Cursed Children

Early in the morning when the shy sun had just reappeared into the world.

A lot of little girls gathered around the table and drooled looking at the young man who was cooking skillfully in the open kitchen. Their foods were limited since they were very poor and they would eat anything to stay alive such as leftover foods from the trash, animals on the street, etc; as long as they could find it, but this time it was different since they had someone personally cooked for them and from the smell alone they could tell that this dish would be very delicious.

Haru, of course, had prepared his portable kitchen on his zipper since he knew very well that sometimes he might be sent out to the forest or an unhabituated place.

That was why he had always been prepared.

Esdeath looked at the group of little girls that gathered around Haru. She didn't feel that surprised by this scene since she often saw a lot of children being abandoned in the Empire.

The group of little girls was a group of Cursed Children who were being chased out from the city and could only live in the Outer Area of the Tokyo Area.

"Onii-san, what did you cook?"

"Onii-chan, when is the food ready?"

Haru took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. He felt that these little girls really knew his weakness. He had weaknesses against little sister attributes and those girls had those attributes on them, but he wouldn't show it on the outside. "Soon, be patient."

They nodded and waited patiently, but their stomachs kept growling.

"Thank you very much, Kasugano-san."

"You don't need to worry, Matsuzaki-san. It is just an apology since we almost hurt Sasa," Haru said.

(Sasa is the name of the little girl who was almost hurt by Esdeath).

Matsuzaki is a caring man that looked after several Cursed Children. He had been taking care of the Cursed Children for a long time on voluntary and that was why he lived in this place with everyone.

Matsuzaki didn't dare to talk with Esdeath. Even though Esdeath's clothes were a bit strange (white military uniform), the aura that came out from her wasn't something that could be exuded by a normal human. He could tell that Esdeath was a strong Promoter and that was why he only talked to Haru since he was afraid to make Esdeath angry.

A Promoter is a person who is, being the supervisor of a 2-man combat team, in charge of analyzing battle situations. They are given an Initiator; girls who carry the Gastrea Virus, otherwise known as Cursed Children, to carry out their missions.

For Haru, Matsuzaka thought that Haru was a wealthy young man or an owner of a famous Civil Security Corporation.

"It's okay. Onii-san, I know that Big sister didn't mean harm to me," Sasa said while looking at Esdeath.

Esdeath only smiled and patted Sasa's head.

It was at this moment that breakfast was ready.

"The breakfast is ready," Haru said.

"Yay!!!"

"Don't push each other since it is enough for everyone. You need to line up one by one," Haru said.

"Yes!!!"

Haru cooked a simple Japanese breakfast with white rice which glittering like a little jewel, grilled salmon which released a very delicious aroma, rolled omelet which their appetite increased, miso soup which gave everyone a warm feeling, and some radish pickles which gave a playful touch on the breakfast.

Everyone took their breakfast one by one and didn't eat until everyone had gotten their shares.

Esdeath also took one of her shares and sat down next to the children who also clamored beside her asking about how she had married Haru, kissing, making children, and a lot more. She felt that it was quite a funny experience and teased them a bit.

"Matsuzaka-san, you also need to eat it," Haru said.

"Thank you very much," Matsuzaka said since he was also tempted to eat breakfast with everyone.

Then when everyone was ready they started to say, "Let's eat!" They used either a chopstick or a spoon before putting the rice in their mouth.

It was only simple rice, but in Haru's hands, it gave them a different feeling.

For a Cursed Children who had always been treated lower than an animal, it was their first time to be treated kindly by a big brother figure.

The big brother who would protect them, the big brother who would tell them a story, the big brother who would sing them a lullaby every night, and a lot more.

The moment they ate breakfast which was being cooked by Haru. They started being drawn into an illusion that was made by Haru's food.

*Drip!* *Drip!* *Drip!*

Tears rolled down from their eyes, but they didn't stop eating the food on their plate.

Esdeath also felt the same, even though she didn't have an older brother, but she could imagine what it felt like to have an older brother from the breakfast which was being eaten by her. But she didn't want an older brother, rather she wanted to have a husband and she had already owned that husband that would accompany her until she left the world. Smiling, she thought that her future would be very wonderful.

