It was a clear, moonlit night. Sparse clouds were skidding across the sky, eloping in front of countless shining stars. The moon that night was full, and it shone through any thin cloud cover that dared pass in front of it.
The park I was located in sat amidst looming skyscrapers and a bustling city that never seemed to sleep. It was a few hours after the sun had set, and the cold of the night had already set in. Hunched over on a park bench, I breathed on and rubbed together my frozen hands. "They should back any moment now," I thought. No reason why they should be taking so long.
As if on queue, I felt a pair of hands sneak under my muffler and another squarely on my cheeks to deliver their icy surprise.
"Boo!" one giggled.
My back tensed up as I jolted forward, out of the bench, and onto the paved path in front.
"The heck was that for!" I screeched.
Three girls burst into laughter behind me. There was some knee-slapping.
One girl, however, walked beside me, and softly said, "Sorry about that, Kenjou," and extended her hand to me.
"You girls are too rowdy," I grunted as she picked me up. "Thank you, Suzu." Her mouth softly curled into a smile in response.
With the prank successfully executed, we sat along the park bench to the best of our ability. Three of us could squeeze in a space meant for just two, which meant that two ended up half-leaning, half-sitting on the armrests on either side.
With our positions situated, I opened my backpack. As my hand reached in, I could feel their piercing glazes on my every move, which only added to my discomfort from being sandwiched between two of the girls on the bench.
When I pulled out saltine crackers, I half expected them to instantly lose interest. However, they were agape at what seemingly was a simple and uninteresting snack.
"Wow, are those saltine crackers?" asked a girl to my right. She was licking her lips and slightly drooling.
"Aki, please, calm down. It's just some crackers," I responded. Her short, black hair was cleanly swept to the back into a ponytail, and it formed thick strands in whichever direction her hair flowed.
"That's right," a girl to my far left chimed in, "It's not like he'll give you any or anything."
"Hey, Hatsu, I'll give some to everyone, okay?" I stated, slowly becoming flustered. Hatsu's arms were crossed in resolution, but the two horn-like features she creates with her black hair destroy any air of seriousness that she often creates.
"That's our Kenjou!" shouted the girl just to my left. "Thank you!"
"Ahaha," I meekly replied, "You're welcome."
Just from her energetic voice, I could tell that it was Teru, but it was confirmed when I saw one of her signature long, tight, orange braids swinging around with excitement.
The last of the four sisters rummaged in a plastic bag that she had by her side. Pulling out a drink, she offered it to me. "Here, A-, I mean, Kenjou."
I smiled. "You're so thoughtful, Suzu."
Her faint smile returned, bordered by her shoulder-length silver hair. She distributed the remaining drinks between the rest of her sisters.
"Thanks." "Thank you!" "I appreciate it."
Huddled around this bench, we began to eat. It wasn't much, really, but it was more than enough. The crackers were lackluster, as I had expected, but everyone seemed to have sparkles in their eyes as they savored every bite.
The drinks were a completely different matter. They were smoothies, as it turns out, and surprisingly tasteful. Suzu was thoughtful to not purchase anything too sweet, but to find a place that sells such quality savory smoothies... she must have prepared for this moment.
After a collective sigh, Aki piped up, "Why are we here again?"
"Ah, just to watch the sky," I replied, "It's rare to have a clear day like this, especially to admire the full moon."
The moon... it seems like I've always had some kind of connection to the moon. I have no clue what it was, but it's just... attracted me for ages. Maybe it was something that happened when I was a child...
"What's got you all riled up, Aki?" asked Hatsu.
"The moon... it's just... so round," she responded.
"Did you put something in the smoothie this time again, Suzu?" teased Teru.
"What do you mean again? It's just autumn, you know." retorted Suzu.
"Makes sense," mused Hatsu.
After a moment of admiration of the night sky surrounded by the ambiance of the city, Hatsu spoke up again.
"It feels so weird to admire the sky for beauty's sake. All my sisters and I used to watch the sky in fear. It was where destruction came from.
"But now we can watch the sky in peace. For that, I will be eternally grateful, Kenjou."
Teru nodded. "I never would have thought that I would eat my fill of food for the rest of my life. Thank you so much for taking us under your wing!"
I felt my expression softening and put my head in my hands.
"There's no need for you guys to express your gratitude. Just seeing your smiles is more than enough."
Adopting these four malnourished sisters was quite an interesting ordeal since they were initially under the jurisdiction of the government. It was well worth it, though, since not a moment passes where these sisters are not livening the atmosphere.
They have lived up to their names. They definitely have the eminence of the moon with them.
After I got my ducks in a line, I, too, am grateful that I can bring light to others' lives. After all I went through, it was the least I could do.
"The moon is so beautiful, isn't it," I whispered.
"What?" "Didya hear what he said?" "I didn't." "What DID he say?"
I stood up quickly. "It's about time we head back home. It's starting to get late."
We cleaned up and walked to the street. I unlocked my small hatchback, and the bunch jumped in. It was a tight fit, but all 5 of us eventually set off to my small apartment on the outskirts of town.
As I glanced in the rearview mirror, I saw Teru and Hatsu leaning on Aki in the middle seat, apparently asleep. She shushed me. It was a tiring day, after all. It was our first outing together, so we went all over town to experience things that they were unable to in their old family.
These girls are a point of brightness brighter than a harvest moon. Sometimes, they outshine the sun.
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