Wolf Children Ame and Yuki, The Page #4

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I couldn't possibly accept something this big!

Don't be so reserved.

This was just lying out in the shed, anyway.

What? But...

Take it.

Grandpa will yell at me if we take it back.

"The old man"?

You're all he talks about.

He's fallen for you.

He's ninety years old, you fool.

I mean, he was the one who asked all of us to take good care of her.

You idiot! You were told not to bring that up!

So that's what happened.

I finally understood why the field had to be bigger.

I can't stand it.

Why do you always have a smile on your face?

Don't laugh!

What's so funny?

I thought I moved here in order to stay out of people's sights.

But before I knew it, I'd been helped out by the people in the village.

It was really hard at the beginning,

but now I think I can manage, I guess.

M-M-Mom!

Ame!

Mom! Ame's...

M-Mo

M:

Ame!

Ame!

Ame!

Mom...

Ame!

Mom...

Ame...

Ame!

Ame!

Open your eyes, Ame!

Open your eyes!

Ame!

Open your eyes...

Ame...

Mom, that hurts.

Ame!

You know,

I found a kingfisher.

A really pretty kingfisher.

I felt like I could catch it today.

I don't know why, but I felt completely different than usual.

I wasn't scared.

Suddenly, it felt like I could do anything and everything.

And then

Why're you crying?

What are we doing here?

My mother later said that it was the scariest moment of her life.

From that moment on, Ame became a completely different person.

Yuki 6 yrs old

Ame 5 yrs old

Yuki 5 yrs old

Ame 4yrs old

Around when the long winter ended, and when spring was drawing near...

I wanted really, really badly to go to elementary school like everyone else.

In order to persuade my mother,

Thanks to that, I was finally able to go.

However.

No matter what happens...

...I won't turn into a wolf.

I know already. Jeez.

It's a promise, okay?

I'll be careful.

Repeat after me, then. "And then there were three presents, and three octopuses."

The heck?

It's a spell that will keep you from turning into a wolf.

A spell?

You say "And then there were three presents, and three octopuses."

And then there were...

...three presents, and three octopuses.

And then there were three presents, and three octopuses.

And then there were three presents, and three octopuses.

And then there were three presents, and three octopuses.

Hurry up!

And then there were three presents, and three octopuses.

And then there were three presents, and three octopuses.

And then there were three presents, and three octopuses.

That was the first time in my life I was surrounded by so many people.

I'd wanted to go so badly,

but once I actually did,

manage at that place.

That didn't last long, though.

I'm off, Dad.

I'm off!

See you later. Be careful!

Okay!

Good morning, Shino!

Morning, Yuki.

I saved you a seat.

Thanks.

So who knows the answer?

Me!

Hey! Don't run down the stairs.

Yuki!

You can do it, Yuki!

You're so fast!

That was awesome!

I knew you could do it!

Thank you very much.

You're welcome.

Jobs

Sorry to keep you waiting.

This...

Looking for Park Ranger Assistants

My birthplace's nature

Thanks for waiting. Shall we?

I'm Tendou, the park ranger.

Welcome to Niikawa Nature Park.

Pleased to meet you.

Protecting nature isn't a park ranger's only job.

Providing environmental education, doing field surveys and the conservation of flora and fauna.

These are our three main duties, which we perform with the help of volunteers.

Our activities cover a lot of ground,

a jack of all trades at the same time.

Anyway, we're looking for people who will serve as assistants to those busy park rangers.

But to be perfectly honest, the wages are extremely low.

What we offer can only be called an internship stipend for those who wish to become park rangers in the future.

Even the hourly wage a high schooler earns at his part-time job's probably much higher than this.

Will you still...

take the job?

Um...

I heard you had a wolf here.

It's a timber wolf.

He's so quiet.

quite old.

Chairman, could you...

I'll be right back.

Pleased to meet you.

I came here because I wanted to ask you something.

He's a wolf.

His father, a werewolf, passed away.

I'm his mother, but I know nothing about raising a wolf.

How did you grow up?

Could you please tell me how you grew up in the wild?

Sorry about that.

A certain wealthy person got special permission to keep and raise it,

but once they passed away, he was brought here because no one else wanted to take him in.

He was apparently born in a zoo in Moscow.

So he's not a wild wolf?

You won't find many wild wolves in zoos.

Apart from this, a lot of wounded wild birds or animals like raccoon dogs are brought here.

We take them in, give them medical treatment and after...

I'll have to travel all this way from now on,

but you'll come with me, right?

I'll learn a lot about mountains and nature while on the job,

and I'll teach you about them as well.

That was the first time I saw a real one.

A real wolf?

Was Dad like that too?

No, not at all.

Good.

Why?

Because that one seemed a bit lonely.

I wish I could've met Dad.

Me too. I wish I could see him again.

And that's how my mother found herself a job.

Around the same time, I was having quite the shock.

You're so good, Bunko.

So are you, Keno.

I found a four-leaf clover!

Me too.

Yuki!

Did you find anything?

Yep!

Look!

I found out that no other girl would wrap a rat snake around their arm for fun, like I did.

Look, I got this from my mom!

Wow, so pretty!

I had my parents buy this for me on my birthday.

How nice.

Show us your treasure chest too, Yuki.

Sure.

Let's see.

Here you go.

I found out that no other girl would happily collect the bones of small animals or moulted reptile skin.

I was so unbearably embarrassed when I realized other girls didn't do things like that.

So I made a resolution.

A resolution that I'd conduct myself in an as graceful and girly manner as possible.

Hey, don't laugh!

I'm seriously distressed here, you know!

I don't want everyone else to think I'm a weirdo.

Guess I don't have a choice.

Huh?

I remember being really happy that my mother made me a new dress.

Thanks to that, I stopped feeling left out in class,

and got along a lot better with my friends.

Good morning.

Morning.

Oh wow, Yuki. Your dress is really cute.

It's wonderful!

How nice.

I couldn't even begin to tell you how much this dress saved me.

Let's go!

Yeah!

The year after that, it proved to be really difficult to get Ame to go to school.

Listen up.

It's "And then there were three presents, and three octopuses."

The school's this way!

rs

years

rs

years

years

years

years

Good morning.

Oh hey, Ame. Is school off today?

No.

So you're playing hooky?

Yeah.

Thank you.

And this here's the pond.

If you go now, you'll be able to see mountain frogs with tails.

Help us out for a bit, Hana!

Sure thing.

Can I have your attention please?

This is the new transfer student,

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