For Matsuzaka, he felt as if he had come back to his childhood time where everyone was living peacefully and he also had an older brother figure at that time who would protect him.

Haru who looked at their reaction suddenly felt very cruel at this moment. He thought that he shouldn't show them kindness since he would leave them soon and if they heard that then he and Esdeath would leave then they would show sadness, but he also made a determination to unify this country as soon as possible so he wouldn't let those girls live on the side of the town so pitifully.

---

At the end of the breakfast, everyone drank warm tea which was prepared by Haru.

This tea would help the digestive system while also making everyone who drank it relaxed.

The group of little girls who had drunk it had a rare relaxed expression on their faces and only silently sipping the tea silently since it was very good.

"Kasugano-san, thank you very much for what you have done to those children," Matsuzaka said.

"I don't do anything, Matsuzaka-san. You're the one who has taken care of them," Haru said.

Matsuzaka shook his head and said, "No, it has been a while since those children had a warm meal. I have thought that it is something insignificant, but having a warm breakfast really raises their moods into happiness." He looked at Haru and bowed his head. "That's why I'm really thankful for you, Kasugano-san."

Haru twitched his lips and stopped him. "You don't need to bow your head." He really felt uncomfortable and it was very hard for him to go out now. "I have to go, but you're the one who can take care of them. I'll give you some foods which you can use every day and I'll give you a simple recipe so you can cook..." He was quite busy in the morning and really gave those children a lot of things such as solar panels and a small wind turbine that made it possible for them to have electricity. He also gave them a lot of food provisions and a lot of devices that would make their life became comfortable since he would leave them.

"....."

They were very speechless when they saw him taking out one thing after another easily. Even though they didn't know where it was coming from, they were very grateful to Haru.

It was in the afternoon when Haru had given them everything that could make their life comfortable that he decided to say goodbye. "Then, I'll need to say goodbye now."

"..."

The group of little girls knew that Haru would leave them, but it was more painful than they had thought.

It felt like a beautiful dream, even though it was a dream. They really wanted to stop him, but they were afraid to do it since they were afraid to annoy him.

"W - Will we meet each other again?"

The first question they wanted to know was whether they would be able to ask him again.

Haru nodded and said, "Soon." He patted Sasa's head and said, "Matsuzaka-san, we have to go now."

"Please be careful," Matsuzaka said and knew that he couldn't stop them.

Haru and Esdeath walked away from this place to the south area of the Tokyo area.

Everyone looked at their back before they cried one by one, but then they remembered Esdaeth's words which told them to become strong if they wanted to see them again. Before their sadness changed into determination to become stronger since they really wanted to see the big brother again.

At the same time, they were also jealous of Esdeath who could marry Haru. They wanted to scream that they would marry Haru in the future, but they were afraid to anger Esdeath since sometimes Esdeth was really scary.

---

Esdeath walked together with Haru and said, "You're very cruel. Pampering them for a few hours then leaving them without taking responsibility."

Haru sighed and said, "I can't bring all of them. Our quest is dangerous and it might endanger them to cross to Osaka."

"Now, that you mention is why we have to go to Osaka to unify this country?" Esdeath asked curiously.

Haru took the car from his zipper and said, "Because the leader of Osaka is quite unique." He looked at Esdeath and asked, "Do you want to go directly to Osaka or try to fight Gastrea first?"

"Let's fight, my hands have gotten itchy since coming here," Esdeath said.

"Umm.... don't you want to do something else first?" Haru asked.

"What thing?" Esdeath looked at Haru curiously.

"Well, I have brought out a car and we're nowhere. No one is going to bother us in this wilderness and....." Haru moved his hand around Esdeath's waist and whispered.

"I miss you, Wife...."

Esdeath blushed and nodded. "I also miss you, Husband..."

They entered the car together which was fully soundproof and turned on the car. Then before long, the car started to shake uncontrollably without noticing anyone since no one was in this place.