"So it's her."
Upon hearing the name Eriri mentioned, Shinobu couldn't help but recall a short segment from the memory images she had seen in the chat group.
It was related to Sodachi Oikura's "Sodachi Riddle" and "Sodachi Lost."
If there were to be a contest of misery among the characters in the Monogatari series, Sodachi Oikura would undoubtedly be near the top.
She was also the only major female character in all the story arcs who had no connection to the supernatural.
Although Sodachi Oikura, Tsubasa Hanekawa, and Hitagi Senjougahara all had tragic family backgrounds,
Hanekawa and Senjougahara both relied on supernatural phenomena to alleviate the burden of their emotional scars and traumatic memories.
But Sodachi had to endure a family situation so hopeless and cruel it could drive someone to despair or even suicide—all on her own.
Unlike the emotional neglect and cold indifference that Hanekawa endured, Sodachi suffered direct, physical abuse.
Both her father and mother vented their frustrations and negativity on young Sodachi by beating her.
In the original story, during her sixth-grade year, the protagonist Koyomi Araragi's police officer parents took Sodachi into their care to protect her from domestic abuse.
But she stayed at the Araragi house for only a short time before she left.
There's a saying: "I could endure the darkness if I had never seen the light."
For someone who had grown up in such a dark environment, the warm and sunny Araragi household was too dazzling for Sodachi—so bright it hurt. She felt like she didn't belong there.
In her shame and self-loathing, she ran away from that beacon of light and returned to her dark, crumbling home, sinking into even deeper despair.
Now, the year Eriri and Shinobu had arrived in was precisely the time when Sodachi was about to be taken in by the Araragi family.
...
It was the peak of summer, with the sun blazing overhead, radiating intense heat.
A few kilometers from Namishiro Park, a delicate-looking girl walked slowly along the town's main street.
She had long silver-gray hair tied into twin tails, though each tail was split in the middle, making it look as if she had four.
She wore a cheap-looking beige dress and matching sandals on her small feet.
Her head hung low as she walked, her eyes devoid of the brightness typical of children—instead, they seemed heavy with gloom.
This girl was Sodachi Yuu—or rather, the girl who would later be known as Sodachi Oikura. At this point in time, she hadn't yet taken her mother's maiden name.
In the original story, it wasn't until after her parents divorced that she began using her mother's surname, Oikura.
At the moment, Sodachi's parents were still together, and she used her father's last name.
Sodachi was on her way home, but her heart was filled with dread. Her house, more like a ruin than a home, terrified her.
She walked so slowly just to delay her return.
But she didn't dare come home too late, either, or the beatings would be even worse.
She had recently thought about calling the police, but fear of her parents' retaliation always held her back.
As she wiped the sweat from her forehead caused by the summer heat, her gaze wandered forward.
Her steps faltered slightly. The dead look in her eyes was briefly replaced by a flicker of light—but it quickly faded.
She lowered her head even more than before, as if not wanting anyone to see her eyes.
The reason Sodachi reacted this way was because directly in front of her, Eriri was approaching while holding Shinobu's hand.
The radiance of Eriri and Shinobu was overwhelming for someone like Sodachi, who had lived her whole life in darkness. It made her feel deeply inferior.
Their outfits had changed as well. They were no longer wearing elaborate Lolita dresses, but light white summer dresses more suited to the season.
Though the 30-degree heat meant nothing to them physically, dressing appropriately for the weather still mattered.
Both girls held ice cream cones, happily eating as they walked.
Eriri had a clear objective. She had already scanned the town earlier and pinpointed Sodachi's exact location.
They had come here to stage a casual encounter.
Hand in hand, Eriri and Shinobu slowly approached Sodachi. Within moments, they were only a meter away.
Just as Sodachi thought they would simply walk past, she noticed the two stopping right in front of her.
With no choice, Sodachi slowly lifted her head to look at them. Her eyes showed a mixture of confusion and fear.
"Um... is there something you need?" Sodachi asked timidly.
Eriri didn't answer right away. She released Shinobu's hand and pulled a fresh, unopened ice cream from her storage space.
Then she offered it to Sodachi with a smile. "Here, have an ice cream. Want one?"
Sodachi stared at her in stunned silence, unsure how to respond.
Her attention had been focused entirely on Eriri's face, so she hadn't noticed where the ice cream came from.
"Why would you give me ice cream? We don't even know each other," she asked hesitantly.
"Hmm, you're not wrong," Eriri nodded thoughtfully and retracted the hand holding the ice cream.
Seeing this, Sodachi instinctively clutched the sides of her dress and stared longingly at the treat in Eriri's hand.
Ice cream wasn't anything rare, but for Sodachi—who never had allowance money for snacks—it was incredibly tempting.
Ignoring her expression, Eriri calmly took a lick from her own ice cream, then slowly asked, "What's your name?"
