“Ollie. I know you really want a family, but…… in a situation like this, I’m not sure what to say.”
“Why! It’s a Ground Clan member. They’re a species that becomes independent quickly. And there was no Ground Clan member near where the egg was. They abandoned it!”
“…….”
Masa fell deep in thought. What Ollie said did have a point. They were such independent beings that they hardly interacted with one another outside of mating season.
“There’s also a possibility it isn’t from the Ground Clan.”
“No! Kan said it was Ground Clan too.”
It’s not Ground Clan. Ollie. They don’t have aggressive tendencies.
That moment, Kan’s voice brushed through Ollie’s mind, but he quickly scattered the memory and let it drift away.
“If Kan saw it, then it must be certain, but…….”
“What! Masa. You won’t even believe what I say.”
“You do tend to be a little hasty. That’s exactly why you need to treasure a friend like Kan.”
“Whatever. That guy. He can go off to Bes for all I care.”
At those words — so clearly drenched in jealousy despite trying to seem indifferent — Masa let out a hollow laugh. She knew very well how starved Ollie was for a family’s affection. She believed she had taken good care of him during his childhood, making sure he never felt lonely, but Masa could never become a family that belonged solely to Ollie. Because of that, Ollie always looked at her with thirsty eyes. A small child who never threw tantrums, yet could never quite hide those hungry, longing eyes.
“It’s your decision, so I won’t stop you…… but can you raise it well?”
“Of course! I’m already raising it well. I read to it every day, and, uh…… I go find fruit for it too. Anyway, it likes me.”
Those last words must have been sincere — a smile spread across Ollie’s lips that he couldn’t hide.
“Then let me have a look at it.”
“……Really? I can bring it home?”
“It’s supposed to be your family — how could I not even know its face?”
“Hehe. Alright. I’ll bring it over tomorrow right away.”
“Good.”
He bounced his hips up and down, delighted like a child. The chair creaked and groaned along with his movements.
“Since you’re here, take this with you.”
“What is it?”
“Bes gave me this much fruit just because she had a baby. Ground Clan uses fruit as a staple, so take some for the little one.”
“No. Masa, keep it. I can find some on my own.”
“I can’t eat it all by myself anyway. It’ll rot and I’ll have to throw it out — just take it.”
“Then…… alright.”
They got up from their seats together and headed to the kitchen. On one side of the dining table sat a large basket, which even held fruit that was hard to come by in winter. It was a very Tree Folk kind of gift, given by someone who enjoyed making jam. Masa took the larger fruits from there and transferred them into a separate basket.
“That’s enough! This is plenty.”
Before he knew it, the new basket had filled to the brim with fruit. Ollie reached out to stop Masa, but she simply went on moving fruit without a care.
“When you’re young, you need to eat a lot.”
He finally laughed helplessly and lowered his hand. Even Ollie — known throughout the village as one of its most stubborn — always had to yield at least one step in front of Masa.
As Ollie left the house, a heavy basket accompanied him in hand. Masa patted his behind as if urging him to get going. He yelped and shouted at her to stop, but Masa just laughed her easy, carefree laugh.
“Well, I’ll be off.”
“Yes. Be careful on your way.”
Ollie hoisted the drooping basket handle up once and walked on in silence.
Masa will like Asel too. He really is so lovable.
With that warm, fluttery thought, he made his way toward the house where Asel would be waiting.
But as if jealous of his happiness, the moment he stepped into the village entrance, uncomfortable faces greeted him from every direction.
“Ollie!”
A familiar voice called out to him. Ollie flinched but pretended not to hear and quickened his pace.
“Ooollie~.”
“Ollie! Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
The attention directed at him didn’t die down easily, and the guys who had been loitering idly around the village lifted their lazy backsides and came toward him as if glad for the excuse.
“I have no business with you, so get lost.”
“Ollie, invite us to your place. What’ve you been doing all by yourself?”
Isaac, who had grabbed him by the shoulder, taunted him with a smug, sly face. Ollie jerked his shoulder sharply to shake his hand off. At the attitude that made it look as if something filthy had touched him, Jackson’s face crumpled on the spot. Isaac, for his part, simply dusted off his hand and asked again, unbothered.
“Ollie, did you prepare a gift?”
“……What gift?”
“Lucy had a baby! Look at Jackson’s face. Isn’t he just melting away?”
“Shut up. Melting, my ass…….”
Embarrassed, Jackson wiped at his face and, hand half-covering his mouth, shot a glance at Ollie. Under that gaze, Ollie felt something faintly distant stir inside him. Jackson had been born a good deal later than Ollie. He had thought of him as nothing more than a big kid with a big frame. And yet that same guy had built a family and had a child.
“Don’t you have any good news?”
“Pfft, don’t make me laugh. What would Ollie possibly have…… Unless there’s someone out there with seriously bad eyes.”
Jackson punched the guy who’d asked Ollie whether he had any good news and sneered. Jackson had always been like that. More hostile toward Ollie than anyone else in the village. The two had actually fought many times — and the result was always Ollie getting beaten until his nose bled.
Ollie knew the reason. Masa and Jackson were family, and sometimes she pitied and looked after Ollie more than she did Jackson.
“…….”
But Jackson would never know. That Masa’s attitude had actually left even deeper wounds in Ollie. Being deliberately taken care of more, never being scolded no matter what mistake he made — it felt like proof that they weren’t truly family. At least, that was how Ollie felt. That was part of why he had acted out so much more. Because he wanted her to scold and hassle him the way she did with Jackson.
“Isaac, if you’ve got nothing to say, I’m going. Unlike you lot, I don’t have time to sit around chatting.”
“What? You little — you’ve been holed up in your house not coming out, and now you’ve got the nerve to say that.”
“Knock it off, Jackson. You’re a father now — can’t you learn to control that temper of yours…….”
“That bastard started it by riling me up first!”
Ollie had been watching Jackson’s large fists with exhausted eyes, but at Isaac’s words trying to hold him back, he spun around and bolted. Jackson was still shouting after him and stomping his feet in the air, but Ollie pretended not to notice and moved his feet fast. Then for just a moment, he felt a flash of embarrassment — what if he looked pathetic, running away like this? He stopped dead, clenched his fists, and turned around.
“Jackson! I bet your baby’s face looks like a mashed potato!”
“What? Ollie! You little — get back here!”
Jackson’s unevenly placed features were his biggest weak point, and Ollie knew it — so he deliberately hit that nerve. At the sight of that face twisting in outrage, he snickered and made a quick escape. Luckily, Isaac and the others held Jackson back, so he didn’t end up getting caught and beaten.
Normally, he would have been so scared of Jackson that he couldn’t move a muscle in front of him. But he’s no longer alone now. Maybe that was it — Jackson didn’t scare him the way he used to.
Thinking of Asel waiting at home, Ollie ran in a mad rush. What had looked like fleeing was now a sprint toward family.
“Asel!”
He called out the name at the same moment he pushed open the wooden door. With a light pattering sound, a white face peered down from the top of the stairs. Thick golden hair drifted every which way, and golden eyes looked straight at him. Then lips parted, and neat, even teeth shone brightly.
“Did you wait long?”
He lifted the child who was jumping up and down seeking praise, and pressed his lips firmly to its cheek.
