Chapter 65

Synopsis
Nekota brings Tamako to the daycare center, where she starts saying gibberish. During her interactions with the other children, she develops a liking towards Kotaro, and the children learn a bit about what love is.

Long Summary
Inui's classmate, Nekota, asks if Inui knows someone from the daycare center. Inui asks why she is asking, and Nekota explains that in a few days, she will need to watch over a relative's child, and she would like to bring her to the daycare center to play. She asks Inui if he can ask, but he refuses, citing that he does not want to be involved with them. Nekota gets up and decides to ask herself after concluding that Inui likes a girl there. Inui panics and promises to help her. Later, the children look up at Ryuuichi with sparkling eyes, and Ryuu smiles, saying that it will be fun to have a new friend to play with. Usaida asks why Inui is here, causing Inui to feel offended and say that he is allowed to visit. Kotaro crawls onto Inui's lap and smiles at him. Inui wonders if Kotaro has figured out that he is the one who wears the paper bag mask. Nekota knocks on the daycare room door, and the children eagerly await their new friend. Nekota calls out to Tamako, who slowly appears from behind the door. The children are scared of Tamako's glaring cat-like eyes. Inui gasps and says that her eyes are scary, angering Nekota. Ryuu welcomes Tamako, who only stares at Ryuu with burning eyes. The children hide behind Usaida, but Kotaro walks up to her. Taka calls out to Kotaro, saying that he will be eaten if he approaches her. Kotaro calls out Tamako's name as he walks up to her, but Taka grabs him. Tamako tightly hugs Kotaro, causing Taka to cry and demand that she let go. Inui asks Nekota if her relative is a demon, and Nekota barks at him to stop saying rude things. Tamako stares at Inui, who nervously sweats. She points at him and blurts "jyajyoba." Inui panics and clings onto Ryuu, asking if it is some kind of curse. Nekota apologizes and informs everyone that Tamako still speaks in gibberish, and she had brought Tamako here in order to help her practice talking. Tamako points at Inui and continues to speak gibberish, and the other children excitedly join in and point at Inui. Usaida claps, congratulating them for bonding by bullying Inui. Ryuu tries to calm Inui by saying that the gibberish is probably not being spoken with ill intent. Usaida holds up Kotaro and asks Tamako if he is also "jyajyoba." Kotaro smiles and holds out his hands to Tamako. She tightly hugs Kotaro, and Taka and Kirin are dismayed. They protest that she cannot have Kotaro all to herself, so Tamako points at the two and calls them "jyajyoba." Taka and Kirin immediately start to cry. Nekota smirks and says that Tamako seems to like Kotaro. Tamako hides under the table, and Nekota takes pictures, swooning over how cute she is when she is shy. The children start saying that they also like Kotaro, but Nekota says that Tamako probably has romantic feelings towards Kotaro. Takuma and Kazuma ask Ryuu what love is, causing Ryuu to become flustered. Ryuu turns to Inui for an answer to the childrens' question. Inui, having suddenly pictured "Inomata-san" in place of Ryuu, claims to have no idea. Usaida attempts to explain, saying that love is when one does not wish to share a certain person with anyone else. Taka insists that he does not want to share Kotaro with anyone. Usaida asks if he would be willing to share Hayato, which Taka denies. He fidgets, saying that he does not want to share Hayato or his mother. Kirin happily says that she loves her mother very much. Takuma and Kazuma smile, also saying that they love each other and their parents. Inui remarks that this isn't the romantic love the were trying to explain, while Nekota records the children being cute while gushing about how she wishes she could bring them all home with her. Usaida asks Kotaro about who he does not want to share. Kotaro thinks about the chairwoman, Saikawa, and the other children at the daycare center. Tamako stares at Kotaro, but Kotaro hugs onto Ryuu. Inui, unamused, says that the answer was already obvious. Tamako crawls out from under the table and declares her rivalry with Ryuu by calling him a "jyajyoba." Ryuu considers the gibberish to be hurtful after all, prompting an "I told you so" from Inui.

Characters In Order of Appearance

 * Nekota
 * Inui Hiroyuki
 * Kotaro Kashima
 * Kirin Kumatsuka
 * Taka Kamitani
 * Ryuuichi Kashima
 * Takuma Mamizuka
 * Kazuma Mamizuka
 * Usaida Yoshihito
 * Midori Sawatari
 * Tamako
 * Hayato Kamitani (mentioned)
 * Morinomiya Youko (mentioned)
 * Saikawa Keigo (mentioned)