In front of you is a long road that spreads forward, with the whistling river breeze in your ears, and the road ahead is shrouded in a vague white light, everything is in a comfortable atmosphere.

The picture book style of fairy tale books makes everything look bright and cheerful for Higashino Chihaya.

She was talking to Tsukasa Higashino next to her.

Yesterday, I went into my brother's room and found that he asked his classmates to borrow some bad reading materials, she brought them over, and made a special call to Tsukasa Higashino's classmates, and criticized the other party very seriously.

Because of this, to this day, his younger brother Higashino Tsukasa doesn't pay much attention to himself.

Looking at the immature childish appearance of Tsukasa Higashino, and finding that he still seemed to be angry with himself, Higashino Chihaya sighed with tears and laughter.

She walked up to Tsukasa Higashino, brushed the long hair from her ear with her hand, approached Tsukasa Higashino's ear, and whispered 'I'm sorry'.

Maybe it's the rebellious period, and the Higashino Division in front of him doesn't appreciate it.

So Higashino Chihaya could only look up at his parents helplessly.

It was only at this time that Higashino Chihaya was slightly stunned.

Because she noticed that her parents' faces seemed to be obscured by something... It was a mess in a daze, and I couldn't see it clearly.

But this didn't make her feel afraid, because no matter how her parents changed, they stood behind her and Tsukasa Higashino...

They're still there.

For some reason, Higashino Chihaya couldn't help but feel a little pain in his heart when he thought of the phrase 'they are still there'.

When I saw this, not only Higashino Chihaya, but also Ryoka Konoe on the other side was also a little uncomfortable.

Her mother died shortly after she was born, leaving her with her father, Konoe Tsushima.

Unlike Chihaya Higashino, Ryoka Konoe still has memories... At that time, the guards of Tsushima may have had such a stage of watching over themselves.

Merely... Maybe I'm too tired from living in school and haven't noticed it all the time.

Tsukasa Higashino's painting, which is full of memories, not only immersed Higashino Chihaya, but also the people next to him entered the state.

Even Tsukasa Higashino, who has always cared about Chihaya Higashino, has been a little tricked.

When he came back to his senses, he couldn't help but sigh, this lethality is indeed a bit too strong...

And while Higashino Tsukasa was thinking like this, Higashino Chihaya's gaze also turned to the third grid.

It is normal for parents to watch over their children.

But there is no Higashino Tsukasa's parents on this third frame, and even his own figure has disappeared.

On this screen, only Tsukasa Higashino walked forward alone.

Chihaya Higashino seemed to have turned into a third perspective, turned into a spirit body, and followed behind Tsukasa Higashino.

The road ahead was still in a trance-like white.

Tsukasa Higashino's footsteps didn't stop either.

Higashino Chihaya just looked at Tsukasa Higashino, who was moving forward, and an indescribable sentimentality came out of his heart.

What you want, what you want to see... Is this really the scenario?

Higashino Chihaya subconsciously walked forward, a little trying to grab the palm of Higashino Tsukasa in front of him.

But what makes her helpless is that she is now in a third-person perspective, and she has no hands or feet at all... It is also impossible to grab the palm of Tsukasa Higashino.

Ultimately... How could a person grab the palm of a figure in an oil painting?

Just as Higashino Chihaya was hesitating and thinking, he felt a feeling of holding his palm.

Yes.

I was held in the palm of my hand!

Chihaya Higashino, who was in reality, looked at his palm in surprise.

The oil painting in the third panel in front of me seems to have changed.

I don't know when? Tsukasa Higashino on the screen has already turned around? Reached out and grabbed Chihaya Higashino's palm.

And this change was also seen by Yumi Takahashi and Aoi Fujiwara.

The oil painting moved?

Can you still turn around and hold hands?

Am I hallucinating?

Even Yumi Takahashi couldn't help but reach out and rub her eyes? Only then did I realize that everything in front of me was back to its original state.

Oil painting or which oil painting? Still, nothing has changed.

Yumi Takahashi swallowed hard: "Aoi, did you see it just now?" ”

"Of course I do." Aoi Fujiwara couldn't help but glance at Yumi Takahashi? Then he muttered to himself, "Higashino-sensei is really good at drawing..."

It's really too well drawn...

She had never seen an oil painting with such a sense of substitution.

Especially the feeling of the palm being held... How did you draw this thing? There's no scientific basis for that.

They looked at their palms and were a little stunned.

But that's their business, too.

Chihaya Higashino's gaze had already turned to the fourth grid.

It's still a long stretch.

