Chapter 14 – Kaoru’s playgroup

Honami who was daydreaming immediately looked up in surprise. She looked at the clock. It was nearly half-past five in the afternoon. Soon, it was time for her to pick up Kaoru from the playgroup. Honami immediately got up from her chair, put on a jacket, and then stepped out.

Whenever it was five o’clock in the afternoon, the main gate where the playgroup was located, was always filled with people.

The place was crowded with parents of students who were picking up their children and the playgroup students who were busy wearing their shoes.

“Kaoru-chan is in the toilet.” A teacher named Tabata who was aware of Honami’s presence immediately told her with a smile.

Since a few months ago, Kaoru began to learn about how to go to the toilet. Maybe the child still didn’t know what the urge to urinate was, so she never said, “I want to go to the toilet.” However, this playgroup always told the child to sit on the toilet after the morning ceremony, before lunch, after lunch, and also before being picked up. Most of the time, Kaoru just sat on the toilet and stared, but there were times when she drew out her urine. When she managed to urinate, her teachers always praised her, so her success rate increased. If this continued, perhaps Honami could take off her diaper during this season’s late spring.

Kaoru came out from the children’s toilet and walked with her tiny feet. Then she reached for the plastic box to take her socks off, and took her shoes from another box, then went out to the main gate.

“Kaoru, now you are more independent.” Tabata praised Kaoru with a kind expression.

“Yes,” Honami answered. “She can also convey her opinion. Every morning she always chooses her clothes, ‘this skirt is good’, ‘this ribbon is nice’.”

Tabata laughed. Kaoru sat on the footing around the front door, trying to put her feet in her socks. In the playgroup, children can’t step on the ground, so it was forbidden to wear shoes. At that time, the child’s skirt was revealed, showing her diapers and thighs. But Honami remembered that she had worn leggings this morning. Tabata said: “Oh yeah, the leggings. She wet the bed earlier.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“Yes. Earlier I tried looking for a change of clothes in her changing box, but there wasn’t any. From now on the weather will get colder, so please bring more clothes.”

“Oh, sorry. I will bring some clothes tomorrow. “

Finally, Kaoru managed to put on her socks and shoes, and then she stood up. Her bare feet that could be seen below the skirt looked cold.

“Then… for a while, I suggest you have her stop wearing a skirt.” Tabata suddenly said.

“Eh?”

“A terrible thing just happened, right? In my opinion rather than becoming a target for bad people, it’s better to wear long pants.”

“Ah, you’re right.”

“My family is also terrified… I also had a small child, so that case made me feel terrified.”

“Ah, you also had two children. They are three and four years old, right?”

The playgroup teacher was also one of the mothers whose children studied here.

“Yes. Two girls. Although the victim was a boy in this case, we don’t know if girls are also being targeted. The important thing is that there’s a terrible person targeting children, whether or not it’s a boy or a girl. Ah, I don’t like this.” Tabata frowned, her brow formed along with the feeling of discomfort in her own words.

“I agree with you.”

Kaoru extended her hand. Honami grasped the tiny hand tightly.

“I feel like I’m going to be worried to death. That person must be a monster for attacking small children like that. And the monster is around us, maybe looking for their next prey.”

Terrible person.

A monster.

Her daughter…

That monster…

Honami’s hand trembled.

“The important thing is, we must be equally careful,” Tabata said emphasizing. Then she lightened her facial expression to say, “Kaoru! See you tomorrow! “

***

Honami and Kaoru stopped by a park near the complex, because the girl suddenly whined, “I want to play again~!” even though Honami already wanted to go home. Even though there was only a sandbox and slide, the park was big enough to be used to play when commuting from the playgroup. Not only did the children who live in the complex play here, but there are also children from other areas who came to play..

Kaoru started playing in the sandbox. Honami sat on a bench. The skies were getting dark, even though at this time if it was during the summer, it would still be bright. The garden lights, here and there, began to light up, but it was not exactly enough to illuminate the surroundings.

I don’t like this, Honami worriedly thought, wasn’t this like making a perfect place so that children can be easily kidnapped?

Honami saw Kaoru who had borrowed a shovel and bucket from the other children playing together. Children are always close and friendly when they’re playing together even though it was their first meeting.  Although Honami felt a little bit happy seeing Kaoru’s happy face at this time, she immediately frowned. The lights that illuminated the sandbox were a little darker than the others.

If this was a city park, Honami just needed to call the city government. But if the park belonged to a complex like this, who should she call to report it? While thinking that, her eyes caught the figure of an old man who was wearing a uniform and cleaning the trash can.

“I’m sorry,” Honami immediately stood up and walked towards the old man. “In my opinion the lights here are a bit too dark. Where can I report— “

“Soon, there will be a technician who fixes it.” saidthe old man, interrupting Honami’s question.

“Eh? Oh, really?”

“Yes. Since yesterday a lot of complaints have come in. “

Ah, apparently many people thought the same…

Honami thanked him, then when she was about to return to her bench, she stopped.

Kaoru disappeared from the sandbox.