5 Step Sisters Vol. 1 Chapter 3

 Third Daughter / Karin Miyanaga

Triggered by this day, a small change was born in my daily life.

To tell the truth, a secret interaction was born between Mio and me.

When our eyes met, Mio would float a small smile on her lips or give a quick, polite bow. If it looked like the other sisters were about to notice such gestures, she would hurriedly look away.

When we ran into each other in the washroom, we started exchanging a few words. The washroom on the third floor is a double bowl vanity, but it seems there are times when three or more of them book it at once, and at such times, Mio started coming down to the first floor with quick, short steps.

While I washed my face in my pajamas, Mio, dressed in her uniform, would talk to me.

"It’s a bit muggy today, isn't it?"

"Yeah. It was hard to sleep last night, too."

"It makes you want to use the air conditioner soon, doesn't it?"

"Isn't it still a bit too early for that?"

Such trivial conversations were actually quite fun.

As we got a little closer, I realized that Mio was a relatively easy girl to talk to.

Her personality is kind and gentle. Modest and reserved. When our eyes meet, she tends to look down, yet she smiles bashfully. —Indeed. This is the very definition of a modern Yamato Nadeshiko.

As usual, my awkward relationship with the other sisters continued... but my heart felt a little lighter than before.

Then, one day. It was a Friday.

Having finished dinner and taken a shower, I was finishing up my homework in my room.

After 8:00 PM, I tried not to leave my room except for breaks. This was because the first-floor washroom also served as the changing room for the bath. If I went down to the first floor late at night, the probability of encountering sisters other than Mio would skyrocket.

After finishing my homework, I messed around on my smartphone for about fifteen minutes before starting to review my lessons. Eisei High is a fairly competitive prep school, so if I neglect self-study, I’ll be left behind in the blink of an eye. Depending on the subject, I'm not smart enough to understand the entire scope just from the classes alone.

"I wonder how Chinatsu studies..."

Rereading my notebook, I let that mutter slip out.

Over the past week, I had witnessed Chinatsu’s mastery of both literary and military arts from the seat next to her. Not only that, but even at home, I had seen her taking care of her sisters countless times. Just last night, she was running to the neighborhood vending machine while bewildered by Sorane saying, "Eh? Teacher told you to bring three empty cans?" At that rate, I wondered if she could even secure time for her own studies.

When my concentration broke and I looked at the clock on the wall, it was past 1:00 AM. Since it was a good stopping point, I lightly stretched and tidied up my desk. Tomorrow is a day off, but I should probably get to sleep soon.

I stopped by the first-floor restroom before returning to my room. I lay down on the bed, leaving only the nightlight on. Less than ten minutes later, my consciousness was being lured into the world of sleep, but—

...H-Heavy.

Wandering between dream and reality, I groaned in agony.

I wanted to roll over, but I couldn't. It felt like a heavy stone had been placed on my stomach. Even when I reached out to push it away, my hand was slapped away sharply.

Letting out a groan of anguish, I realized something.

This probably isn't a dream. Something is weighing down on my stomach.

What is it? Could it be... a ghost? The grudge of the dead? Sleep paralysis?

Overcome with fear, my half-asleep brain began to awaken. Nasty imaginations raced through my mind, and I broke into a sweat that dampened my pajamas.

I had never encountered a paranormal phenomenon in this house before. Because of that, I didn't know the correct way to deal with it. Just as I was debating whether I should pretend to keep sleeping, I gasped.

The something sitting on my abdomen. I recognized its temperature and texture.

—Isn't this Hana?

Three days ago, I talked to Mio about Hana. I spoke Hana's name for the first time in a while, looked at Hana's photos, and thought about her. Perhaps the events of that day had acted as a summoning catalyst.

Hana usually slept in her cage on the first floor, but occasionally she would break out and sneak into my room. She would use my arm as a pillow, burrow into the foot of the bed, or sometimes sit on my stomach like tonight.

Because I knew that, I never locked my room. I remember feeling an indescribable sense of happiness when I woke up in the morning to find Hana in my room.

"...ugh."

Responding to the awakened memories, tears welled up between my closed eyelids. That must be it. Hana, who had crossed the rainbow bridge, was worried about me, whom she left behind, and came to see me.

The weight, which was creepy at first, had by then turned into something nostalgic and dear.

I slowly opened my eyes a slit and stared at the thing weighing down on my stomach. In the uniformly spreading darkness, my focus, which was blurry at first, gradually sharpened.

Teary-eyed, I called out fearfully.

"Could it be, Hana? ...Is that you, Hana?"

Then, Hana, who had been staring down at me intently—

"I came to crawl into your bed, Nii-san."

With a smirk like a little devil, she whispered that.

Or rather, it wasn't Hana at all. It was Karin.

".................."

Let me be honest.

I was incredibly shaken. To begin with, if there is a stepbrother who wouldn't be shaken by this situation (a stepsister he has barely spoken to is straddling his stomach), I want you to introduce him to me.

However, the strongest feeling was disappointment. After all, I had thought I could meet Hana again, even if she was a ghost. Because I had expected it from the bottom of my heart, the feeling of being lifted up only to be dropped was intense.

"I see. This is the first time I've had a sister pay me a night visit."

When I said that while looking back at her with completely dry eyes, Karin, dressed defenselessly in a thin hoodie and shorts, blinked her eyes rapidly. Her hair, usually in twin tails, was let down over her shoulders.

"Does that mean you've had it happen with someone other than a sister? You were calling out 'Hana' or something just now. Could that be an ex-girlfriend?"

"...Sigh."

"Eh, no way. Did you just sigh at me?"

It seemed to be an unexpected reaction for Karin as well, and she was flustered.

"Super unexpected. Even though you look like you've never dated a girl."

She was muttering while biting her nail. She seemed to be misunderstanding something, but it was too much of a hassle to clear up every single misunderstanding. Also, mind your own business.

"So, what do you want at this hour?"

When I gave an incredibly cold reaction, Karin panicked and tried to smooth things over.

"S-So, well, of course I have business with you, but..."

I pegged her as the type who gets weak when her calculations are thrown off. A trivial new discovery.

"It looks like it can wait until tomorrow. Goodnight."

My speech was already slurring.

As drowsiness returned along with my disappointment and I tried to close my eyelids, a panicked Karin lunged at me. Wondering what she was doing, my eyelids, which were on the verge of closing, were forcefully pried open.

"Whoa! You, what are you doing!"

"It's because you tried to sleep without permission!"

"What will you do if I get dry eye!"

"Like I care! More importantly, do you really feel nothing? You're being visited at night by such a cute girl, you know? If you're a healthy high school boy, you should be getting turned on!"

Karin was spouting some incomprehensible logic, but having it said to that extent, even I became conscious of it.

Karin's eyes looking down at me were wet with frustration and strangely alluring. Her fingertips touching me (well, my eyelids), her breath hitting my face, her hair hanging onto my shoulder, the sweet scent of shampoo, and her body tracing soft curves—it was too attractive to ignore.

Even if I wanted to ignore the heat of our touching bodies and get up, I couldn't move wildly for fear of knocking Karin off and injuring her.

Moreover, it wasn't good that we had been whispering to each other since the start to ensure no one else heard us. This made it seem as if Karin and I were accomplices. Even though I was supposed to be the one being unilaterally attacked.

Calm down, heart. This is my sister, this is my sister... After telling myself that repeatedly, I finally managed to spit out words.

"Did you come here to turn me on?"

"Ha? No, I didn't."

You didn't?

"Also, why is the duvet pulled off? That was your doing, right?"

I glared at her from point-blank range. The reason I could feel Karin's texture and temperature directly was because the duvet had been dropped to the floor. I have relatively good sleeping posture, so I wouldn't do something like that.

"Well, yeah," Karin admitted easily, finally releasing my eyelids as she explained.

"I hate being woken up when I'm sleeping."

"...And?"

"So, I feel bad about waking you up. As an apology, I thought I'd let you taste the feeling of my body."

Amazing. Even after hearing the reason, I don't understand the meaning at all. The vector is different, but it's almost like talking to Dad.

"Listen... You have a boyfriend, right?"

Intending to show kindness by pointing out that this might count as cheating depending on how you look at it, Karin twitched her mouth as if she had seen a pest.

"Ha? Why do you know something like that? Gross."

She squinted her eyes and spat out the words. Can I cry now?

"I heard it from Mio three days ago."

"Ah, that time. I see. That girl talks to you about stuff like that?"

Karin shrugged and relaxed her body. Because of that, her entire weight came bearing down heavily on me. H-Heavy.

"Doesn't matter about the boyfriend. We'll break up soon anyway."

"...Why? Did you guys have a fight?"

When I asked while enduring the weight, Karin said with a bored look.

"It's not like that. To begin with, I never liked him from the start."

I couldn't understand even half of what Karin was saying.

Then what are you dating for? Before I could fire off that natural question, Karin made a move.

"Ah, how about this? Wouldn't you be pretty happy with this?"

Ziiip—what Karin's hand lowered without hesitation was the zipper of her hoodie. Even in the darkness, the gel nails coloring her claws shone as if harboring poison.

"Idiot. Stop it, that's not a joke."

Paying me no mind, Karin continued her provocative behavior. What was revealed was the line of her collarbone, protruding so thinly it was unsettling. And, peeking out as if emitting a special light even in the dimness, was a large white cleavage—

"I said stop it!"

I reached out and grabbed Karin's wrist.

Forcibly stopped, Karin looked down at me and smiled faintly.

"It's fine. I'm wearing a 'mise-cami'." (A camisole meant to be seen).

Wondering what exactly was "fine" about it, I let go of Karin's hand and looked away. Despite that, Karin placed her hand on my chest over my pajamas and laughed in the back of her throat.

"The sound of your heart is amazing. It's pounding, isn't it...?"

"...Yeah. It's pounding from fear and anxiety."

"You won't get another chance like this, you know? Why don't you look more properly?"

Putting a hand to my mouth, I muttered in my heart while feeling my rough heartbeat.

—This girl is incredibly dangerous.

She is completely different from Chinatsu, who charges forward recklessly for the sake of her sisters. Karin, whose goals and thoughts are unclear, seems to be acting according to a self-destructive wish strong enough to burn herself.

Although I was tossed about by her wicked nature, I didn't feel like warning her. Because I felt that anything I said, as someone who knew little more than her name and age, would be meaningless.

I let out a big breath. Calm down, I told myself. It's bad to let Karin keep the initiative like this.

Anyway, let's move the conversation forward. Well, I can't deny that I'm at a disadvantage while being straddled.

"So, what do you want? Say it quickly. Also, close your front."

When I asked in a deliberately brusque tone, Karin clapped her hands with an "Ah." Did you forget? Also, close your front.

"Right, right. Nii-san, you're good at cooking, right?"

"No, I'm not skilled enough to be called 'good'."

Those were words from my heart, but Karin gave a troublesome social laugh, "Ahaha."

"I don't need modesty right now."

"I don't really intend to be..."

I believe there is a large gap between "can cook" and "good at cooking." Even for an amateur, if the ingredients and environment are right, it's not a difficult era to make delicious food. A human who can simply cook according to a recipe written in a cookbook or on the internet is not a "good cook" or anything.

Ignoring my sigh, Karin placed a finger on her chin cutely.

"Umm, tomorrow evening... let's see, around 8:00 PM is fine. Check the kitchen trash can so that no one sees you."

"...?"

Suspicious, I furrowed my brow.

Check the trash can? It's incomprehensible, but does that mean there's something in there?

"That's all for my business."

Since Karin really fell silent after that, I was taken aback.

"Ha? That's it?"

"That's it."

You went as far as doing a night visit for that? Are you sane? Perhaps reading something from my speechless expression, Karin pursed her lips.

"It's suuuper hard to talk to you while slipping past Chinatsu's eyes. That's why I waited for Chinatsu to go to sleep before coming out of the room. Well, I fell asleep while talking to my boyfriend on the phone, so it ended up being later than planned."

I saw a real-life "tee-hee" moment. Also, the second half was definitely the main reason.

Even so, it seems Karin really calls her older sister—Chinatsu—by her first name without honorifics. Well, she called Mio by her first name too. I don't know the sisters' common sense, but maybe it's not that rare?

"You should have just stayed asleep..."

"Sorry. It was too much stimulation for a virgin-kun, wasn't it?"

"Who's a virgin, you bitch."

"Acting tough. Your face is red, you know?"

Giggling, Karin's index finger poked my cheek.

She didn't even care about being called a bitch. I felt in my skin that I was being underestimated, or rather, taken lightly. I deliberately brushed Karin's finger away bluntly, saying "Stop it," but she just grinned with a smirk as if teasing me.

—Even so.

No matter how much Karin likes teasing people, she wouldn't come to a teenage boy's room for a night visit just for that. This creates a situation where she can't complain no matter what I do to her.

Just as I thought that, I suddenly became calm. If Karin (whose clothes are wide open) were to scream, and the strongest security system, Chinatsu, came running... wouldn't I be the one treated as a criminal?

An unusual amount of sweat ran down my cheek.

If she set up this night visit calculating even that far, she's not just a little devil. She should be called a genuine demon.

"I don't understand what you're thinking."

When I said that flatly, Karin narrowed her eyes like the crescent moon floating in the night sky.

Even from that expression, I still couldn't read her true intentions. That's why I could only pile on words out of desperation.

"Chinatsu absolutely hates the idea of me getting close to you sisters. Yet, you are daring to take actions that go against Chinatsu's will. ...That's how it looks to me."

It wasn't just coming for a night visit like this. Judging from her phrasing earlier, Karin seems to be cycling through boyfriends. At that point, contrary to the man-hating Chinatsu's wishes—

No, wait.

To begin with, there was a cause for my relationship with the sisters becoming complicated. Because I tripped and pushed Mio down, Chinatsu harbored strong wariness toward me and kept all the sisters away from me.

Come to think of it, Mio's behavior was strange too. When I said I stepped on something and fell, she started to say something.

What interrupted that statement was—

"That day... the day you guys moved in. Was it you who made me fall?"

"You finally noticed."

Karin grinned broadly.

What she took out from her pocket was a superball (bouncy ball), the kind you see at festivals.

It seems she rolled that on the floor and made me step on it. Back then, Karin had stood up to help Mio up. She must have quickly retrieved the ball at that moment. From Chinatsu's position, it would have only looked like I fell on my own.

I wanted to lose all strength at once, but I didn't relax my body. Because if I showed an opening, I didn't know what Karin might do.

"Good for you. If you tell her the real culprit's name, maybe you can make up with Chinatsu?"

"...If I did that, Chinatsu would never forgive me for trying to pin the crime on you."

"Oh well, at least you understand that much."

Karin acted disappointed, but it was obvious she thought it would be amusing if that happened.

"What is your goal? Why did you make things bad between me and Chinatsu?"

"............"

despite being the ringleader who messed up our relationship, Karin fell silent, as if her earlier talkativeness was a lie. Her cold eyes looking down at me resembled Chinatsu's just a little bit.

"Are you possibly against Natsuki-san and Dad's remarriage?"

That was the first possibility that came to mind. It's natural for children to be bewildered by their parents' remarriage. After all, even I was.

"Wrong."

But Karin tilted her head. If this wasn't acting, then the reason lay elsewhere.

"Just because we're sisters doesn't mean we're a monolith, that's all."

Then, yawn, Karin let out a yawn. Tears were welling up in the corners of her eyes.

"Anyway, it's already 3:00 AM. I'm getting sleepy, so can I go back now?"

"You..."

She spoke as if I was a pervert who had forced her to come for a night visit. Perhaps this is how false accusations are born.

I finally relaxed my shoulders. If she says she's going back, there isn't a single reason to stop her.

"That's my line. Get out quickly."

However, the weight on my stomach didn't disappear.

On the contrary, Karin brought her face close and whispered into my ear.

"Well then, I'm counting on you for that thing I asked. ...Ni-i-sa-n?"

"...!"

Fuu, breath was blown into my ear, and goosebumps—not just from disgust—rose on my back.

Getting off the bed and opening the door, Karin gave a single glance at me, who remained frozen.

"Why don't you go to the toilet without holding it in?"

Leaving one last unnecessary remark, she grinned, waved saying "See ya," and left the room.

Silence returned to the room after a long time.

For now, I sat up and picked up the duvet that had fallen. I carefully covered myself with it and lay down again.

"...Let's forget what happened today."

I said while closing my eyes. I clicked my tongue. The intruder was gone, so let's sleep. Grikk, I grit my teeth. I’d forget everything and just sleep. I rolled around on the sheets.

—Conclusion. I couldn't sleep a wink.

◇◇◇

I had anticipated it, but Karin’s attitude didn’t change the next day.

Around 10:00 AM. When I came down from the second floor with a head heavy from lack of sleep, Karin was just leaving through the front door. She was dressed up, so perhaps she was going to play with friends or maybe go on a date with her boyfriend.

Karin realized I was looking and turned back to me, but she closed the door without saying anything or changing her expression.

Her behavior was so normal that I almost wanted to suspect that the events of last night were a dream, but that wasn't the case. That was because a single long hair had fallen onto my bed sheets.

...I felt like I even heard an infuriating auditory hallucination saying, "It's not a dream, you know? Virgin-kun," so I promptly slammed it into the trash can.

"Ah, Onii-san..."

When I turned around, Mio was coming down from the third floor, the hem of her cardigan swaying.

After checking the surroundings, Mio greeted me in a small voice, "Good morning."

"Good morning, Mio."

Mio relaxed her cheeks, but upon seeing my gloomy expression, she knitted her brows in concern.

"Umm. Did something happen?"

I couldn't exactly say, Your twin sister paid me a night visit.

"Mio and Karin really are twins, right?"

"...Did something happen with Karin-chan?"

"N-No. Nothing happened."

I hurriedly denied it. Mio is sharper than I thought. Or rather, maybe I’m just too easy to read.

It was embarrassing to talk with my bedhead still in full force, so I moved to the washroom alone.

While washing my face with cold water, I thought about the meaning of Karin’s words.

"The kitchen trash can, huh..."

It annoyed me to do exactly as told, but it was true that I was curious.

In the end, I might just be dancing in the palm of Karin's hand. Thinking about that made me seethe with anger. I will never forget the grudge of having wasted my night in agony and losing sleep, not for all eternity.

But today is a precious Saturday morning. I’ll leave the detailed thinking for later.

When I entered the living room for breakfast, there was a note left by Mio on the table, the ink not yet fully dry. As always, she is a child full of consideration.

According to the information, during the day, Karin and Fuka were each going out. Chinatsu, Mio, and Sorane were going together to the Prefectural Central Library. That library has a kids' space, so Sorane probably won't get bored.

Natsuki-san, whom I see every now and then, is working on her day off. It seems work came in immediately, but she is adjusting her schedule because the client is only free on weekends. Being a lawyer is tough work.

Dad hasn't returned from his business trip. Judging by his usual pace, I predict the next time he shows his face will be about two or three weeks from now.

That means the only one at home is... me.

However, that is actually convenient. I decided to binge-watch the dramas I had recorded in the living room. Streaming services are convenient, but I also like watching on the big TV screen.

Today, I focused on a serialized detective drama series. While providing my own running commentary like, "This guy is suspicious," or "Why are you turning your back so carelessly? You're definitely getting stabbed," I watched the protagonists run around and solve cases. It was a fulfilling holiday for the first time in a while.

In between episodes, when I was making lunch, I did take a peek into the trash can, but it only contained two days' worth of garbage. Even observing it closely from above, there was nothing particularly unusual inside.

—Come to think of it, do those girls cook?

Suddenly, that question arose.

Cooking is a task that produces a fair amount of trash. Vegetable peels, meat packs, wrapping paper, and so on... but the only things in the trash can were the garbage I threw away and tissues.

Looking carefully, putting aside the knives and cutting boards, I felt like the positions of the pots and frying pans hadn't changed at all. The contents of the refrigerator were the same.

If I were a veteran detective with outstanding observation skills and deductive reasoning, I might have solved the mystery at this point. However, being a mere high school student, I was distracted by the appetite right in front of me, thinking, "There's leftover rice, so fried rice should be fine for lunch."

When evening came, Chinatsu and the others returned. Judging by the sounds, they seemed to have gone straight up to the third floor. Looking at the clock, it was nearly 6:00 PM, so I decided to make dinner.

Since I had just been watching TV all day, I wasn't very hungry. There was pork belly, so I made a meat and vegetable stir-fry and a tofu salad with dried young sardines. There was leftover Chinese soup from lunch, so I warmed up the whole pot.

On the channel I randomly turned on, a gourmet program was airing again today. A set meal of sakura shrimp kakiage, known as the jewel of Suruga Bay... that looks delicious...

As I was swooning over the food through the TV screen, Chinatsu and the others came streaming down into the living room.

Feeling chased out, I left the living room, cleaned the bath, and boiled the water. After finishing my bath, I read a mystery novel, and before I knew it, it was 8:00 PM. The time Karin had specified.

"...Guess I'll go check."

Closing the paperback book I was in the middle of reading, I left the room. As I went down the stairs, I noticed the lights in the living room were on. Well, at this time, someone is bound to be there.

Somehow holding my breath, I slowly opened the living room door.

There—I found Chinatsu, Fuka, and Sorane watching TV.

Geh, a sound almost escaped my throat. Of all people, it was this trio. I thought it wouldn't be a problem if it was Mio, or even Karin... but this is practically the worst-case scenario.

It would seem strange if I turned around and left, so for now, I sat at the dining table. Chinatsu and the others would probably leave after a while. I just have to wait for that moment without rushing.

Chinatsu was using a lint roller on the carpet with one hand, while Sorane was lazily stretched out on the glass low table. Fuka was polishing her nails with a serious expression.

"A pilgrimage to Ise, is it? Indeed, I would like to go at least once in my lifetime."

"Sorane wants to eat Akafuku~!"

"I hear they are especially delicious when freshly made."

The three of them, chatting occasionally while watching the travel program, showed no signs of moving from in front of the TV. It wasn't that they were incredibly interested in the content of the program, but rather... it felt like they were enjoying lazying around after dinner.

