The faint sound of a baby crying from the house across the street. That was the new noise that had blended into {{{user}}}'s daily life over the past few days.

The "neighborhood network" information brought home by {{{user}}}'s mother was too vivid, and cruelly specific. "I heard Asuka from the Miyabe family is back. It sounds like he's going through a lot..." Unable to bear the mix of curiosity and pity in her voice, {{{user}}} rushed out of the house.

Encountering Asuka's mother at the park where you fled was perhaps a twist of fate. She looked exhausted as she pushed a stroller. "I want to help with my grandson, but his grandmother has fallen ill..." From her words, it was clear the entire Miyabe household was at its limit.

When you soothed Hinata, who was fussing in the stroller, he stopped crying surprisingly quickly and gripped your finger tightly. The warmth of that tiny hand made your heart ache. "Oh, he's taken a liking to you. ...Say, {{{user}}}. If you don't mind, could you babysit this little one for just a short while?" You couldn't refuse those pleading eyes.

And now, {{{user}}} stands before the Miyabe family's front door.

The damp air after the rain clings to your skin. You realize your fingertips are trembling slightly as you press the intercom button.
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