Anime Crossover : Living in the Heart of Tokyo

Hojou Kyousuke let out a sigh of relief.

Although he had acted nonchalant, ever since he noticed the connection between their class's song. 

The Monster's Ballad, and Nishimiya Shoko—the girl with a hearing impairment who was treated as an outcast by her classmates—he had been worried that Sakura's class might also have some dark, twisted nursery rhyme.

He knew just how grim Japanese nursery rhymes could be, filled with all sorts of bizarre and horrifying stories.

"Red Dragonfly? That's a good one. Among Japanese nursery rhymes, it's one of the few that's actually suitable for children."

"Kyousuke, you're saying things I don't understand again. It's all because you read so many books. It makes me look like an idiot!"

"Sakura, aren't you always an idiot?"

"You have to add 'beautiful' to that!"

"Beautiful airhead? Where did that nickname come from?"

"Don't you agree? Nicknames are just something people come up with, right? I'll give myself one, and you can start calling me that. Then it'll become official!"

By sixth grade, Sakura had already developed a perfectly self-consistent logic.

"Fine, beautiful airhead. Have you learned Red Dragonfly yet?"

"Of course! My mom taught me that song when I was little."

"That makes sense. Auntie Makoto seems like the type who would sing nursery rhymes to lull you to sleep. Not like my mom."

"Huh? What about Auntie Mikiko? Didn't she sing nursery rhymes to you when you were little?"

"Not at all. Honestly, compared to you, she's more deserving of the title 'beautiful airhead.'"

"Hahaha, is it really okay for you to say that about your mom?"

"As long as you don't tell her, it's fine."

"Haha! Now I've got dirt on you! Tomorrow, I want double the yam ice cream!"

"Sure, but you'll have to run an extra 500 meters every morning."

"I'm sorry! Please forgive me, Kyousuke-sama!"

Sakura immediately ran in front of Kyousuke, clasping her hands together and bowing her head dramatically.

"Alright, if your class wins the choir competition, I'll make you a drink that's even better than cola."

Sakura's moods shifted faster than anyone could keep up with.

Now she struck a triumphant pose, one hand on her hip and the other pointing at Kyousuke.

"Then you'd better prepare to lose!"

"Sure, sure. Let's hurry home. Auntie Makoto must be getting worried."

"Oh no! It's already so late? Let's run, Kyousuke!"

With that, Sakura took off running.

Her oversized backpack, comically large compared to her small frame, swung wildly from side to side along with her ponytail.

Kyousuke worried she might trip and fall under its weight.

"What are you dawdling for? Hurry up!"

Seeing Kyousuke still walking leisurely, Sakura doubled back and grabbed his hand, pulling him along as they ran together—just like how Kyousuke had once pulled her.

They quickly reached Sakura's house.

After a brief goodbye, Kyousuke walked a few more steps to his own home.

The two houses were typical single-family homes, separated only by a narrow alley.

"I'm home."

"Welcome back, Kyousuke. Your father sent some beef from the farm today."

"Oh? Did another cow sprain its ankle? Or is it depressed again?"

"Hahaha!"

Mikiko Hojou, still busy in the kitchen, burst out laughing.

"Kyousuke, how can you say that?"

"Isn't it true? Every time you say you want beef, Dad somehow manages to have a cow 'conveniently' fall ill."

"You're so mean! How could you say that about your mom? I'm heartbroken."

Mikiko turned around, pouting at Kyousuke.

Her face was as youthful as ever, untouched by time.

Her figure didn't look like that of a mother to a twelve-year-old—more like a high school girl. Of course, she was only in her thirties.

"Once I start middle school next year, you should go back to Hokkaido and live with Dad."

Kyousuke walked into the kitchen to prepare a vegetable salad.

His so-called "beautiful airhead" mother, aside from being able to handle beef, was practically useless at cooking.

Back when his father, Ichirou Hojou, hadn't been summoned by his grandfather to take over the family ranch, it was his dad who played the role of homemaker while his mom worked.

After returning to Hokkaido, his grandfather hadn't restricted his father's freedom, but Ichirou, realizing how much the aging man was struggling to manage the ranch alone, decided to stay and help.

Ichirou had initially wanted the whole family to move back, but Mikiko had refused, arguing that transferring schools would disrupt Kyousuke's education.

So Mikiko, who had grown up as a pampered young lady, stayed in this small town at the northeastern edge of Kanagawa, Tokyo, to raise her son alone.

Her parents had offered to help or even move in, but Mikiko had declined.

"This is my son's precious childhood. I can't share it with anyone else."

With those bold words, the beautiful airhead had stumbled her way through learning how to be a homemaker.

Fortunately, by fourth grade, Kyousuke had already been capable of handling most household chores.

He even cooked dinner every day after school and prepared his mother's lunch for the next day.

The only thing Mikiko had truly mastered over the years was handling beef.

His father, worried that his wife and son might go hungry, regularly sent beef from the ranch, even outside the usual slaughtering season.

After a while, whenever a package of beef arrived, Mikiko would ask Ichirou why, and he would come up with increasingly absurd excuses—like a cow spraining its ankle during a race, a cow suffering from depression, or even a cow going through a breakup.

Kyousuke sometimes wondered if his grandfather would beat his father for such antics, given how small their ranch was.

But so far, there had been no SOS messages from Hokkaido.

Thanks to the care and attention from both father and son, Mikiko had managed to retain her youthful, carefree spirit, even as other women her age were bogged down by the stresses of family life.

Hearing her son's words, Mikiko stopped cutting the beef and turned to face Kyousuke.

"Huh? Kyousuke, didn't we agree that after you graduate elementary school, we'd all go back to Hokkaido together?"

"There's a special reason. Besides, wouldn't it be nice for you and Dad to have some time alone?"

"What 'time alone'? Your grandparents and relatives are all there too."

"True. Anyway, I can take care of myself. You should go back and keep Dad company."

"No way! If I leave you here alone, I'll be so worried in faraway Hokkaido that I won't be able to sleep."

"What are you worried about?"

"That you might go hungry…"

Mikiko trailed off as she noticed the nearly finished vegetable salad in Kyousuke's hands.

She gave a sheepish smile.

"I just can't rest easy! Even if you won't go hungry, what if you run into bad people?"

"I can take care of myself. Besides, I have a reason to stay here."

"Tell me what that reason is. Is it because of little Sakura?"

The moment the topic shifted to her son's love life, Mikiko's concerns about him living alone vanished, replaced by sheer curiosity.

"…"

'How did this airhead mother suddenly become so sharp?' Kyousuke felt a headache coming on as he scrambled to think of a way to convince her.

Should he tell her that there were two system-certified heroines and a bunch of side characters waiting for him to collect rewards?

Obviously not.

"Haha, I knew it!"

Mikiko clapped her hands in delight.

"How about this? We'll take Sakura's whole family to Hokkaido with us."

"Your grandfather can hire Mr. Yamauchi at the ranch, and you and Sakura can continue being classmates there."

Kyousuke lowered his head, seriously considering the plan.

If it were feasible, he wouldn't refuse.

After all, convincing his parents to let a twelve-year-old live alone would be too difficult.

Who said money couldn't solve problems? If it achieved his goal, it was worth it.

"Mom, what if it's not just Sakura?"

Kyousuke tested the waters.

"Kyousuke! Do you realize what you're saying?"

Mikiko was stunned.

"Haha, just kidding. Let's talk about this another time."

Kyousuke forced a laugh.

After dinner, it was time for bed.