We managed to escape from the evil influence of the competent store clerk, we left the baby shop about two hours after that.
“I’m hungry.”
The kids were completely awake and on top of the baby stroller we just bought.
I was resting against the handlebars.
We somehow managed to buy a baby stroller with a good price and features.
However, that store clerk was dangerous. When I came to my senses, before Aoi sent an order to get a high-end Italian made baby stroller, I stopped her in a hurry. What is a baby stroller with touch panel navigation?
I for some reason shook the stroller.
It seemed that the ceiling sliding was enjoyable, since Jaja was cackling with laughter.
Nana was a bit uneasy, and was firmly holding onto the stroller.
“Should we grab something to eat? We didn’t use as much money as I thought we would, and since we came all this way.”
“Okay, where should we go?”
“There’s four restaurants in the first floor here, and there’s many more in the central building.”
Shouhei took out his smartphone from his pocket and looked at the interior map of the shopping mall.
“Ah, before that I need to go to the washroom. Nana also seems to have done it a while ago, so I’ll also change her diaper.”
“Oh?”
I lifted Nana up and touched her diaper to check.
It was indeed damp.
This expression was a facial expression that her butt feels disgusting and she hates it.
“Jaja seems to be enjoying herself so she’s still fine. It seems like there’s a baby room over there, so you can change the diaper there. I saw a mom go in with her baby a while ago.”
She took Nana from me, and rubbed her soft cheeks against her own cheeks.
Somehow, Nana’s expression also relaxed like she was relieved.
“Got it, we’ll be waiting here, so no rush.”
“Okay.”
Saying that, Aoi and Nana headed for the bathroom.
“Huh, there were baby rooms.”
Shouhei was sitting on the bench and fiddling with his smartphone.
It seems that he was feeling much better compared to earlier.
“We bought diapers, baby bottles and properly asked the store employee about baby formulas and bought some. Also, western clothes, towels, bibs…… pacifiers, gauze, baby bottle sterilization machine…”
I double checked the memo to make sure that we didn’t forget to buy anything.
“As for the baby bed… as expected from listening to the old man, the price was insane. I wonder if we should buy a toy or something?”
“… I don’t know.”
Huh?
The color suddenly disappeared from Shouhei’s face…?
He continued fiddling with his smartphone with a blank expression.
“Hey, what are you getting angry for?”
“I’m not angry.”
“Aren’t you sulking?”
“Not really.”
“Not really you say, you’re in a bad mood, right?”
“I said I wasn’t.”
Hmm. I also gradually felt more irritated.
“Hey, cheer up!”
“‘I’m telling you that I’m not mad!!”
He raised his voice.
His face was bright red and he glared at me.
Look, aren’t you angry.
Sometimes Shouhei takes such an attitude.
Usually, he gets better over time.
“Got it, sorry. I’ll go buy some drinks, what do you want?”
“… Orange. Carbonated.”
“Okay. Please look after Jaja.”
“All right.”
It’s smart to let them vent once in a while.
That way they gain self control.
He should be cooled down by the time I get back.
I moved the stroller in front of Shouhei, and aimed for the vending machine corner I saw when coming over.
As usual there was a crowd of people, walking alone felt a little awkward.
Couples, parents and children, and friends all came to shop, and majority were women.
There were few male customers, and about half of them have lost the light from their eyes.
Now I can understand their feelings.
It’s tiring to go shopping with women.
It will depend on person to person, but unlike a man there is no compromise.
There are few immediate impulse buys.
Aoi was no exception, it took a long time for her to decide on 4 sets of night clothing.
Their point of view when shopping is different from men.
For me, the only thing I cared about was the size as long as I liked it, but for women, size is obviously important, but it feels like they place more importance on how it’s seen…
Today was my first time to come shopping with a woman not including my mother.
I arrived at the vending machine corner.
I’ll get a coffee. Tea is probably good for Aoi.
Orange juice for Shouhei. He’s not good with carbonation so he needs to choose carefully.
“Onii-chan! Hurry up!”
“Mom told you to stop running!”
Children from the dog tribe came to the vending machine area.
A girl who is swinging his tail a bit and moving his ears beside Pico Pico and his face, and his brotherly boy.
“I, I, want cola!”
“You say cola, but you always become unable to drink anymore halfway through. Well, fine, I’ll get an apple juice, so we can switch after you can’t drink anymore.”
“Ehehe.”
Still a very younger sister and an older brother that had a few years on her.
This was very calming to watch.
The boy had an expression like he was saying it can’t be helped, he slightly raised his heels to push on the buttons.
The younger sister that was squatting and waiting for the cola with a delighted look took it after it came out.
The older brother continued and pushed the button for apple juice.
The younger sister was waiting for it, but it was difficult for her small hands to take it out with one hand.
“Careful.”
The older brother helped her, and she was able to successfully hold onto the two drinks.
“Because we’re going to sit down and drink it, so you can not open it yet, okay?”
“Un!”
The younger sister that was in a good mood from the beginning to the end and her older brother who was watching her while seemingly nervous that she was going to drop the juice disappeared into the crowd of people.
“… what good kids.”
He was a solid older brother.
It’s strange, even though I’m an older brother, I don’t feel that solid.
Shouhei and I also had a period of time where we were like that.
Our mother died, so we could not behave like a spoiled child to our father who was working hard, so Shouhei was always clinging to me.
Because he was still a kindergartener, so it couldn’t be helped.
The yellow towel that he always carried around. What happened to it?
I started walking while holding onto the 3 drinks.
Hmm? It’s pretty noisy.
I looked in front of me and the crowd was concentrated at one place.
“Did something happen over there… isn’t that were Shouhei and Jaja are!?”
I started running instinctively.
“Sorry, sorry, please let me through!”
I apologized while pushing myself through the crowd.
“Shouhei!”
“N-nii-chan!”
Shouhei looked at me with a flustered expression.
I was shedding tears in the outer corner of the eyes and I was able to understand immediately that I was confused.
“Calm down, what happened? What’s with this crowd of people?”
“Jaja, Jaja was!”
I looked to the stroller next to me.
Jaja wasn’t there.
“Where’s Jaja?”
Could it be a kidnapping again!?
“That’s not it! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! If only I was watching her properly!”
“So, what happened! Calm down!”
“Jaja! Flew!!!”
Shouhei pointed at the ceiling.