But not the same as the previous painting? Chihaya Higashino finds herself being held by Tsukasa Higashino.

The two support each other? Take it one step at a time.

It's a long road, and it's not over yet, but for some reason, Chihaya Higashino just looked at Tsukasa Higashino beside him? I felt as if I had the strength to keep going.

But there is another thing that Higashino Chizao cares about.

What about parents?

All the while? What about the parents who are supporting themselves to move forward?

It's a big question, and Chihaya Higashino doesn't want to think about it, but he has to think about it.

And then...

She understood.

Yes, there is no flash of inspiration, no sudden enlightenment, no cloud-clearing.

Chihaya Higashino just went to think? Then I got the answer.

"Dad and Mom, they're both dead."

Chihaya Higashino bowed her head? Muttered softly.

It was she who sent her parents to cremation with her own hands.

A person, no matter how great he is in life? After death, it can be easily packed in a small box...

Yes.

His parents have died.

Chihaya Higashino remembered those two bloody faces again.

But this time? Chihaya Higashino was surprisingly not afraid.

There is no sense of sadness either.

She's just facing this man and a woman? He bowed heavily.

Then he grabbed the palm of Higashino Tsukasa next to him? Go ahead.

She didn't seem to want to look back.

But every time he took two steps, Higashino Chihaya would always sneak a glance back.

Her parents were left far behind, quietly watching her and Tsukasa Higashino, and their faces that should have been bloody and blurred returned to their original gentle expressions.

Looking at his parents, who have been thrown a long distance from Tsukasa Higashino.

Higashino Chihaya's eyes were shining with tears, and snot couldn't help but pop up together, and it was no problem to say that there was no problem in communicating with each other.

But Chihaya Higashino didn't cry in the end.

For her, it was like the last chance to see her parents.

She didn't want her parents to see her embarrassed appearance.

So she turned back and turned her back.

Then reach out.

He waved lightly to his parents, who were left behind and could never keep up.

It's like waving goodbye.

It's like beckoning them back...

This naturally makes up the fourth panel.

After reading the whole painting, Higashino Chihaya only felt that his body was a little out of strength, and he suddenly softened.

This move made Tsukasa Higashino, who had been preparing next to him, also approach without hesitation and support him.

He didn't ask Higashino Chihaya for extra words.

Because the other side is obviously still in the chaotic stage now.

His face was full of tears, and his eyes were very loose.

As soon as she saw Tsukasa Higashino, she screamed 'Ace, Ace'.

This not only made Higashino's heart sink, but even Yumi Takahashi and Aoi Fujiwara next to him were heavy-faced.

Because Higashino Chihaya still uses the kind of innocence, similar to the tone of a three- or four-year-old child.

Probably not coming back, right?

They didn't think too much about it, and immediately followed, supported Higashino Chihaya, wiped their faces, and sent them to the bed to lie down.

Looking at Chihaya Higashino, who was sleeping deeply, Asuka Koizumi, who had recorded the whole process on the other side, also wiped the sweat from his white forehead.

Then she smiled and said to Tsukasa Higashino, "Although I can't confirm whether Miss Higashino will return to normal, this is definitely a great improvement in terms of her condition." At least we know how to heal her. ”

Similarly, Asuka Koizumi is also interested in Tsukasa Higashino's paintings...

She had seen this oil painting taken out by Tsukasa Higashino before, but she didn't expect it to have such a sense of spiritual substitution.

White light.

Childhood.

Picture Books...

Everything seemed so good.

She sighed: "If Higashino-san's ambition is to be a psychiatrist, he may be able to achieve quite great achievements." ”

"Dr. Koizumi thinks too highly of me... Then the summary of the condition will trouble Dr. Koizumi. Tsukasa Higashino casually responded.

"Hmm. But I'd like to wait here for Miss Higashino to wake up... This is how to judge her condition. ”

Asuka Koizumi nodded, and turned to look at Chihaya Higashino on the bed.

The waiting time is undoubtedly boring and tedious.

But in this kind of waiting, no one said a word, even Yumi Takahashi, who was usually the most cheerful and cheerful, looked at Higashino Chihaya on the bed worriedly, hoping that she would wake up soon.

And this wait, I waited for an hour.

It was almost eleven o'clock in the morning, and Chihaya Higashino finally woke up.

This lifted the spirits of Ryoka Konoe.

At least there wasn't any mess.

But what happened next, they couldn't laugh anymore.

Higashino Chihaya still seems to be the same happy as before... There was no sign of coming back at all.

Today's treatment plan...

Could it be a failure?

