"…within the core of each of us is the child we once were. This child constitutes the foundation of what we have become, who we are, and what we will be."
Neuroscientist, Dr. R. Joseph
4 years old
She sits silently on the floor as she begins to open the book in front of her. Her eyes caught on to a picture of a baby duck with its mother swimming in the pond. She stares at it intently before breaking out into a huge grin. Her chubby hands point to the picture in front of her before exclaiming 'Duck!' gaining the attention of her mother. Her mother, sitting on the bench near her, squeals in delight at hearing her daughter say such an adorable word. [1]
She turns to her mother, who was still gushing over her daughter, before she smiles again. Her attention was quickly diverted when her mother started to pick her up and place her on the bench next to her. She looks at her mother confusingly and her mother just smiles.
"Look, Mizu-Chan,"
She extends her hand and points to the sandbox. She follows her mother's command and looks towards the sandbox. There was a young boy that looked like her age with brown hair wearing an orange shirt and blue shorts playing by himself with his back to her. She smiles, happy to know that someone else was there to play with her. She jumps down the bench with her arms spread to the side to keep her balance. She turns back with the ever present smile on her chubby face.
"Mama, can I go play with him?"
Her mother squeals again and nods.
"Be sure to be back here before the sun sets. Alright Mizu-Chan?"
Her mother instructs and she nods happily. Her mother smiles and it only took that small command for her to go running towards the young boy on the sandbox.
Once she arrives at the sandbox. She stares at his back curiously before tapping his left shoulder to gain his attention. The young boy, who has sepia colored eyes, turns and stares at the girl in front of him.
"Yo! My name is Darkrai Mizuki. What's yours?"
"S-Sawada Tsunayoshi."
"Tsunayoshi-kun," She tests his name and shakes her head no. "That's too long! Can we shorten it?"
Tsunayoshi blushes before nodding. She exclaims happily before crossing her arms in front of her chest and she closes her eyes to think. Tsunayoshi wonders briefly if she was alright but when that thought passes his head. She opens her eyes with a small glint in them.
"How about Tsunayo-kun?"
Tsunayoshi sweat drops and laughs nervously. He did not like that nickname.
"M-my mom calls me Tsu-kun…"
He lets the sentence hang and she quickly catches on.
"Then I'll call you Tsu-kun, Tsunayoshi! Call me Mizu-Chan if you like!"
"O-okay."
"Good, can I play with you Tsu-kun?"
He nods shyly and pats the ground next to him and she sits down. She smiles happily at the brown headed boy, happy to have meet Sawada Tsunayoshi
[1] It seems that when you're young. Anything you say is automatically cute C: