I became a primary school student.

Everything was sparkling new: my brand-new school bag, pencil case, indoor shoes, gym clothes, recorder, textbooks...

It all felt so fresh and shiny.

The entrance ceremony.

Naturally, Dad was behind the video camera, while Mom fought back tears.

In front of a sign that read "Entrance Ceremony," the three of us posed for a commemorative photo.

The ceremony ended by mid-morning.

It had been a while since the three of us had lunch together on a weekday.

I ran around the house with my school bag and hat still on.

Lunch was "chirashi sushi".

Of course, Mom made it herself.

It was filled with a variety of seafood, and I couldn't stop eating.

When my stomach was full, it was nap time.

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Mom and Dad were drinking coffee and laughing together.

...I felt happy.

In the evening, we watched my favorite anime.

It was a new magical girl show, but it was also adorable!

"Since I'm preparing dinner, why don't you two go take a bath first?" Mom's voice called out, and I went to the bath with Dad.

Dad looked at me and whispered gently, "You've grown so much."

"But you still need to learn how to wash properly!" he said as he washed me.

As we sat in the tub together, he seemed a little lonely as he said, "I wonder how long we'll be able to take baths together..."

After the bath, dinner was ready.

"Today is a celebration, so we're having sukiyaki!"

At night, I returned to my room.

The brand-new desk was a gift for starting school and from my grandfather.

On top of the desk, my textbooks and other materials were neatly arranged.

And there was a bundle of slightly smudged photocopy paper.

It was a novel written by Dad.

I loved this novel. I read it over and over again.

Even though there were some kanji characters I didn't understand, I kept asking Dad about them, so I shouldn't have any problems with Japanese from now on.

The beginning of the novel Dad wrote went like this:

"In the year 1608 of the solar calendar, in the Ya-Ga Kingdom.

This kingdom, known as the 'Desert Kingdom,' was a military nation based around an oasis in the middle of the desert..."

Something like that.

Up until now, Mom had been reading and researching stories like Momotaro, and Dad wrote this novel because "fantasy novels" were all they could find.

The story follows a princess of the kingdom who is kidnapped by demons, a hero who gathers various companions and embarks on adventures, and a showdown with the Demon King...

It was a cliché story, but to "me at that time," it was a whole new world.

That's why I kept reading it over and over again.

I felt excited, laughed, got nervous, and cried at the end. No matter how many times I read it, the same emotions overflowed.

School starts tomorrow... I have to go to bed early...

Unbeknownst to me, a faint light was emanating from the stack of photocopy paper on the desk...