Time's Story: 1
The start of Time's summer adventure is finally here!
Well then, here we go!!
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・Opening scene: In the car on the way to Grandma's house
When I lie down on the wide seat in the back of the car, it feels like the world has turned upside down.
The scenery visible from the window also looks completely topsy-turvy, and I can't tell which way is up or down.
It's even stranger when I keep lying down and press my feet against the ceiling. Now it feels like front and back have been swapped around too.
Even though I feel like I'm firmly stepping on the ground with the soles of my feet, unlike when I'm standing normally, there's no weight. It feels like I've become an astronaut who has arrived on the moon.
“Astronaut, Time Takahara. Heading now to the Doinaka Nebula, Planet Grandma!”
I shout loudly in play, kicking the car ceiling over and over with my floating feet.
“Hey, Time! That's enough!”
“Okaaaay.”
“Is that any way to answer? You're going to be a big brother soon, you know.”
“——Yes!”
I answer my angry father, sit back up, and this time fasten my seatbelt securely.
(Geez, what is it... It's not like I wanted to become a big brother!)
I hold back the urge to say that and pull my game console out of my large shoulder bag.
Time is a fifth grader, and today was the first day of summer vacation.
If things were normal, I would have gone to the pool with my friends from the morning, and on the way back, I'd be sucking on a popsicle at 'Sumiya,' the candy store behind the main street, while clearing game quests with everyone, but that wasn't the case.
Quite the opposite, Time was heading to his grandmother's house alone—or, to be precise, with his father who was driving the car.
(Ugh, why do I have to go to a place like that all by myself...)
A baby was going to be born in Time's house soon. In other words, Time was going to have a younger brother or sister.
His mother's belly kept getting bigger, but because she wasn't very strong, she had been hospitalized long before the due date.
For a while after that, he lived alone with his father.
This was a happy thing for Time; during the time between coming home from school and his father returning, there was no one to nag or scold him, so he could watch TV, play games, and do whatever he liked.
At first, his father made the food, but he was busy with work, so it eventually turned into convenience store bento boxes and pizza delivery, and recently, he even had meals consisting of just bread and snacks.
It might not be good for his health, but being able to eat and drink whatever he wanted without his mother warning him was an indescribable happiness.
However, the first semester ended and summer vacation began, and those fun days came to an end.
It was decided that they couldn't leave an elementary school student home alone for the entire summer vacation, and for that reason, Time was now heading to his grandmother's house with his father.
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It's a bit strange to have a new younger sibling.
Well then, look forward to the next installment!
Rui Kobayashi