"Sodachi."
"Sodachi, huh? I'm Eriri."
After introducing herself, she once again held the ice cream out to Sodachi.
"Now we know each other, right? And you really want it, don't you?"
Sodachi's cheeks flushed slightly at having her feelings exposed. It was embarrassing.
This time, she didn't resist. She quietly reached out with both hands and accepted the ice cream.
Feeling its cool touch, she looked down and whispered, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Eriri said gently, then reached up and stroked Sodachi's silver-gray hair.
Sodachi didn't resist the gesture at all. Instead, a warm feeling spread through her chest—a sensation so comforting it made her want to cry.
She quietly unwrapped the ice cream and took a bite.
"So sweet..." she murmured.
And just like that, tears began to stream down her cheeks.
Eriri said nothing. She simply continued to gently caress Sodachi's hair.
Shinobu didn't interfere. She merely stood by silently, enjoying her own ice cream while watching the scene unfold.
And so, a somewhat strange but incredibly heartwarming scene played out on the sidewalk.
However, thanks to Eriri's subtle use of her abilities, none of the passersby noticed what was happening.
...
Nearly half an hour passed.
Eriri, Shinobu, and Sodachi remained in the same spot.
Their ice creams had long since been finished, and Sodachi had stopped crying over ten minutes ago.
During that time, Shinobu had also spoken with Sodachi and gotten to know her a little. Sodachi had been especially shocked to learn that Shinobu was actually older than her.
After all, Shinobu looked like a child no older than seven.
They chatted about many things, though Sodachi only talked about school and her little adventures—never once mentioning her family.
The real reason wasn't just that she was deliberately avoiding the topic. Under Eriri's gentle warmth, she had temporarily forgotten the pain her home life brought her.
But such peace couldn't last forever.
Suddenly, Sodachi remembered the cruel faces of her parents. Her expression changed.
"Oh no! I'm running late!"
She looked at Eriri with a mix of panic and regret. "I'm sorry, Eriri-nee. I have to go home."
"In such a hurry? It's still early," Eriri said calmly.
"My parents told me to be home early. If I don't..."
She trailed off.
Sodachi couldn't bring herself to tell Eriri about the consequences—about the beatings that would get worse if she was late.
"I see. Then how about Shinobu and I walk you home? We did just meet today, after all."
"Yes," Shinobu chimed in softly. "I would like to see where you live."
Sodachi immediately panicked, waving her hands. "No, no! That's okay, really. Don't trouble yourselves. I can go alone."
Just the thought of Eriri seeing the ruin she called home—and her monstrous parents—made Sodachi feel cold inside.
"No need to be shy. We have free time anyway."
"Really, it's fine."
...
Several more minutes passed as they gently argued back and forth.
No matter how much Eriri and Shinobu insisted, Sodachi simply wouldn't agree to let them accompany her.
"Alright, I won't joke around anymore," Eriri finally said, her tone suddenly serious.
Seeing the change in her expression, Sodachi instinctively grew serious as well.
"Sodachi, I know exactly what you're going through. I came here for you."
Sodachi froze.
Then her face twisted into an expression on the verge of tears.
"So everything before... it was just an act? Was all that kindness fake? Was I just fooling myself into feeling cared for?"
She couldn't accept it. Her heart was too fragile, especially after tasting the warmth she had long yearned for. The thought of it being a lie crushed her.
She didn't stop to consider what Eriri actually meant. All she could think of was how the people she just opened up to were deceiving her.
Eriri gently placed her hands on Sodachi's shoulders and met her eyes.
"Of course it wasn't fake. Sodachi, do you trust me?"
The two locked eyes.
Nearly thirty seconds passed.
Finally, Sodachi let out a shaky breath, and her tense, near-tearful expression softened.
"Yes, I believe you, Eriri-nee," Sodachi said with a small nod, a smile returning to her face.
Remembering what Eriri had said earlier, Sodachi tilted her head slightly in curiosity. "Eriri-nee, why did you come to find me?"
Eriri didn't beat around the bush. "Then I'll be direct. Sodachi, would you like to become part of my family and live with me from now on?"
As she spoke, she extended her right hand toward Sodachi, waiting for her response.
This was Eriri offering Sodachi a chance. If she accepted it, she would become part of a new, loving family.
If not, Eriri would still respect her choice.
To Eriri's surprise, Sodachi didn't hesitate at all. Instead of showing doubt, her face lit up with joy.
Without a second thought, Sodachi grasped Eriri's hand tightly with both of hers, as if holding onto her future.
"I want to! I want to!" Sodachi said excitedly, showing no concern about whether her parents would try to interfere.
Because from her perspective, even if she died from their abuse, they likely wouldn't feel grief. At most, they'd be annoyed they lost their outlet for frustration.
To them, she had always been nothing more than a burden.
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