Yumi Takahashi and Aoi Fujiwara... Including Konoe Ryoka and Koizumi Asuka have all taken their leave.

Because they all want to make Higashino Tsukasa quiet.

After all, Tsukasa Higashino has been preparing for so long, and then nothing has happened...

This must have been a bit of a blow to him.

Of course, they were embarrassed to stay.

After sending off all the people who came to help, Tsukasa Higashino turned to look at Chihaya Higashino in the living room.

Higashino Chihaya still seems to be the same, and when he sees Higashino Tsukasa, he just smiles happily.

Yes... It's still the same.

But—

"Sister Qianzao, there's no one anymore, you don't have to pretend."

Tsukasa Higashino suddenly spoke.

"Huh? Ace...? ”

As soon as these words were spoken, Higashino Chihaya was immediately stunned.

"I've lived with Sister Qianhaya for a long time, and I can still see at a glance whether this little thing has changed." Tsukasa Higashino replied.

Tsukasa Higashino and Chihaya Higashino have lived together for almost two years.

Many times, with a look and a move from Chihaya Higashino, Higashino knows what she wants to do next.

Of course he could sense something was wrong.

Feeling the gaze of Tsukasa Higashino, Chihaya Higashino also paused.

She didn't speak anymore either, and those big eyes just looked at Tsukasa Higashino.

The eyebrows that have always been a little melancholy raised, and they drooped down weakly...

In the end, she walked up to Higashino Tsukasa step by step, reached out and grabbed the corner of his clothes, and said softly, "Ace... Father and mother... All died. ”

"Hmm." Tsukasa Higashino nodded in acknowledgement.

Listening to the voice of Higashino Division's acknowledgement, Higashino Chihaya gritted his teeth at this time, and his tears could no longer be held back, falling in a slump.

She grabbed the corner of Higashino's clothes tightly and didn't let go for a long, long time.

People died.

It's not something that can be brushed over as simply as it is in the book.

It's like a car accident in real life, and the sight of flesh and blood is enough to make people feel terrified.

Not to mention that for Higashino Chihaya, it was his relatives who died.

Even if she has accepted it now, she still can't suppress the desire to cry in her heart.

Tsukasa Higashino could only pat her on the back to comfort her.

He hadn't met the original owner's parents, so if he was asked to say anything, he would actually understand Higashino Chihaya very well... That's basically fake sympathy.

All he could say was that he was grateful to the parents of the original owner.

In the same way, hopefully they will be able to live well in another world.

Compared to the original Higashino Chihaya, this Higashino Chihaya has indeed changed now.

Compared to the original Higashino Chihaya, her mind is more delicate, so she also has a good sense of upbringing before raising her hands and feet.

But the key parts haven't changed much.

When she saw that she accidentally got tears and snot on Tsukasa Higashino's chest, she immediately started to take off Tsukasa Higashino's clothes and wanted to wash him...

This sudden move startled Tsukasa Higashino.

"There's a washing machine at home." Looking at Chihaya Higashino, who still wanted to take off his clothes to wash it, Higashino Tsukasa grabbed his clothes and reminded him.

Don't say it, Higashino Chihaya is really strong, obviously looking thin and weak.

"Huh? Washer...? I remember not letting it go and selling it before... Ace is trying to deceive his sister, right? ”

Higashino Chihaya couldn't help but be stunned when he heard this, and then muttered something in a low voice.

She was not deceived at all, and she still had to undress by hand.

This made Higashino Tsukasa also a little speechless.

But the same.

Tsukasa Higashino also found out.

Chihaya Higashino's memory seems to have appeared in a fault stage.

She doesn't remember living like this with herself for two years.

You know, not only washing machines, but also dryers in the house.

However, Higashino Chihaya insisted on taking off his clothes, and Higashino Tsukasa could only temporarily raise his hand to surrender in the end.

He could see it.

Higashino Chihaya estimated that he had just returned to his normal state, and his brain was still a little down, otherwise he wouldn't have reached out directly and would have to take off his clothes.

Let's wait for her to get used to it.

Higashino shook his head, went back to the room to change into new clothes, and left Higashino Chizao in the same place.

And Higashino Chihaya, who finally took off Tsukasa Higashino's clothes, stood still, and was just about to go to the bathroom to wash his clothes, and then he found out-

"Huh?"

Chihaya Higashino tilted her head, her pretty face looking a little silly.

In front of you, this exquisitely decorated interior... At first glance, it is a high-priced furniture...

After a long while, she couldn't help but touch her little head, her face was dazed:

"Is this my home?"

It's not like a renovation.

How does it feel like a new house?