12 Mitso Hitomi

"Hey, why didn't you tell me there was such a beautiful girl in your class?" a boy exclaimed and nudged his elbow into his friend.

His friend looked at the girl and was momentarily stunned by her beauty. The girl's shiny black hair fell behind her shoulder. She sat elegantly in the chair, with her back straight, wearing black stockings as she crossed one leg over the other.

"Because she has a boyfriend," the friend said with bitterness. Although he knew that a girl this beautiful must have a boyfriend, he felt bitter that he never even got the chance to confess to the girl.

"Who? Who could be the boyfriend of this beautiful girl?" the boy asked.

"That... I don't know, but I heard from some girls that it's a college student. So forget about this girl," the friend said.

"It's a pity," the boy said, disappointedly shaking his head.

The girl in question was writing something in her book. When she finished, she put the book in her bag. Getting up from the chair, she left the classroom.

She noticed many boys' eyes on her, but she had gotten used to it. As she walked out of the school, made her way to the station, and got on the busy train, she traveled back home. On the train, she encountered a molestation attempt, but she swiftly broke the molester's wrist and reported him to the police.

After giving her statement to the police, she returned to her house. Upon entering, she immediately smelled something burning.

"Ashi!!" The girl panicked and rushed into the house. She ran to the kitchen, where she smelled a burning odor and saw that a small boy was trying to cook something on the stove, which had burned. The boy had his thumb in his mouth as he looked at the burnt food.

The boy heard a voice and turned to look at the girl. His expression changed as he said, "Nee-san... Sorry I burned it again," He bowed his head.

"You..." The girl walked over to her little brother and lightly hit him on the head. It was a gentle hit, but it would still sting. "Didn't I say not to use the stove without me?" She raised her voice as she scolded him.

"Sorry... I just wanted to make something for you," the boy said, feeling guilty as he lowered his head even more, his hand covering it.

Looking at her little brother, the girl sighed and pulled him into an embrace. "It's okay, but don't do this again without me. I'll teach you, so just don't do it alone again."

"Yes, I won't do it," the boy hugged her back and said.

The girl's name was Mitso Hitomi. She was living alone with her little brother after losing her father and mother in an accident.

In the bathtub, she was lying with her little brother in her embrace. He rested his head against her chest, and in his hand, he held a duck he was playing with.

"Nee-san, are you going to leave me?" the boy asked while still playing with the duck.

"Who said that?"

"Aunt said that after you graduate from high school, you will leave town for the university."

"Yes, but I'm not leaving you. You're coming with me, so don't worry. I will never leave you," Hitomi said as she hugged Asahi tightly.

"Hm, don't leave, okay? Never ever leave me alone," Asahi said, his body shaking.

"We will always be together, so don't worry. I will never leave you."

----

"Thank you very much for the past three years," Hitomi said as she bowed.

"Yeah, it wasn't a big deal, but are you sure you can handle things on your own?" The young man spoke. This young man had black hair and a handsome face. He looked at Hitomi and asked with concern.

"Yes, don't worry. If anything happens, I will call you," Hitomi smiled. The young man was her cousin brother, who had pretended to be her boyfriend once in front of her friends.

Her girlfriends spread this at school, which caused all the boys to back down from confessing to her.

"Little one, you have to protect your sister, okay?" The young man rubbed Asahi's head and spoke.

"Of course, as you taught me, if I spot any guy with my sister, I have to kick them in the balls," Asahi, behaving like a good child, nodded and held his sister tightly.

"No, what did you teach him?" Hitomi said as she looked at her cousin's brother.

"Haha, don't worry too much. If anything happens, your cousin brother is here, and there's also your cousin sister, aunt, and uncle. So don't feel too lonely and come to visit us from time to time, okay?" The young man said.

"Of course, I won't forget all the kindness Aunt and Uncle have shown. I will come to visit all of you soon," Hitomi smiled and bid farewell to the town where she grew up.