Seraphim is a Bystander

Returning Home
 

After saying goodbye to my group, I began the walk home alone. There were no errands for the Futaba family today, so Katagiri-san wasn’t picking me up. As I walked the same route I’d taken to and from school over the past six years, it hit me that graduation wasn’t far off. A twinge of sadness crept in.
My time with everyone… it’s almost over, huh.
“Meow.”

“Hm? What’s wrong, Yuzu?”
Yuzu, perched quietly on my shoulder, let out a short meow. I thought something might’ve happened, but when I spoke to her, she just stared off into the distance in silence.
Maybe she spotted something that caught her eye…?

Then it hit me like a brick—I never told my parents about Yuzu!
With Sou already in the house, they might say no… I should’ve brought it up earlier.
『I already let them know while you were sleeping on the train. Check the chat app.』
“Wait—really!?”

『Yep. But try not to talk out loud.』
Oh—right. I forgot that I can just think at Seras and she’ll hear me.
『I gave them the gist—said you met her at a shrine, and someone connected to a god asked you to take her in. You’ll need to explain the details yourself, though.』

As Seras explained, I opened the chat app. Sure enough, there was a message explaining how I met a cat at a shrine, and how someone associated with a god had asked me to take her home. The last line said I’d explain the rest once I got home.
My parents hadn’t responded negatively at all. That alone helped me breathe a little easier.
Really, thank you so much!

『No need to thank me~』
Seras always says that like it’s nothing, but whenever I’m in a tight spot, she ends up helping. Even though she said she didn’t plan to interfere with me, I’m sure she’s been secretly helping all along.
While I was checking messages, I saw others too—Yuna-san, Katagiri-san, even my Masters had reached out. Most were asking if I’d gotten home safely. One of my Masters even joked, “You brought souvenirs, right?”

Just seeing those messages filled me with warmth.
I responded to each of them one by one as I walked. Before I knew it, I was already in front of the house.
『Woof!』
『Ah—Sou! What is it?』

『Hehe… shall we go greet him together, Ritsuki?』
I heard voices from behind the door. It felt like it had been ages since I’d seen everyone.
I wonder if Ritsuki’s been okay without me… Will Sou get along with Yuzu? Has Dad been pushing # Nоvеlight # himself at work? Is Mom holding up with housework and taking care of everyone?

Thoughts I’d held back during the school trip suddenly came flooding in. I found myself picking up pace, reaching for the door.
The moment I heard the soft click of the auto-lock disengaging, I swung the door open.
The first thing I saw was Ritsuki happily climbing all over Sou, who looked a bit exhausted. Then there was my mom, smiling at me like always with that warm expression.

There’s so much I want to tell them—what I went through, the friends I made, our new family member, the things I learned.
But first, before anything else, I need to say this.
Letting go of my bag to catch Ritsuki as she leapt at me, I opened my mouth, the warmest feeling in my chest.

“I'm home!”
“““Welcome back! (Woof!)”””