The girl spent the next hour and a half with the baby. When evening came and it was dark outside, they looked at the snow that was falling heavily. The ground and sidewalks were already covered in white, and it seemed to her that the child herself wanted to go outside to see the evening beauties of Tokyo in the "gulch of the city."

"Do you want to go outside?" gently asked Yumiko.

"Uh-huh... But it might be scary out there."

"Are you afraid, Yoshiro-kun?"

"No, sis, I'm not. The view from the window draws me outside, to see the city under the snowfall."

Yumiko looked outside again. She looked at the lights shining and moving all over the street. Looking to her right, Yumiko noticed the glowing city posters displayed on the walls of the skyscrapers all over the street. The people walking on the sidewalks, on the other hand, had a cheerful look because of the snowfall.

"Smart boy."

After a brief pause, the maiden rose and held out her hand to the child.

"Do you want to go for a walk?"

After thinking about it, the worried boy nodded and sloppily took her hand and they walked to the hallway together. The boy took his boots from the shoe rack, while Yumiko put on her jacket. Remembering that she hadn't brought her jacket with her, for she hadn't guessed this outcome, Yumiko decided to borrow Glenn's extra jacket for the evening. But she didn't succeed in that either - there were no jackets, male or female, in the clothing shelf.

"What am I going to do... No jacket, and I don't know Glenn-kun's number to call."

Yumiko tried to find a solution, but as a result she couldn't think of anything.

"Bummer," she said, sadly.

"Sis, didn't you bring a jacket with you...?" asked Yoshiro, wearing an insulated jacket.

"Don't worry about me," the maiden replied peacefully, not to grieve, and stroked the boy's head. "Sis is perfectly fine. Come on, let's go out."

"That boy... He looks something like me."

Then Ryou saw Yoshiro for the first time, sitting in the corner, waiting for the door to the entryway to open.

"What if we hadn't come? Would he have lain there all night, alone, in silence? Or would he have gone into the entryway of the apartment and waited there if the resident opened the front door?"

Ryou was unhappy with the boy's sullen appearance. The lifeless, family-fighting eyes spoke for themselves-the child was upset.

"He's been upset by his stupid parents!" he shouted in his thoughts. "If it weren't for their adult antics, the child would still be happy! Why do adults' problems always have to involve children's lives?"

This was exactly what he was like with the boy sitting in the corner. Waiting to be rescued, he himself didn't know what he had found adventure on his head for. If he had not run away, there would have been no problem. But the kid ran away, and no one could blame him for that.

"He made the right choice."

Like all children, the boy desired only reciprocal joy from adults, whether family or relatives, acquaintances or strangers. The boy desired attention. Affection, love, happiness at the sight of happy people. The boy desired it all reflexively, without even thinking.

"I couldn't help him...Yumiko Sato, Glenn Zaliman...they work hard, but why can't I? Out of nowhere and completely spontaneously, I made new acquaintances. But that didn't save me from loneliness. I found the desire to help someone sincerely. But it didn't work out for me. I am powerless."

This sunset, overcast weather prevailed outside, heralding a rare natural phenomenon: spring snow.

"Is the weather expected to worsen?" said Ryou, looking up at the sky at the school's front door.

"The weather forecast predicted snow," Glenn's faint voice answered him, disappearing from his hearing area. "The important thing is that Yumiko came out without her jacket."

"I don't have time to remember."

"I have to go," Ryou stated confidently, looking at his reflection from the mirror in his room.

As she stepped outside, Yumiko instantly noticed the difference in temperature: a sweltering coldness came over her, causing her to temporarily lose her sense of touch. The boy, on the other hand, happily began to run in a circle, throwing the snow accumulated on the playground with his hands. Yumiko opened her eyes, and taking a couple of steps forward, looked back at the person standing five meters away from her, and not recognizing the stranger by his winter, dark uniform, she looked back at his face.

The stranger turned out to be Ryou, humbly awaiting her arrival, and his eyes reverberated with shades of anger.

"You're not wearing a jacket."

"Oh... yes."

The young man silently handed her the man's jacket he'd been holding on to all along. Now, his eyes began to reverberate with embarrassment and didn't look angry at all.

"Put the jacket on already, dummy," Ryou added in an awkward voice.

Yumiko slowly stepped closer to his outstretched hand and accepted his jacket. Bowing her head, she put it on next. It turned out to be a coat made of quality leather, but unfortunately it turned out to be long for a fragile girl.

"It's long..."

"At least you won't get cold."

