Disclaimer: All credit goes to Shingo Nanami and フクロウ. Enjoy.

子守

Babysitting

Part One

Kasane x Inuchiyo

"I beg you, please!"

Kasane shrank away from the imploring woman in front of her.*

"I-I understand…"

"Really!? You really saved me there!"

Unable to refuse the maid's request, Kasane nodded.

"Then for today, please watch this child."

The maid said as she gently pushed the small boy who hide behind her back. The young boy was around the age of 3~4 years old and was gazing up at Kasane with curious eyes.

What she was imploring to Kasane moments before was to watch over this young lad.

"Sorry if this is rude, but is this child yours...?"

The maid who entrusted the boy to her had to be around her 40s.

But this child is around 4 years old.

"No, this child is my younger sister's son…. It's just that she and her husband had passed away recently."

"Eh…"

"My husband and I were never blessed with children so we decided to adopt him as a memento of my sister. That's why, just for today, I wanted you to look after him whil I get permission from Hayashi-sama."

"From Hayashi-san?"

"Since my brother in law is distantly related to Hayashi-sama who happens to be head of the chief retainer, I have to get his permission in order to adopt this child."

"I-I see…! T-then good luck…! ! I hope you will be able to adopt him! !"

Touched by the maid's story Kasane cried as she cheered for the woman.

"T-thank you. Them I shall leave this child with you." The maid said as she left.

Sniffling, she watched the maid walk away and after the figure disappeared to crouched down and faced the boy at his eye level.

"Hello! I'm Kasane. What's your name?"

Kasane asked in a very gentle manner.

At this age, there are many children who are extremely shy around people.

Therefore, it's best to not be too oppressive, but rather friendly and gentle.

"...Suekichi."

"So you're Suekichi-kun!"

Even though perplexed, the little body answered, Kasane smiled in response.

Seeing that smile, Suekichi relaxed a little and faintly smiled as well.

Kasane became happy at his response.

So cute~.

It made her remember the time when Kotetsu and Masamune were really young.

It activated her motherly instincts.

"Just for today think of me as your mom, so tell me anything, okay!"

As one who is also an orphan, Kasane strongly empathized the boy and the emotion to get along with him grew stronger.

Suekichi happily nodded with a small modest bob of his head.

"...Girl."

At that time a low and familiar voice rang out from behind, Kasane turned around.

"Tono-sama?"

Blankly glancing at Kasane and the child next to her, Nobunaga scowled.

"...Who's that brat?"

He suddenly raised a question to her.

"Ah, this child? One of the maids requested me to watch over him for a day. He's called Suekichi-kun."

"...So you've stuck your head into another troublesome task…"

Nobunaga murmured in a tone where she couldn't differentiate from amazement to astonishment.

"...Anyway it feels like you're a bit farther away than usual."

Kasane wondered at his subtle distance. Usually he would suddenly sidle up to you and look down at you, but today he kept his distance.

And somehow, he was acting weird. Earlier he was acting unusually restless.

"Could it be, you're not good with kids…"

"I hate brats."

Without sparing a hair of a second to her question, Nobunaga snapped.

Even his usual grim face warped into an even more unpleasant expression.

"I do not like their limitless reliance on people. Thier flattering nature that seems to sell their innocence only annoys me."

"Those eyes are only going to traumatize him, so please stop…"

With a cold glare, he matched her gaze and told them his reason.

The frightened Suekichi hid behind her back.

"When I was at his age, I was mainly serious."

"...Ah, ha, ha! Yep, you were seriously not cute back then!"

Imagining him in his childhood, Kasane dryly laughed.

There's no mistake, he must have been a really impertinent little boy.

"...At any rate, I wasn't overly concerned with strange things."

With sharp crimson eyes, he sent a condemning gaze down at Kasane.

"As long as we don't bother you, it should be fine, right! Let's go, Suekichi!"

Pulling his small hand, he left the area.

Judging that Kasane wouldn't listen to him, Nobunaga remained silent and turned his heel and left to his room.

TBC

*It said here that she pleaded as if in prayer.

Poor Inuchiyo has only three stories, so I meant to put this up later... But after focusing all those stories on Nobunaga and because I need to put some stories in chronological order, I decided to translate this. Well then, I hope everyone has an enjoyable day, and see you all next week!