章 171: Teaching This Young One
I came to a conclusion that it should be better to convey this directly to Ein, to make him understand, rather than repeating the tiring cycle all over.
So, one day, I deliberately asked my friends to go without me first, and I deliberately came to find Ein.
"Big Sis Lyra! We're not playing tags anymore? Or could it be that you're "it" right now?"
...This child, as expected, he considered this as a game of tag! Hahaha... I should have known T__T
"Ein... I have something I'd like to talk with you about..."
Perhaps he noticed the serious expression I had on, Ein also showed a serious expression. Then, I narrated about the problem I found in his action so far. About how he should stop "observing" me as everyone surely has different talent and way of learning. About how he shouldn't just chase after me. And that he needed to socialize more with his other friends. I was afraid he'd be the outcast in his class, too.
I sighed in relief after telling him everything on my mind. Ein was still silent—I felt like he was still digesting the information I flooded him with.
But much to my surprise... Tears started to flow from his face!
"Huwaaa... I'm sorry, Big Sis! I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable! It's just... it's just... *hic*"
"U-uhm, it's okay, it's okay, I'm not angry... S-stop crying first and tell me what's wrong, okay?"
I tried to calm him down as I directed him to a place with less people... Uuuh, I'm not bullying a junior to the extent he cried, okay?!
"So... what is it, Ein?"
After Ein calmed down, I tried asking him again. Did my words hurt him? I tried my best to phrase my words so that it wouldn't hurt such a little child like him...
"I'm sorry, Big Sis... A-at first, it's true that I'm just curious of you... I want to know your secret or trick... But as I spend more time with you and your friends, I just feel like it's comfortable being with you guys... Especially with you, Big Sis Lyra... I feel like you're my real big sister..."
"Eh?"
In other words, he has forgotten his initial purpose of following me, and only tags along with me because he likes it?
"You're nice and very patient even if I don't try to act like a good kid... I don't really behave like this with other people... Just my mother, father, and... you. But I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable... I-I will behave myself from now on! S... so... don't hate me... please?"
His light blue eyes that were filled with tears looked up at me as I could feel his insecurity. I was taken aback for a moment that I didn't respond.
Perhaps Ein mistook it as a sign of refusal, as he suddenly added.
"I won't be tagging along with you anymore, I will try to be with my other classmates... so is it okay for me to talk with you at times?"
I felt so guilty for making him feel like this. In the first place, if it's not for the fact that I'm covering the secret of my past life and my being wary against his parents—it's not like he's that bothersome. He's like a cute little brother who follows me around. If only I don't need to watch my words and action...
Okay, I feel the need to amend his stalker-like action before he misunderstands that it's nothing weird.
"No, it's okay, Ein. I'm happy that you feel this way to me and my friends... But I'm sure your friends would want to spend time with you, too, right?"
"...? Not really... When I tried to talk with them before, I don't feel like I like them, and I don't feel like they like me as well..."
"...Eh?"
"T-that's why, I feel more comfortable hanging around with you and your friends, Big Sis..."
"...Don't tell me that you don't have any friend around your age?!"
"...No?"
"..."
My mind suddenly connected him with his mother, Nicole. I felt like it was strange that Nicole only stuck with me and Clyde—and I never saw her with the other people that often... Clyde's personality took after Nicole more...
Eh...
I sighed.
I don't have the heart to tell Ein to not approach me or my friends when I know he feels like we're his only friends.
But at the same time, I'm tired of putting up a pretense as my defense against Clyde and Nicole.
...
Eh, whatever!
Do I need to put up my defense at the expense of my suffering like this?
The hell with their suspicion on me!
I'm just a little child! Besides, there are also people with similarities although they're not related, right?
As long as I innocently pull my way through their suspicion, not admitting at all, so what?
I just realized that people could be suspicious of me all they wanted to, but as long as I didn't admit anything, they couldn't confirm it!!
Coincidences can happen, similar people can exist, so well yeah, who cares! Hahahahahaha!!
"It's okay, Ein. You can be with me and my friends."
In the end, I decided to just be myself and not be so wary in front of Ein. When I let myself be free in front of him like this, I could really see him as a cute little brother.
"Really? But you just said..."
"It's okay, I don't hate you or anything, Ein. I feel like you're my real little brother, so it's fine."
His eyes sparkled in delight.
"But..."
As I have accepted Ein as an existence that's like my own little brother... Then as his big sister, there's one thing I need to do. Teach him to keep his behavior in moderation.
Therefore, I tried my best to make him understand what the society called as "stalking" and the concept of "me time", and so on. And that it doesn't mean anything personal if I want to be left alone at times.
After making sure he understood the whole concept and promised to not overdo it, I took his hand as we walked to where my friends were waiting.
As expected, they were all surprised to see me and Ein being together like this... so I explained the whole thing to them.
Iris stared at Ein in pity—eh—I thought she pitied Ein after hearing how Ein might not have friends other than us.
In short, nobody objected to my decision of officially adopting Ein as—I meant, officially including Ein in our group of friends~
Yep, in the first place, I was the only one who put the whole suffering on myself.
Thus, I felt like another burden was lifted from my shoulders.
***
In the Loera residence...
"Eine, you look so happy today. Did something good happen?" Nicole noticed how her son seemed to be happy and wanted to share the good news.
Ein couldn't hide his happiness—after all, he felt like his big sis Lyra stopped playing tags with him and that he felt more accepted now.
"Nothing, it's just that I'm happy I can get along well with Big Sis Lyra and the others!"
"Really?"
"Yeah, they're the friends I like, Mum!"
Upon learning that, Nicole sighed in relief.
She was worried for her son at first, because her son was so similar to her. The [Oracle] he inherited was also quite strong. She understood more than anyone that it would make her different from the others. This became more apparent when they finally enrolled in school. What the others deemed hard was easy to her. When she was a child, she kinda ridiculed the other children her age because of it, and as a result, she didn't have many friends.
She was able to be friends with Clyde back then because she deemed him worthy enough to be her rival in a certain field... and Reinst because she was calm unlike the other children. This sparked her interest in Reinst, so she kinda followed Reinst. Nicole was glad because Reinst didn't have that much reaction—no refusal, nor acceptance. So she was quite determined to turn this "no reaction" from Reinst into "acceptance". Sadly, she failed before that could come to fruition.
This time, Ein seemed to be doing fine with Lyra that sparked his interest—and that he was able to be friends with Lyra's friends as well.
It seemed like her son did better than her back then. Was this due to the fact that her son also inherited some of Clyde's personality? At any rate, Clyde's better than her for socializing.
If only Lyra/Reinst remembered well about Nicole and didn't just 'half-ignore' her back then... She would surely scream at Ein and Nicole, "Really like mother, like son!"
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LynneSuzuran
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