Ch 12: Strange Bond

"Asako-nee, Yuria-nee. What's a 'girlfriend'?"

*Tud*

Yuria's water glass fell from her hands after hearing Zircon's question, wetting the floor. Fortunately the glass didn't break. Meanwhile, Asako just gave Zircon a curious look.

"Where did you heard that?" She asked.

It's not like he was forbidden to known that, but she was curious about from where he heard that word.

(Maybe from the TV.) She thought.

"Mother told me about it."

Now, Asako was dumbfounded. Zircon in all these years had never called her or Yuria 'mother', like if he was reserving that title for someone else. In the inside, she was feeling a little jealous, but these thoughts were put aside due to another thought.

(Did someone else came here?)

The place that Asako chose as her home was very isolated. Even if there was a highway in the outside of the forest, there was a barrier, which makes the people, and other supernatural beings think that there was nothing.

For someone to notice it, that person must be at least a Satan-class being or similar. Therefore, she started to felt cautious, and planned to do some countermeasures.

However, before him thoughts went too far...

"Mother talked about it in my dreams."

When Zircon saw the dangerous expression in Asako's face, he knew that she misunderstood something. Therefore, he tried to be more specific.

However, by judging her expression she seemed to be more confused.

Yuria noticed that and asked. "May you talk a little more specific?"

Then, Zircon started explaining about what happened last night. About the existence of Red and Blue inside his dreams, and the appearance of his biological mother and the circumstance that lead her to exist inside him.

By mentioning her, Asako and Yuria's expressions became sour. In the past, they said very mean thing about Zircon's parents, and that they were 'bastards' by abandoning him.

Even if they already knew the truth about that event, after hearing how his parents tried to protect him even in the edge of death, they couldn't help but to feel guilty about what they said.

Noticing her grim expressions, Zircon hugged both of them.

'Fortunately' for him, they were sitting in the couch because if they were standing then his face would have been in their abdomens.

"Don't worry. It's not your fault." Said Zircon in a soft voice.

Maybe the guilt in their hearts wasn't gone completely, because they really thought that his parents were trash. But at least, that guilt was eased a little after hearing the words of the child they raised.

Both of them hugged him back while caressing his hair. A constant reminding of what happened that day. Now, it seemed like the snow in the calm winter.

"Then, what's a 'girlfriend'?"

The calm of the atmosphere was suddenly broken in pieces, and was exchanged for a slightly awkward one.

To make a better context about the situation, is that when Blue, Red and Claire where arguing between them if it was too soon for Zircon to get a girlfriend, they repeated the word during all the conversation.

Zircon wanted to ask them what a 'girlfriend' was, but they seemed busy, so he didn't want interrupt them. Which leaded to this situation.

(What should we say?) Both, Yuria and Asako thought.

They knew that it wasn't so difficult to explain like when mother or father gives you 'the talk'. However, neither of them knew what to say.

Yuria, was always serious in her work in the OSD, and never allowed any man or woman to get too near to her if they had romantic feelings for her. Well, in reality, she was shy to make the first step, and her coworkers thought of her as a serious woman, leaving her as a single woman in her twenties.

In the case of Asako, she has always had the mentality of a soldier, so she in the first place didn't have any intention to initiate a relationship. So even if some random man tried to hit on her, she'll ignore them, but if they are too insistent then she would beat the cr*p out of him.

That is the 'tragic' romance story of this two single woman in their twenties.

Of course, that was their decision so they don't regret anything.

But now, if they were asked by their 'adoptive brother' of six years old about what is a 'girlfriend', then for both of them who have zero experience in love then it was a little complicate to explain.

Yuria tried to explain. "Well... Basically-"

"It's your mate." Asako interrupted.

"Mate?" Asked Zircon.

She gave up in trying to explaining it in a 'poetic' way, so she went directly to the point. Thing that Yuria didn't take well.

"Wait! Asako! Don't say it as if they are a bunch of animals!"

"Then, how are you going to explain it?"

Even if Asako's expression was calm, in her mind she wanted to bury her head in a hole to hide her embarrassment. She just said the first thing that came from her mind. Nevertheless, it was late to regret it; she just hopes that her friend's explanation would be worse than hers was.

"W-Well, a girlfriend is a girl that you love and she loves you back."

(Fuck! It was better but at the same time worse.) Asako thought.

However, Zircon dropped another bomb to them. This time, it was an atomic one.

"Then you are my girlfriends?" He asked with an innocent face.

Both women couldn't understand how could do such innocent expression with authentic curiosity about this topic. They knew that he was saying it because he loves them, but as his sisters. However, they couldn't avoid the critical hit from his words.

"It's not the same." Yuria simply said.

However, he misunderstood her words.

"*Sniff* *Sniff*. T-Then, you don't love me?" He asked with tears on his eyes.

He was truly heartbroken, not like those protagonists who reincarnate in a child body and use it for gain the favor of the women who catch their interest. It was the genuine cry of a 6-year-old kid.

Noticing the mistake in her words, Yuria started to panic. "It's not like that. We love you but-"

However, Zircon didn't seem to react to her words.

With no other choice, Asako spoke. "Then we'll be your 'girlfriends'."

"Really?" Asked Zircon, still with tears on his eyes.

Yuria gazed at her friend with an expression of 'in what is she thinking'. Which Asako only responded with a wink and a expression of 'trust me'.

"Yes, we'll be your 'girlfriends'." Her expression suddenly turned serious. "But for that, when you grow up, you must be a good man. Understood?"

Then Yuria finally understood what her friend was planning. After several years being friends with this rebellious young woman, she somehow understands her way of thinking. Those years wasn't in vain.

"Yes, I will be the best man for you." He responded in a cheerful way while hugging them.

His words and hug made Yuria and Asako smile a little awkward. Nevertheless, they were truly happy.

This was the day, that the three of them started a quite strange but happy relationship.