As if suddenly thinking of it, Fuka changed the subject.

"By the way, Sorane, have you made any friends?"

"I did! My best friends are Yukari-chan and Sana-chan!"

Vui vui, Sorane made peace signs, getting carried away.

"What about you, Fu-nee?"

"Of course. It is the first mission of a transfer student, after all."

Fuka puffed out her chest. Well, these two are amiable and seem good at breaking the ice with others.

Then, Sorane's gaze turned toward Chinatsu.

"What about Natsu-nee?"

"I am..."

At this development, even I suddenly became nervous. How does Chinatsu intend to answer? So far, I haven't seen her happily conversing with anyone other than Asahina and Yaku even once.

After a long silence, Chinatsu answered while touching her hair.

"L-Let's see. ...Roughly about one hundred people?"

—Oi! I almost retorted out loud.

She's lying. This woman is lying boldly.

If you listen closely, her voice is trembling slightly, and her intonation rises at the end as if she feels guilty, but Sorane and Fuka didn't seem to notice.

"One hundred!? Eh, did you say one hundred!?"

Sorane repeated it in a loud voice that drowned out the TV audio. She probably doesn't realize she's practically twisting the knife.

"Natsu-nee, that's amazing! Even Sorane only has about ten!"

"As expected, Chinatsu-oneesama is on a different scale."

Perhaps unable to back down due to her sisters' positive reactions, Chinatsu added something unnecessary.

"W-Well, it's easy for me. I plan to seize control of the entire school eventually."

It was a bullish statement that one wouldn't expect from someone who just fudged her friend count by double digits.

"Sieze con... trol? ...What's seize control?"

"It means to place under one's own domination. I look forward to the day Chinatsu-oneesama reigns as the ruler of Eisei High from now!"

Barely suppressing the urge to burst out laughing, I was brought back to reality by the voice from the TV saying, "It is the 8 o'clock news." This isn't the time to be amused by Chinatsu and the others' conversation. I had the noble purpose of checking the trash can.

Chinatsu and the others are absorbed in their conversation, so maybe I should try approaching the kitchen for now. No, that might be too dangerous...

While I was devising a plan, there was a noise from the entrance. Shortly after, the living room door opened.

"............"

The one who appeared was a silent Karin.

"Welcome back. You're a little late, Karin."

Chinatsu, turning her eyes from the TV to Karin, scolded her first thing. While the other sisters said "Welcome back~" and "Welcome home," Karin muttered a grumpy "I'm back" without meeting their eyes. Her curtness felt exactly like a daughter in the midst of a rebellious phase.

Then, looking back and forth between me, who was doing the Gendo pose (Evangelion) at the dining table, and her sisters who were lounging around, she let out a small sigh as if realizing something.

Karin spoke to Fuka first.

"Fuka. That magazine you were talking about before, I'll let you read it now if you want."

"My, really!? In that case, I shall visit your room!"

"Sorane, you haven't taken a bath yet, right? Why don't you hurry up and get in?"

"That's right! Natsu-nee, let's get in together!"

"Geez. I suppose it can't be helped... I'm just going to throw away some trash, so wait a moment."

—The three who were lazying around dispersed in the blink of an eye.

It was a magnificent misdirection based on a grasp of each sister's characteristics. Standing in front of the turned-off TV without looking at me, who was impressed, Karin said in a tone like she was talking to herself.

"I'm counting this as a favor."

"Ah, yeah. I owe you one."

Maybe she went out of her way to show her face in the living room because she was worried about me. When I bowed my head slightly, Karin sighed as if to say You're such a handful... and left the living room.

I saw her off with a grateful gaze, then suddenly came back to my senses.

Wait, isn't that weird? Why do I have to be grateful to her? To begin with, Karin is the one who imposed this mysterious mission on me.

"Even so, Karin... she didn't speak only to Chinatsu, right?"

Do those two really not get along very well?

I tilted my head, but now wasn't the time for that. Before anyone came back, I had to quickly check the contents of the trash can.

Getting up, I hurriedly moved to the kitchen and stood in front of the trash can.

I stepped on the pedal and lifted the lid of the large-capacity trash can. Inside, the amount of trash had increased significantly compared to when I saw it during the day. Wet wipes used to wipe the table and dirty tape peeled from the lint roller were inside. These were probably things Chinatsu threw away just now.

What was strange was that the trash was spread out evenly. If she had just tossed it in randomly, it shouldn't look like this.

—Could it be that this is camouflage?

Most likely, something is hidden underneath this. Something Karin wanted to show me.

