THE ENZAI 2026

This happened just before noon the other day, on a train heading from JR Yotsuya to Ochanomizu.

Sitting in the seat opposite me was a mother and her daughter (about three years old), and the girl was happily eating some Jagariko.

"Mommy, I'm done eating."
"Okay. That's all for now."
"Nooooo!"

The girl let out a cry like it was the end of the world.
I couldn't help but smile at the gap between her mood while eating and after finishing.

The mother reached out to take the empty container. The girl shook her head slightly and protested.

"No. I didn't actually eat it."

Then she pointed at me and said it clearly.

"That man ate it."

Why me?

"What are you saying so loudly! I am so sorry!"

The mother scolded the girl. She apologized to me in a panic.
I gestured with a smile that it was fine.
Kids say weird lies on the spur of the moment when they're flustered, don't they? It can't be helped. I've been there too.
The girl sulked after finishing her snack.

"Here, drink this."

When the mother took a paper carton of apple juice out of her bag, the girl's face lit up.

"Drink it quietly so you don't spill it."

She replied with a nod and drank the juice while kicking her little legs back and forth.

……And a few minutes later.

"Mommy, I'm done drinking."
"Okay. That's all for now."
"Nooooo!"

The mother reached out to take the paper carton. The girl shook her head slightly and protested again.

"No. I didn't actually drink it."

Then she pointed at me and whispered.

"That man drank it."


It wasn't the volume of her voice that the mother should have been scolding her for.