The chest was opened.

Inside, a bright brown blanket-like thing was stuffed full.

Not only Kotomi, but even those who were standing on the sidelines were staring at us in surprise.

"Huh... Yes... Huh? ”

"Bear..."

“… Plush toy? ”

Apricot, starling, and Furukawa looked at each other as if they were seeking answers, looking puzzled.

Kotomi stared at it intently, her wide eyes filled with surprise.

The long, fluffy, chubby body was slightly stained, but it was indeed a stuffed bear puppet.

The stuffed bear has a piece of paper between its short arms.

Kotomi reached out and picked it up, and as she picked it up, she also brought out some fine sand that had been in the box, and fell to the floor with a clatter.

However, when I took it out, I realized that it was not a piece of paper, but a carefully sealed envelope.

The color faded badly, the four corners were a little yellowed, and the surface was also stained and wrinkled.

Kotomi flipped the envelope over and noticed that it was densely written.

A few of us poked our heads out from behind Kotomi with curiosity.

「If_you_find_this_suitcase

please_take_it_to_our_daughter.

KM_Ich」

There was a handwritten sentence in scribbled but fluent English.

“… What does that mean? ”

As if she didn't understand the meaning of the words, Apricot cast a gaze at me.

"If you find this box," I read slowly, looking at the words on the envelope, "please pass it on to our daughter, k..."

I got stuck at the end of the name, but Kotomi took my words.

"Kotaro Ichinose and Mizue Ichinose, this is the signature of Dad and Mom."

"The payment is the abbreviation of Mr. and Mrs. Ichinose," as if to identify with Kotomi, the old gentleman added affirmatively, "In other words, this is the stuff of Kotomi-kun's parents." ”

"They all sign like this on the papers they work together."

"This suitcase belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Ichinose," after a pause, the old gentleman looked at the suitcase and said in a gentle tone, as if telling a story, "It must have been a long time before it was washed up on some beach." ”

"Someone picked up the suitcase, opened the lock, and found the letter."

"The person who picked it up understood that it was something very precious and entrusted it to another person."

"In this way, the suitcase was passed by the people of all countries by hand, and finally delivered here."

"There are traces of repeated repairs on the dolls and boxes."

It also makes sense why the box is so worn, with so many scars and a little sand in the box.

Experience wind and snow, cross deserts, and cross oceans.

In different countries, different people keep exchanging hands.

Strangers are dutifully helping a strange couple without regrets, just to pass on their unpassable love to the couple's beloved daughter.

After a very, very long journey, the baton of love from all over the world was gathered and the baton of love from all over the world was finally passed to Kotomi after being more than ten years late.

Time seemed to freeze, and everyone didn't say a word, quietly listening to the old gentleman's words.

And Kotomi, holding the envelope, stared blankly at the stuffed bear in the box.

"What the hell is in the envelope that you burned," the old gentleman smiled bitterly as he watched Kotomi's reaction, "I don't know." ”

"Mom and Dad's papers?"

The old gentleman shook his head slowly.

"What paper backup, playing from the beginning did not exist."

"Huh?!"

Accepting Kotomi's bewildered gaze, the old gentleman replied.

"Ling Zun was constantly revising until the last minute before departure, so he must have no time to make any backups."

"But where is the paper? Could it be that there's..."

"There's a list of items for your stuffed bear."

Kotomi set her sights on the stuffed bear in the box.

"I wouldn't have believed it even if I had said that, but... Now you can believe it. ”

The old gentleman smiled, as if he had seen the scene again.

I still remember that sentence, "It's the first time my daughter told us what she wanted, so we must pick the best gift," Ling Zun smiled happily at the time.

"But! The suitcase was supposed to contain papers, right? Mom and Dad's Papers! ”

"You read it."

With her hands trembling slightly, Kotomi opened the envelope, which contained a thin piece of sticky note paper.

"Ahh

Kotomi couldn't help but whisper, and then read every word on it intently.

"To Kotomi: The world is beautiful, even if it is full of sorrow and tears, you have to open your eyes, do what you want to do, be your ideal self, and grow up slowly, slowly with good friends"... It's Daddy's word! Her eyes widened in disbelief, and Kotomi's voice gradually trembled a little, "This is a bear found in the gift shop, although we have seen a lot, but this little guy is the biggest, the time is too tight to send it from the airport, so I have to put it here, I wish our lovely Kotomi, happy birthday"... Mom..."