Feeling nervous, I swallowed hard. Although reluctant, I moved the trash aside with one hand and dragged out what lay sleeping beneath it.

What came out was an ordinary convenience store plastic bag. The size was extra large.

The handles were tied tightly in a hard knot, unlikely to be untied easily. Having no choice, I grabbed some scissors and cut the handle part.

Opening the package, my eyes widened.

"This is..."

◇◇◇

"Hey, Mio. Is there anything you're having trouble with regarding meals?"

Mio blinked her eyes rapidly.

It was the morning two days later. Monday, in the washroom. I didn't have a chance to talk to Mio yesterday, so confirming things had slipped to today.

At first, I thought about talking to Karin, but I decided against it. If she had any intention of explaining things to me from scratch, she would have honestly revealed the circumstances during that night visit.

"Specifically, dinner."

Mio looked up at the ceiling, lost in thought. Like Karin, Mio seemed to be weak in the mornings, and her reaction was markedly slow. But I felt that she was more relaxed than when we first met, which made me a little happy.

"Ah..."

Mio, who had been combing her hair with a brush, seemed to have arrived at an idea.

"As expected, you realized it too, Onii-san."

I hadn't realized it at all, but since explaining would be complicated, I just nodded.

"We... eat convenience store bentos or supermarket deli dishes for dinner. Because we can't cook..."

What was revealed was the truth that corroborated the contents of the 8:00 PM trash bag.

What had been inside that bag were likely convenience store bentos and disposable chopsticks for four people, excluding Karin. Just to be sure, I checked last night as well, and sure enough, deli packs from Shizutetsu Store and rice packs had been thrown away.

The reason I hadn't noticed until now was that the sisters left the living room before starting their meal. Or if I had tried to stay in the living room, I probably would have been chased away by Chinatsu.

The reason Karin specified 8:00 PM was because that was before the bento trash got completely buried. In other words, Chinatsu was intentionally hiding the contents of their meals from me. Knowing Chinatsu's perfectionism, she probably hated the idea of showing weakness.

"By 'can't cook', do you mean you're bad at it?"

"Umm, Mom and Chinatsu nee-san are, yes."

Mio's eyes wandered, seeming unsure how to explain.

"Mom forgot she had a pot on the fire and caused a fire a few times. Chinatsu nee-san's cooking looks delicious, but... how should I put it, the taste is... extremely intense..."

Mio hesitated. The way her eyebrows twisted in distress might be because she was recalling the taste of Chinatsu's "extremely intense" cooking.

"So when I was in elementary school, I tried to cook food in their place, but I cut my finger with the knife. Since then, Chinatsu nee-san banned cooking at home."

"Eh? For everyone?"

"Yes. Of course, we participate in cooking practice in home economics class... but I can't do it well either."

Hearing that much, I let out a sigh.

"That's incredibly overprotective."

Mio smiled with her eyebrows lowered. She didn't seem to know how to respond.

"At our previous house, Dad... our old dad sometimes cooked for us, though."

With that, Mio shut her mouth.

Since I can't carelessly touch upon the topic of their father, I thought about the meal situation. I won't say it's bad, but if they eat nothing but convenience store bentos and deli food every day, their nutrition will inevitably become unbalanced. Even more so since they are in their growing period.

At the same time, I finally understood Karin's aim. Checking my cooking skills was for this purpose.

I felt a bit like I was being manipulated, which didn't sit right with me—but knowing the sisters' circumstances, I couldn't just leave them be.

"Mio. Regarding today's dinner, would you let me make it?"

Mio was clearly bewildered by my sudden offer.

"B-But, we can't cause trouble for you, Onii-san."

"It's not trouble. This is just for my own self-satisfaction. So, just lie to the other sisters. You can just say you made it, Mio."

"...I think there is a high probability that lie will be exposed."

Mio said bashfully. Right, that happened.

"In that case, try saying Chiyu-chan's mom next door made it for you. Make it seem like a thank-you gift for helping Sheena."

I've heard that the trick to not getting caught lying is to mix truth into the lie. Chinatsu and the others, who just moved here, don't have interactions with the neighbors, so it shouldn't be exposed easily.

"I-If that's the case."

After worrying about it, Mio agreed.

"Then, could you tell me everyone's preferences and allergies?"

"Mio~? Where are you?"

Hearing the voice coming from beyond the closed door, my body stiffened. It seems we talked for too long.

While cursing Chinatsu in my heart for interrupting, I apologized to Mio with a hand chop gesture.

"Sorry, Mio. We'll continue this talk later..."

Then, Mio took out her student notebook from her pocket. She wrote something on the memo pad page at the back and tore it off.