"Uh-huh. Thank you very much, Hayashi-kun."

"Enough with the formalities..." he replied with passive aggression, rolling his eyes. "No, nothing."

Ryou got a lump of snow molded into his head by Yoshiro. He pointed his finger angrily in his direction, challenging the young man to a snowflake shooting match with his gaze.

"Stop upsetting sis!"

"Well hang in there!" played along with the boy Ryou, assuring himself that it was by these actions that he could help Yumiko cope with his task, and yes, make the boy happy by making him forget his frustrations for at least this moment. "No one has ever beaten me to a snowflake yet!"

"It's not a game for laughs, it's a bet to a girl!" - the boy replied, taking a swing at Ryou.

Ryou stopped abruptly after the child's lips, and was confused.

"At the girl?! I mean, Sato-chan...?"

Suddenly, for the young man, a precise shot from Yoshiro flew across his face. Coming to his senses from the cold snow, he continued to have fun with the boy.

"Doesn't count, you cheated."

"I tactfully took advantage of the verbal advantage!"

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Yumiko was made happy by this picture of the boy and young man playing amicably. From her side, she saw her classmate amusing the boy to see the joy on his baby face. Ryou began to seem a friendlier and kinder person to the maiden.

-

Soon, as they strolled along the main streets, the middle of which had the name "the throat of the city," Yoshiro's gloomy thoughts disappeared under the falling snowflakes. The boy genuinely enjoyed their time walking.

As Ryou was walking, looking at the various kinds of establishments whose entrances were illuminated with bright diodes, a phone call came in. As he picked up the phone, he answered in a quiet voice to his companion, whose words could not be heard by Yumiko and Yoshiro in front.

"I'm following Yumiko now. Soon, I think, we will reach the checkpoint. Have you got everything ready to meet them? I see, I hear you."

The snow didn't dare to stop. It kept falling, time after time. It calmed the girl, because she couldn't have known how enchanting spring snow could be under the cover of twilight and city lights.

They spent the next time looking around the road, peering occasionally at local restaurants of the highest caliber. The architecture lined up in Tokyo over the years of excellence in the fields of technology and modernity fascinated Yumiko. She did not believe that just walking through the streets could be fascinating and carry weight in the lives of young people who spent eternal time in such places. It seemed that the innocent maiden began to upgrade her outlook on life in stages.

Eventually, they reached the central park, in the middle of which stood the ferris wheel, lit by floating diodes. Under the captivity of floodlights from everywhere, the entire park was illuminated as well. There were many entertaining things in the park that the boy had wished to go to before, and on this day it seemed to him that his wishes would finally come true. Yumiko was taking care of all of the boy's expenses, leaving only his choice to go to any of the rides.

"Ah, what to choose... What would be so entertaining to choose! I like everything here!"

"You can choose anything you like. This time your sister will pay for your every whim."

"You can't do that, sis, otherwise you will be left without money!"

"In that case ... take away the least desirable and choose your favorites."

"Carousel!" immediately yelled out Yoshiro, pointing at the mischievous carousel.

And like that, they rode in the places Yoshiro had chosen. Ryou, who refused to participate, only humbly awaited their arrival. Having ridden the most entertaining rides, the boy got a little tired and could not choose where else to go.

"Let's go to the Ferris wheel. You will be able to see all of Tokyo when our booth reaches the very top."

Yoshiro did not refuse her offer, and the last attraction they got into felt completely different for a child: he did not want their slow flight to end.

"Did you enjoy our walk?" Yumiko wondered calmly.

"And you, little sister?"

"Very. I was finally able to realize how wonderful a seemingly ordinary time in the city can be. This city is shocking with its beauty."

"Then I liked it too! And that silent uncle, perhaps, liked it as much as we did. I still like it!"

"This uncle is a good guy. He does his best to help us, even if he does not openly show his feelings."

"Yes. To tell you the truth, sis, I really liked it. I'm very happy."

Yumiko was slightly moved by his response and covered her mouth with her hand.

As she felt a warm sensation, she saw a hidden part of herself in the boy. She smiled, glad that she could make him happy.

"That's why I trust you, little sister, but you should also show your feelings"" the child answered her, not at all embarrassed. "You attract people without knowing it!"

"Really? Is it really visible on the surface...? Children nowadays are so clever."

Yoshiro lowered his gaze and the tone of his voice dropped, as if something was upsetting him.

"I want to apologize. You've spent so much time on me, you've been stinging… To tell the truth, I thought from the very beginning that my leaving home was a bad idea even in a state of anger."

