully recovered, so she can't just eat regular food now. And I think there are things to do before that.

RaikaThings to do?

MikuYomogi-san, get the first aid kit. Raika-chan, get towels and hot water ready.

MikuChieri-chan, get some water ready. And if there's a blanket, give it to her.

Yomogi、RaikaYe... Yes...! Understood!

ChieriHehe, only Chieri gets two missions...! Okay, leave it to me!!

MikuHey, can you say your name?

???Shi... zuku...

MikuShizuku-chan, do you think you can eat some porridge?

ShizukuHm...

MikuOkay, then we'll prepare it.

Shizuku*Munch*... *Chew*...

RaikaThat's good...! Eat a lot and get better soon...!

Shizuku*Chew*... *Swallow*. Phew...

ShizukuI'm saved. Sorry for putting you through all this trouble.

RaikaWow, she talked! She talked, Miku!

MikuShizuku-chan, do you know who you are?

ShizukuUm... My name is Shizuku Shinomiya. I'm a second-year student at Tsukinomori Girls' Academy, Middle School.

RaikaTsukinomori!? You're a super rich girl~!

ShizukuIs that so...?

ChieriChieri is more amazing than a super rich girl! Chieri has never collapsed on the roadside!

ShizukuThis is my first time too, so I'm also surprised.

RaikaDo you remember what happened when you collapsed?

ShizukuI don't know. I was just walking.

ShizukuBefore long, my stomach made these strange noises, my vision went completely black. Next thing I knew, I was here.

YomogiStrange noises...? Wait, you didn't even notice you were hungry...!?

MikuBut I'm glad you're getting better~ Do you think you can get home from here?

ShizukuI don't know...

MikuWhat do you mean...?

ShizukuI don't know this town. I have no idea how to get home.

EveryoneHuh...!?

MikuThen how did you come here?

ShizukuI left home, got in a car, was dropped off in an unfamiliar town... And now here I am.

RaikaYou were with someone together in the car, right!?

ShizukuNanny was there, who took care of me. Normally she would always accompany me wherever I went, but...

ShizukuSuddenly, Nanny said this is as far as I go, handed me an envelope, and then dropped me off.

ChieriWhat's up with that...! Shizuku's subordinate is so cold-hearted!

ShizukuThat's not true. Nanny only ever does what's best for me.

YomogiThen, why would she do that...

ShizukuNanny said, "You have to leave your family."

ShizukuAnd, "There are things you need to learn in the outside world."

RaikaHuh, what does that mean...!?

ShizukuI don't know the details. But Nanny said that my mother and big sis had an argument, so I should leave this house.

ChieriSo it was just a fight? That's no reason to be kicked out!

RaikaBut, no matter what the reason is, you can't just kick your family out!

RaikaYou have to complain to your mother and others!

ShizukuComplain... Why?

RaikaHuh? Because you're in big trouble due to your mother and big sister, right!?

ShizukuIs that so...?

RaikaOf course! That's totally not a peaceful family...! Shizuku, aren't you sad? Or angry?

ShizukuSad... angry...

ShizukuI don't know.

RaikaHuh...

ShizukuWhy my mother and big sis had an argument, why I have to leave home, what do I think about that...

ShizukuMy family, myself... I guess I never really thought about these.

Raika...

Miku(Her family's a mess, but she's a mess too. She doesn't even realize her own situation...)

MikuShizuku-chan... What about the envelope you mentioned?

ShizukuOh, there was a letter from big sis, and some other stuff. I think it's in my pocket...

ShizukuThere it is. Here.

MikuLet me see... A letter and... huh, ten-thousand-yen bills...!?

RaikaMiku, what does the letter say?

MikuUm... "Shizuku, you can live in a much wider world. Don't end up like me"...?

Everyone...

ChieriChieri knows what this is. This is a case!!

YomogiWe should call the p-p-police...!

RaikaThe police!? But Shizuku didn't do anything wrong!

YomogiI meant like, a lost-child report or something...!

MikuYeah, that would probably help resolve it faster...

ShizukuSorry. Could you please refrain from calling the police?

YomogiHuh!? Would that be problematic for you?

ShizukuYes. I'm worried that might get Nanny in trouble. If they find out she left me alone out here, she'll lose her job.

ShizukuMore importantly, it's Nanny's words... "There are things you need to learn in the outside world."

ShizukuI don't know what it means, but I can't go home until I learn it.

ShizukuBecause that was the first time I'd ever seen Nanny speak with that look on her face.

ChieriI understand the feeling of wanting to protect your subordinate. But you don't even know what you're supposed to learn, do you?

Shizuku...

RaikaThat's obvious!

RaikaShizuku needs to learn what family love is!!

Shizuku...!

YomogiThe weird family theory, even here...!?

RaikaWhile I was listening to Shizuku's story, I felt a little lonely somehow.

RaikaI think "never thought about those things" is probably the opposite of love.

RaikaShizuku, I want you to love the important people you live with, and also love yourself. And I want you to laugh from the bottom of your heart.

RaikaSo, Shizuku, come live with us! Starting today, we're a family of five!

ShizukuHuh?

Chieri、YomogiHuh~~~~!?

YomogiWe're already getting another newcomer!? Even though Miku-san has just come here!?

ChieriThat's unfair, Raika! Shizuku might be joining the Chieri Union, you know!

ShizukuFamily...? You don't seem to have a blood connection...

RaikaIf we sleep at the same home, eat together, and play in a band, we will become a family!

RaikaJust as Granny taught me, I want to teach it to you, Shizuku.

RaikaThat as long as you've got a family full of love and peace, life's the best!

Shizuku...

Miku(Geez... She thinks she's saying something good, but she knows nothing.)

Miku(For a child, to meddle in someone else's family matters is way too irresponsible.)

Miku(Not that I needed to be the one to say it, though.)

Miku(Furthermore, she's gonna teach about "family?" What could someone who pushes her own twisted view of family possibly teach?)

Miku(And... she "never thought about" the fact that there are people who suffer from family.)

Miku(Not that I needed to be the one to say it, though.)

ShizukuUm, who are you...?

RaikaI'm Raika! From the left, Miku, Cherie, and Yomogi. They're all my family.

ShizukuThank you, Raika and your family. About your offer just now, could I have some time to think it over?

ShizukuI want to think it through properly before I give you my answer.

RaikaOkay, got it! For now, why don't you just stay the night?

ShizukuI'm sorry for everything.

RaikaShizuku, at times like this, you should say "thank you," not "I'm sorry!"

ShizukuI guess you're right. Then... thank you.

RaikaYeah, you're welcome!

ChieriI guess we've got no choice. I'll grant the newcomer, Shizuku, the right to use Chieri's blanket for one night!

ChieriHow's that? You're starting to feel grateful, aren't you!

YomogiUgh... Spending the night with a new person without any warning... My heart...!!

Miku(This has nothing to do with me. I'm leaving here anyway.)