"Oji-san?" Subaru looked down to see a young girl, probably of nine or ten, tugging at his sleeve. "Why are you sad?"
"Huh?" Subaru said blinking down at her.
"Why are you sad? Don't you have any friends?"
"Why do you think I'm sad?" Subaru asked, uncomfortably. He didn't really know how to act around small children, especially nosy ones.
"Your eyes. My mama says eyes are the window to the soul," she said, looking at him seriously. "And your eyes are really dark. But right now it's Christmas, and you should be with your friends!"
Subaru just blinked at her, wondering how a ten-year-old could be so insightful. "Don't you have any friends?"
Subaru had to pause for a moment to think. "Yeah...yeah, I guess I do."
The girl charged on. "Well, I was really sad for awhile cause I didn't have any friends, but then I got some, so I'm really happy!" She made a victory sign. "But if you have friends, you should spend the holidays with them! I'm sure they're really worried, and if they're true friends, they'll always be there for you!"
Subaru blinked again. "...But they don't understand..."
"That doesn't matter!" she said, now shaking a finger in his face as if he was the child, and she the adult. "They still care about you! And you should buy them some gifts! And if you have a girl friend, or someone who likes you, you should buy her something extra special!" She beamed, as if she had just launched a successful mission to Mars.
She's right, Subaru thought. I've probably got poor Kamui worried to death... and I'm supposed to protect him...Kamui...
"...What should I get someone who likes me?" Subaru asked after a moment, leaning over towards her.
She giggled. "Well, most girls like jewelry an' diamonds and stuff...but she won't care, cause it's coming from you and she'll know you're thinking of her."
Subaru gave a brief, rare smile then, and although it still held pain, there was a bit of understanding, too. He stood up and took a few steps, intending to go shopping, then realized he should thank the girl. But when he turned around, she was gone.
Odd...wonder how she disappeared so fast. Oh, well, I should go find the others presents...especially Kamui.
One more smile, and then he set off down the street.
And I'll spend the holidays with my friends, this year, he decided.
"Huh?" Subaru said blinking down at her.
"Why are you sad? Don't you have any friends?"
"Why do you think I'm sad?" Subaru asked, uncomfortably. He didn't really know how to act around small children, especially nosy ones.
"Your eyes. My mama says eyes are the window to the soul," she said, looking at him seriously. "And your eyes are really dark. But right now it's Christmas, and you should be with your friends!"
Subaru just blinked at her, wondering how a ten-year-old could be so insightful. "Don't you have any friends?"
Subaru had to pause for a moment to think. "Yeah...yeah, I guess I do."
The girl charged on. "Well, I was really sad for awhile cause I didn't have any friends, but then I got some, so I'm really happy!" She made a victory sign. "But if you have friends, you should spend the holidays with them! I'm sure they're really worried, and if they're true friends, they'll always be there for you!"
Subaru blinked again. "...But they don't understand..."
"That doesn't matter!" she said, now shaking a finger in his face as if he was the child, and she the adult. "They still care about you! And you should buy them some gifts! And if you have a girl friend, or someone who likes you, you should buy her something extra special!" She beamed, as if she had just launched a successful mission to Mars.
She's right, Subaru thought. I've probably got poor Kamui worried to death... and I'm supposed to protect him...Kamui...
"...What should I get someone who likes me?" Subaru asked after a moment, leaning over towards her.
She giggled. "Well, most girls like jewelry an' diamonds and stuff...but she won't care, cause it's coming from you and she'll know you're thinking of her."
Subaru gave a brief, rare smile then, and although it still held pain, there was a bit of understanding, too. He stood up and took a few steps, intending to go shopping, then realized he should thank the girl. But when he turned around, she was gone.
Odd...wonder how she disappeared so fast. Oh, well, I should go find the others presents...especially Kamui.
One more smile, and then he set off down the street.
And I'll spend the holidays with my friends, this year, he decided.
