After breakfast, I start getting ready for school.
I wash my face and brush my teeth while yawning.
At first glance, this seemed like an ordinary day, but with Niya watching my every move closely, I sensed a tension that wasn't there in normal mornings.
--Well, it's better for us to have them in a visible position rather than walking around strangely so that we don't have to worry unnecessarily.
Thanks to having woken up early today, I had more time than usual to get ready when the intercom at home rang.
When I looked into the camera, I saw Lina wearing her school uniform.
"Good morning. Sorry for calling so early."
"Hey! I'm fine!"
The conversation between me and Lina through the microphone proceeded as if Lina's morning visit had already been planned.
That's because last night when he had decided to take care of Niya temporarily, I have contacted Lina and asked her to take care of Niya's daily needs, such as changing her clothes, which is difficult for a man to do.
At that point, we had decided that Lina would come to our house first thing in the morning, and I couldn't sleep soundly knowing that she had woken up early and gotten ready before arriving.
I hang up the intercom, go to the front door to welcome Lina and open it.
"This really helps. Thank you."
"Well, we can't just leave it to Cherry."
Luna takes off her shoes and enters the house, saying, "Excuse me."
"So where is this girl?"
I immediately tried to find Niya to fulfill my role, but there was no need for that. Because Niya basically observes my actions, she was with me when I went to pick up Lina at the front door, and now she was hiding behind my back.
"She's here. , Anzu Niya is here."
As I spoke, Niya popped her head out from behind me.
"Good morning... Wait, Niya? Did you know her name?"
Come to think of it, I hadn't explained to Lina about Niya's name.
"Actually, while I was in this house, I was in trouble if I didn't have a name, so I thought of one. I had a mysterious white flower, so I called it Niya ."
"Hmm"
"Well, I suppose so. I wouldn't say it has no sense."
"No, I wouldn't say that, but... Cherry is your godfather... It seems like you've grown quite attached to him."
"What is it?"
"Nothing special?"
Lina's words suddenly became unclear and she seemed to bow her head slightly, but it was likely she was imagining something, as she looked at Niya with her usual expression.
"Anyway, it's nice to meet you again, Niya!"
"...!"
When Lina greeted her, she didn't say a word, in stark contrast to when she greeted me, and her face seemed a little tense and a little nervous.
"What's going on? Niya, are you shy or something?"
"Yeah, I saw you yesterday too."
"Well, forgive me. It seems like she doesn't know what to do... Oh, that's right."
I had an idea. From now on, I'll have Lina take care of Niya, and even though we've only known each other for a short time, I wonder if I can get her to remember my name as well?
With that thought in mind, I pointed at Lina and spoke to Niya.
"Niya, this is Li-na!"
"Hey, what are you doing, Cherry?"
Niya spoke up next to Lina, who seemed a little hesitant.
"Ah...Lih na?"
"....?"
It's no wonder that Lina is surprised when Niya suddenly calls her by her name, since until yesterday they hadn't even been able to communicate, let alone speak.
"Yes! It's Lina!"
"Li-na!"
Niya pointed at Lina and said her name.
"That's right! I'm Lina!"
Lina herself also points at herself and introduces herself to Niya.
"Lina! Lina!"
Niya pointed her finger and called out to Lina several times as if responding to Lina's self-introduction, then turned the finger towards herself.
"Niya!"
"Wait, that's so damn cute."
It seemed that Lina was touched by Niya's self-introduction, as her stiff expression relaxed and she smiled.
Once Niya and Lina had gotten to know each other, I left Niya's personal needs to Lina, such as getting her changed, while I finished getting ready for school by packing my study materials in my bag and putting on my uniform. By the time I'd finished getting ready, it was time to leave the house.
When she returned to the living room, Lina and Niya were standing next to eachother, but Niya's bedhead had been fixed and she had changed from her white dress into a loose, long-sleeved black and white striped dress.
"Lina, let's go now."
"That's right. Well then, Niya, I'm off!"
After telling Niya this, I headed to the entrance with Lina, and of course Niya was there too.
"Cherry, is it possible that Niya is trying to follow you?"
"...If we leave the house like this, Niya will definitely show up."
I could kind of predict this, but the problem was how to convey that Niya had to stay home alone...It would probably be difficult to get her to understand at this stage if I told her to stay home alone.
She is at the stage where she is learning words by pointing. However, if you point to her and tell her "house sitter," she might start calling her own name "house sitter."
"Hey Cherry, Lina. Take care."
While I was wondering what to do, my grandfather came to the entrance to see us off.
--That's right, I'll ask Grandpa to distract Niya and then we'll leave.
"Grandpa, is it alright?"
"Hmm? What is it?"
I whispered the plan to his grandpa and Lina so Niya can't hear - although, since Niya herself can barely understand a word they're saying, there's probably no need to whisper...
"I see... It's true that Niya can't go either. All right, leave it to me!"
Grandpa headed towards the living room and called out to Niya loudly.
"Hey, Niya! Come here!"
"...?"
Perhaps responding to Grandpa's words, "Niya," Niya headed toward the living room where Grandpa's voice had come from.
The moment I confirmed that Niya had turned her back on us and entered the living room...
"Okay, let's go, Lina!"
"Yes! And thank you for stopping by! I'm off now!"
And so, somehow Lina and I managed to leave the house without Niya finding out.