Chapter 14

Synopsis
Ryuuichi forgets his lunch at the daycare and Kotaro delivers it to his classroom with help from Ryuuichi's upperclassman, Inui.

Long Summary
Usaida holds up a picture of Taka at the beach as Taka struggles to reach for it and asks Ryuu why he cannot come to the daycare center during lunch today. Ryuu apologizes, explaining that he has to finish a report for Mr. Hebihara's chemistry class. Usaida jokes, saying Hebihara loves bullying students. Ryuu tells him not to bully Taka, as Usaida is purposely holding the photo out of Taka's reach, causing Taka to cry. Ryuu pats Kotaro's head and leaves the room. Once he is gone, Usaida realizes that Ryuu has forgotten his bento box. The children look at the box hungrily, but Usaida informs that they cannot eat it. He figures that Ryuu will eventually come to get it and decides that if he does not return, he will eat it. Kotaro looks at Usaida with sparkling eyes and holds out his arms. Usaida interprets this as Kotaro wishing to deliver Ryuu's lunchbox to him. The children eagerly ask if they can go as well, but Usaida tells them to eat their own lunches first. They swiftly eat their lunches, as they are quite hungry, while Usaida compares them to dogs quickly eating their food. Usaida gives the lunchbox to Kotaro and hangs a tag around Kotaro's neck in case he gets lost. Usaida looks out the window and sees Inui. As Inui thinks about Yukari, Usaida uses a fishing pole to hang a picture of Yukari on the beach in front of his face. When Inui grabs onto the photo, Usaida says that he is hook fishing while the children point at Inui and call him an idiot.

In the hallways, the students watch Kotaro, wondering why a small toddler is wandering around the hallways. One of the boys suggests that he is doing his first errand. Kotaro reaches the stairs and the students offer to carry him up the stairs, to which Kotaro shakes his head. He insists that he can deliver the lunchbox to his older brother by himself. The students are stunned by his noble act and wish him well. Inui watches the scene from the bottom of the flight of stairs, saying that the students should have just carried him upstairs. Kotaro slowly gets up the steps while Inui impatiently wishes that he could carry him up the stairs. Inui wonders why he is watching over this toddler and remembers that Usaida offered to give him the picture of Yukari if he watches over Kotaro. Inui was also instructed to interfere as little as possible.

Ryuu rummages through his bag and realizes that his lunchbox is not there. Hayato speaks with bread in his mouth, asking what is wrong. Ryuu replies that he has forgotten his lunchbox and tells Hayato not to eat with his mouth full, as he cannot understand him, to which Hayato replies, again with bread in his mouth, that Ryuu just understood him. Ryuu believes that he has left his lunch in the daycare center and ponders whether he should run down to get his lunch or not. Yuki, flustered, offers Ryuu her lunch, saying that she is on a diet anyways. Before Ryuu can protest much, his classmates become jealous and tell him not to decline her offer. They also offer a lot of food for him, instructing him to eat it all. Ryuu gapes at the mountain of food that his classmates have given him. Hayato pats his shoulder, sarcastically saying that he is lucky to have such caring classmates.

The children are taking a nap, and Usaida figures that he should tell Ryuu that Kotaro is delivering his lunch to him. Usaida looks at his phone and thinks about how Kotaro had recently broken his phone. Thinking that Ryuu's phone is broken anyways, Usaida goes back to sleep. Meanwhile, Kotaro has just managaed to make it halfway up the stairs. Suddenly, a student bumps into Kotaro, causing him to fall backwards and drop the lunchbox. As the lunchbox is about to spill over, Inui, wearing a paper bag on his head, catches the box and closes it up. He gives it to Kotaro, who tugs on his leg and thanks him. Inui is rather touched by this and decides to help Kotaro stay safe while climbing the stairs. He tells passerbys to move towards the side in order to keep them from bumping into Kotaro.

Ryuu finally finishes his report and asks Hayato if he has finished his. Hayato replies that he has given up. Ryuu's classmate informs him that someone has come to see him. Ryuu looks over to see Kotaro and wonders why he has come all the way up here. Kotaro hands him his lunchbox while his classmates look at him in shock, wondering if he will still eat the lunchbox after eating all of the food that they had given him. Hayato shoves bread into one of the classmate's mouths, telling him to shut up. Ryuu lies to Kotaro, saying that he is very hungry. He suggests that they go outside to eat. Ryuu's classmates are touched by his consideration. Ryuu opens the lunchbox to find all the contents scrambled, which had resulted from Kotaro's fall. He feeds Kotaro some food and eats along with him. In his mind, he congratulates Kotaro for completing his first errand.

Inui looks from the bottom of the stairs and feels proud of Ryuu for being such a great big brother. He starts to tear up, and Saikawa appears from behind to give him a handkerchief, shocking Inui.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Usaida Yoshihito
 * Taka Kamitani
 * Ryuuichi Kashima
 * Midori Sawatari
 * Kirin Kumatsuka
 * Kotaro Kashima
 * Kazuma Mamizuka
 * Takuma Mamizuka
 * Inui Hiroyuki
 * Sawatori Yukari (image)
 * Hayato Kamitani
 * Ushimaru Yuki
 * Saikawa Keigo (one panel)