Reincarnated Into a Shounen Anime-Chapter 44: A Promise

Carico excitedly exited the station. Smiling all over. He felt his blood rushing through his body again. The feeling of liveliness spreading through his soul. The boredom was finally over. And they had finally arrived at the city.

The city was more grandiose than he had imagined. The station was fully had out of the thing just parents called concrete. Glass windows and steel frames.

Announcements ringing out every now and then. People going in and out of the station. The city was more crowded than his village. Murmurs of people filled the air. Vendors advertising their products to sell. Distant massive buildings stading tall and reflecting the morning light. Everything was new to him.

Carico felt a hand grab his arms and when he looked up, it was his father. He lead Carico through the crowd. His mother followed behind closely.

They quickly got out of the chaotic station area and stopped infront of a wide road. Few moments later, a wheel less vehicle arrived infornt and stopped. The door opened on its own and all of them got inside.

Carico watched everything in awe. He looked out of the window, the city was more organised. Clean. And more advanced than his village. Trees lined yp neatly by the road. Bushes doing decorative work.

His parents told the driver their destination. Carico caught the word orphanage and asked his parents what that meant. But they didn’t answer and awkwardly looked out of the window.

He didn’t think much of it. If his parents didn’t want to tell him, then it must mean it wasn’t something he should know.

The driver started to drive and they slowly entered entered main city.

Carico had thought that the station was crowded. How wrong he was. Numerous wheel less carriages traveling through the road. People walking on the road side. Tapping a thin box in their hand.

Fascination filled his little heart when he didn’t even notice when the vehicle stopped. His parents paid the driver and they got out. He watched the thing disappear into the distance.

Carico turned his gaze and infront of his was a three storey building. Fenced with brick. The steel gate opened slowly on its own. All of them entered through the gate. The front yard of the building was full of empty. Grass growing on both side of the pavement.

The gentle light of the evening sun enhanced the atmosphere.

They approached the front gate. There, stood a man with a warm smile and gente demeanor. Carico could hear sounds of children playing from the other side of the building. Carico gripped his parents hands tighter. Feeling unease in his heart.

His brows frowning. He wanted to say some thing but decided against it. His parents and the man talked for a while. Some logistics he did not understand. But it has something to do with staying.

While they talked. Carico looked around. The place felt old, peaceful. The happy laughter of the children from the other side made the atmosphere very laid back. The city is visible from here. The houses on this side of the road were scarce. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Carico noticed that his parents were done talking. They handed the man pouch. The man took it with a troubled expression but then he looked at Carico with a smile that involuntarily made him smile back as well. Albeit, awkward.

After that, his parents turned and started to walk out. Making Carico confused and scared. His heart rate jumping up. The man gently patted his head.

He felt somewhat calm but he still couldn’t help but call out to his mother. A desperate attempt to know what is happening.

"Mom! Where are you going!"

He shouted to her. Both his parents stopped, looked back at him with difficult expression. Both looked at each others eyes before his mother nodded at his father, unclasped his hand and walked up to him again.

She gently crassed his face with a pain smile. Her eyes full of affection pain and emotion he couldn’t understand. Or... didn’t dare to name.

"You will be staying here for a while dear... there are some problems Mom and Dad is facing. So be good okay?"

She said gently. Carico’s heart warmed at that. For the first time in a while, he felt such warmth from his mother’s tone, so he didn’t wanted to disappoint her. He nodded, slowly but firmly. Even though he felt something was amiss.

"When you will be back?"

He asked, his voice cracking slightly. Tears formed in his eyes without him knowing why. His mouth started to taste bitter.

His mother paused for a second at his question. He expression becoming lost momentarily before she smiled once again, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Soon... sweet heart. Soon."

"You promise?"

Carico extended his pinky finger at her.

She froze once again. Her expression became even more difficult. But she squeeze a smile.

"A promise..."

She said as she softly. Tears threatening to fall. She tightly hugged Carico and kissed him on the forehead before she sprang to her feet, turned around and walked back to his father. Whipping away her tears with her sleeve.

His father looked at his with pain in his eyes as well. He was bitting his lips. He didn’t say much just nodded to Carico and walked out with his mother.

Carico stood their, watching their departing figure. The warmth of his mother still lingering over his body. He felt so warm and safe in that moment, but now, everything was cold. Like every bit of warmth in his life was stripped away.

Carico suddenly felt a gentle but rough hand whipping away tears he didn’t know was falling. The man was crouched to his level and was smiling kindly at him.

"Don’t cry little champ. Everything will be all right."

He said with a soft voice and hugged him tight. Carico sniffled few times before tears streamed down like a dozen dam. All the accumulated grif, unwillingness, fear loss and myriad emotions burst all at one. He hugged the man back and cried over his shoulders for a long time.

All this while, the man gently patted his back and soothed him. Whispering encouraging words.

By the time Carico stopped crying, it was already dark. He let go of the man, feeling embarrassed.

"Haha~ feeling alright little champ? Let’s go meet your new friends. There are lot of them."

The man said with the same kind voice. Making Carico feel calm. The man stood up and took his hand. And both of them walked through the front door...