Covering her mouth, Kotomi's body trembled.

It's just a dozen lines of text, but it contains a lot of love.

It was obviously the only time before the plane crashed into the sea, and it was written in the few minutes left of his life.

There is no fear, no anxiety, only the parents' wishes for their daughter's birthday.

"Lingzun Lingtang must have thrown out the luggage and papers inside, and put the doll and this letter inside."

The old gentleman looked at the tearful Kotomi gently, and said in a proud tone.

"Your parents have dedicated their lives to describing the composition of the world in as beautiful, pure and concise language as possible, but I have never seen a more beautiful word than this letter."

His eyes were slightly moist.

"Your parents, until the end, are praying for your happiness."

Kotomi stretched out her hand and carefully picked up the puppet like a fragile treasure.

"Dad, Mom..."

Holding the puppet in her arms, Kotomi closed her eyes and muttered.

"I've been waiting, crying alone at home..."

"Then, Tomoya-kun came to pick me up..."

"Also, I have made many, many good friends, all of whom are very gentle people who take great care of me..."

"It's sad and sad, but it's okay to have everyone around..."

"I'm very happy now, very, very happy..."

"So, so what..."

Opening her moist eyes, Kotomi looked at the puppet in her arms, trying to squeeze a smile out of her face, which was already about to cry.

"Dad, Mom, welcome back..."

Two lines of tears flowed uncontrollably.

———————————— dividing line————————————

Standing in the hallway outside the department, I leaned on the windowsill and looked at the students downstairs who were bustling with activity celebrating the anniversary of the founding fathers.

"Ah~"

He let out a long sigh holding his chin.

Kotomi's heart knot for many years has finally been untied, well... That's what parental love feels like, right?

"What are you doing here?"

"Apricots? Yes! Thank you," I looked at her in surprise as I took the hot tea handed over by Xing, "You are, aren't you going back?" ”

He pointed to the department that was happily holding Kotomi's birthday party inside.

"It's just that you come out to breathe, but why are you sighing here like a little old man."

"It's not that exaggerated, where do I look like a little old man?"

Blowing on the steaming surface of the water, I took a sip of tea.

"Hehe, that's what it looks like."

"Is it..."

“…”

“…”

Xing quietly stared at my side, was silent for a moment, and asked.

“… What's wrong with you? ”

"Huh?"

"Normally, I would try my best to refute it, right? How did you become so weak now? ”

"Really?" Feeling the heat coming from the cup, I looked at the endless sky, "It's just a little sigh." ”

"Do you mean Kotomi's business?"

"It's really hard to imagine that just by this sentence, a box traveled around the world, and finally returned to its original owner?"

I didn't answer Apricot's question, I said it like I was talking to myself.

"You can't make a mistake in any part of the process, and you don't even have a chance to do it all over again."

"Those who were willing to help understood the affection of Kotomi's parents for their daughter, and so the miracle continued."

"It's really amazing how family can resonate with people from so many different countries, languages, and faiths."

As I drank my tea, I said something very different from my usual words.

"That's why it's called a miracle, isn't it?"

"Huh?!"

"I can't understand everything I said to you," Kyoko smiled softly after thinking about it, "but isn't it enough for Kotomi to laugh again?" ”

"Laughing..."

"For children, no matter whether they grow up or find their other half, parents will always be the most important person who cannot be replaced."

“…”

"Compared with other feelings, family affection itself is the purest and most impurity feeling."

"Apricot..."

"What? He looked at me in surprise. ”

"Would you say such philosophical things?"

"What a faux pas, do you kid want to cry right now?"

"I'm sorry, but that one spared me." Hurriedly apologizing to Xing, who had already begun to rub her fists, she folded her hands and apologized, and I smiled wryly, "Is it okay to leave me alone?" ”

"You... I know, I'll come in when I'm done, you know? ”

"Hmm."

The world is beautiful.

Looking at the crowd downstairs, I remembered once again the words of Kotomi's parents in the letter they wrote to her.

Miracle?

Perhaps it is precisely because parents love their daughters deeply and parents believe in the world, or perhaps it is this affection that can resonate with people and cause such miracles.