Chapter 26: Hanamaru Kindergarten!
Finding a daily job wasn't easy. After searching all afternoon, Yuta still hadn't found anything suitable.
Some jobs had hours that were too long, while others were too far away. Trying to earn enough to support four people in a short period of time seemed unrealistic.
With the start of the new school term approaching, the challenges would only increase.
Sora and Miu's schools were far from where they lived, requiring two to three hours of travel by bus. Plus, once school started, there would be even more expenses.
Feeling a bit down, Yuta returned home and was first greeted by Hina.
"Uncle's back~ Welcome home, Uncle~"
Hina hugged Yuta's legs, looked up at him with a bright smile, and sweetly welcomed him home, offering a bit of relief.
Yuta felt much better; no matter how big the problems, there's always a way to solve them!
"Hina, you've worked hard at home too. Once my manuscript payment comes in, how about I take you to the zoo to see the pandas?" Even though he was exhausted, Yuta still picked up Hina, knowing that this was the best way to recover from a day of running around.
Hina eagerly agreed, "Yes! I really want to go to the zoo~"
Sora and Miu were also home, and as Hina was talking to Yuta, the two of them walked over.
The apartment wasn't very large, so you could see each other as soon as you entered.
Sora shyly spoke to Yuta, "Uncle, about this morning..."
"It's okay, I made a grown-up joke. The more you talk about that sort of thing, the worse it gets. I'm sorry I said something inappropriate for a young lady." Yuta wasn't upset and understood that girls are often more sensitive, so he took the initiative to apologize.
After all, they weren't just anyone—they were family. What harm was there in Yuta being a bit more accommodating?
Besides, it really was inappropriate to talk about certain things with girls.
Miu, knowing that Yuta was someone who easily compromised, quickly said, "Big brother, we've discussed it, and we've reduced the hour to ten minutes. That should be okay, right?"
Ten minutes was reasonable. The bathroom wouldn't be occupied all the time.
For a guy, ten minutes alone wasn't a big deal.
Yuta knew it wasn't the time to go into detail on this topic. The more you think about these things, the harder they are to discuss.
"Alright, let's talk about what you've been up to lately. The new school term is about to start, and I'll be busier once classes begin. You two will be starting school soon as well; have you fallen behind in your studies?"
Because of their parents' passing, Yuta hadn't brought up schoolwork in the past few days. Now that everyone was starting to move past the initial grief, it was time to help the two of them catch up on their studies.
After hearing Yuta mention schoolwork, Sora and Miu exchanged glances.
"Uncle, I want to stay home and take care of Hina," Sora said. She was worried about Hina and couldn't possibly let Yuta sacrifice his education to care for her. They already owed Yuta so much, and she felt the need to contribute in some way.
Sora was even willing to give up her own education for the sake of her younger sisters.
"No way!" Yuta rejected the idea decisively, looking at Sora with a serious expression. "I'll figure out the money situation. The manuscript payment should come in before school starts, and even if it's a little late, we can manage for a while."
Sora shook her head. "Uncle, you're already working so hard, and you need to attend college too. My grades are average, and I'm not even sure I can get into a university."
"You're going to continue your studies regardless! If your grades aren't good enough, I'll tutor you. This isn't up for debate. Just listen to me and do as I say!"
Yuta was adamant that, even if he had to drop out himself, he wouldn't let Sora or Miu leave school. Whether or not he attended college didn't matter—there were plenty of ways to make money. All he'd be missing out on was a diploma.
But Sora was only fourteen. If she didn't go to school, what would she do, stay home and raise a child?
Sure, there were many people in this country who didn't attend college, but they at least finished high school. Miu was still only a middle schooler!
"I'm going to make dinner. After we eat, you'll both get started on your summer homework! Hina and I will be right there watching!" Yuta set Hina down, gave a couple of instructions, and then headed to the kitchen.
Seeing how determined Yuta was, Miu turned to her sister and said, "Sis, big brother will figure something out. If you drop out, I'll be lonely going to school by myself."
Because they had moved, the distance to their previous school was long. Even though they went to different schools, they could still go and come back together. But if Miu were the only one attending school, she'd feel very uneasy.
No matter how mature she seemed, Miu was still just a ten-year-old girl.
Meanwhile...
Just as Yuta was contemplating how to solve their family problems, the system appeared!
[Ding!]
[A side quest has been unlocked. Side quests are optional, and there is no penalty for failure.]
[Hanamaru Kindergarten: You can now enroll Hina in the most suitable kindergarten. Completing the quest will grant you additional funds to cover Hina's kindergarten tuition and living expenses for one semester.]
[Quest Objective: Secure a job and fulfill the work requirements.]