"Nothing. Everyone makes mistakes because of emotional outbursts. This cannot be taken away from a person."

"It hurt me when my father shouted at my mother. It hurt when he yelled at me. Honestly, on the one hand, I think that their quarrels started because of me..."

"Nonsense, it's not your fault. Leave the case of the elders to the elders. Remembering the children, any family will forget the insults."

Although, a completely different story happened to Yumiko's family. She was not valued as much as every normal parent values their children.

"And I'm sure your father and mother love you!"

"Little sister... What else can I do? I have never wanted and will never want a family breakup."

Yumiko stroked the child's head and sincerely smiled a warm smile. To Yoshiro, she seemed like an older sister who would always protect.

"You're going to be fine."

The boy accepted Yumiko's consolation. He was glad to be helped at the right time. So, the boy was not lost in the darkness of his thoughts, which he was so afraid of, and resisted depression, tuning in to lighter things.

Yumiko pointed her finger out the window.

"Just look at it! That's what I was talking about."

Looking out of the window, the boy saw a fascinating view from the top peak of the Ferris Wheel, from where the whole glowing city was visible as on the palms of his hands. The boy had no idea how multifaceted and massive Tokyo is. Yoshiro concluded that he would never forget this view of the earth, even from the Wheel.

Coming out of the booth, the child met the eyes of a stranger standing in front of him with a thin face and unruly hair. The gaze of a confused Yoshiro pierced the heart of this stranger, and he lowered his frustrated gaze. The man's hands were shaking, and his body was pricking, he was not sure of his ability to put forward a phrase to start a dialogue.

Looking up, he repented before the boy. The stranger turned out to be Yoshiro's father, who was called by Glenn and Masumi. They looked at this scene from under a dark corner, hoping for a better outcome.

Yumiko, realizing that an unforeseen situation had happened for her, which was not part of her plan, decided not to budge. She didn't know that Glenn had other thoughts about their plan. Yumiko, on the other hand, wanted to give the child to the family on the day when the boy himself would want to return home.

She thought peacefully that it seemed her plans were cut short on a good note, forgiving Glenn for being selfish for the good of the child.

"I've been looking for you for so long..." my father repeated guiltily. "So many mother's tears were shed. So many of my nerves..."

"I'm sorry, Dad."

"Please don't apologize... It's me who should ask for an apology, from the very moment I waved my hand at your mother."

The boy didn't say anything, and the father sloppily sat down on his knees.

"Being a father, I couldn't find out where you are. I'm sorry about that."

"My elders have been helping me all this time."

"I know. I thank them."

"Dad, you didn't miss work, did you?"

"To hell with my job. I despise myself for not being able to create a perfect family for my son, and as a result, my laziness led to the partial disintegration of the family. Work has worsened our relationship. All these managers, buyers, administration… To hell with all this, I want to see my son's joyful look every day!"

Raising his head and looking at his son's worried and upset face, the father lowered his hands.

"But I can't even give you the joy that would gift a smile. I don't want to impose false joy on you. I don't want any more fake relationships in the family. Please, son, come home."

"Why do you repent, Dad...?"

"Because I don't deserve to be forgiven… However, I promise to improve. Please give me one last chance!"

"What can I do," the son answers, and with a strong sigh and a serious look he turns to his father and points at him with his finger. "I've already spent all my tears over the past few days being hugged by a beautiful girl like my mom! That's why I won't cry. So, father, please. Get up from your seat... let's start all over again and forget about the insults."

The boy's bitter look changed to a satisfied one and he smiled sincerely. Yoshiro was glad that he was finally able to talk to his father and discuss his positions openly, not through physical force.

Shocked by the words of his little son, the father automatically stretched out his arms to him, and Yoshiro immediately threw the desired hugs. His father received him with open arms. At that moment, the father began to cry, thereby throwing out his emotions accumulated over four days, and at the same time sincerely rejoiced at the return of his son.

"Dad, please stop beating Mom. Her beautiful face does not deserve such treatment."

"Yes, I give a man's word."

Ryou, who was standing next to the teacher and Glenn, looked at this scene with same concern just like theirs. He was happy with a family reunion. Inside, he wanted the same thing, because the situation with the boy was similar to Ryou's. Both ran away from home because of family problems and both wandered in a storm of emotions up to a certain point. The young man realized that he was also rescued from the depths of these emotions by Yumiko, who asked him to go outside, and he thanked the girl for the support she gave him.