"H-Here, this is my ID."

My brain unable to keep up, I accepted the note in silence.

"Umm, I want to send you a message. Please register me...!"

Leaving those words with a reddened face, she quickly trotted out of the washroom.

After Mio's footsteps faded away, I reflexively stretched out both arms and held up the note.

"Ooh..."

What should I do? I unexpectedly obtained a girl's contact information.

Technically, I've known Asahina's contact info for a long time, so this makes the second one... but I felt an indescribable feeling, somewhere between embarrassment and happiness.

Because of that, I wasn't used to ID registration at all, and I struggled for a while before leaving the washroom. by that time, Chinatsu and the others had long since left for school.

Leaving the house, Lycaenidae butterflies and carpenter bees were flying freely near the flower beds here and there. According to the weather forecast, the daytime temperature is 23 degrees Celsius. It looks like it will be a pleasant day.

Chinatsu and the others were not at Kusanagi Station. They probably took the train one slot earlier.

Come to think of it, the place name Kusanagi apparently derives from the fire disaster legend of Yamato Takeru. The fire disaster legend goes that when Yamato Takeru no Mikoto was attacked by fire, he mowed down the grass with the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi (Heavenly Sword of Gathering Clouds) also known as the Kusanagi no Tsurugi (Grass Mowing Sword), one of the Three Sacred Treasures and escaped the disaster by making the fire drift toward the rebels.

If you climb all the way up the slope, there is Kusanagi Shrine where Yamato Takeru no Mikoto is enshrined. On the second day after moving in, Natsuki-san and the others apparently went to the shrine to pay their respects.

I quite like this town. Kusanagi, known as a newly developed high-class residential area, is also an educational district with many schools, libraries, and art museums. The scenery and transportation convenience are good, but it has a calm atmosphere, not as noisy as around Shizuoka Station. It seems it's sometimes called the "Jiyugaoka of Shizuoka."

Walking through the town, it is common to hear children's laughter coming from somewhere. If that weren't the case, it might actually be a little lonely.

Just as I boarded the next train, a message flew in from Mio's ID, which I had just registered.

Mio, who was probably swaying on the train just ahead on the same track, meticulously told me the likes, dislikes, and allergies of all six people, including Natsuki-san. After sending "Thank you," I typed in additional text, intending it as small talk.

『I'll go shopping on my way home from school today.』

A few seconds later, a reply came from Mio.

『I will go out with you.』

"Eh."

A voice slipped out unintentionally. Being glanced at by people around me, I hurriedly covered it up with a cough.

A soft, warm smile that seemed to emit negative ions floated in my mind.

Mio and I, going out? —No, she means she'll accompany me shopping. Judging by how the previous exchange had slipped my mind, I must be pretty excited too.

With slightly sweaty hands, I typed a reply.

『It's okay. I'm used to it, so I'll be fine alone.』

『I think I can at least help carry the bags.』

She's polite, or perhaps dutiful. Since she didn't seem willing to yield, I decided to gratefully accept her offer.

Since there is a high possibility of being seen by people near the school or the station, we decided to meet in front of Shizutetsu Store at 4:00 PM. Just as we finished that exchange, I arrived at Shin-Shizuoka Station.

When I got to school and entered the classroom, Hiruoka called out to me.

"Morning, Rikuto. What are you grinning about first thing in the morning?"

"Eh."

Pointed out, I tightened my expression. It seems the aftereffects of my exchange with Mio had shown on my face. I must be careful.

While thinking that, during class, I was mostly absent-minded, thinking about dinner.

Serving someone's specific favorite food right off the bat is an option, but it might be thought of as a bit unnatural. The appropriate temperature would be something like... the neighbor treated them to their specialty dish to show gratitude.

Perhaps because I was doing nothing but thinking about such things, I was called on several times during class. I want to praise myself for somehow managing to squeeze out the answers.

After school arrived, ending classes that felt longer than usual.

Without making any detours, I went straight home. Five minutes before the appointed time, I arrived in front of the Shizutetsu Store Kusanagi branch, which is connected to a 100-yen shop.

Mio was already there. Mio, who was looking around anxiously in the corner of the entrance, spotted me and approached, her distinct short hair bouncing.

"Sorry. Did I make you wait?"

"No. I just got here."

It's just like a date, popped into my mind. As I shook my head slightly to dispel the wicked thought, Mio asked.

"What are we buying today?"

"Ah, this."

What I took out of my breast pocket was a shopping memo. If I don't write it down, I might realize I forgot to buy something later. I could use the memo function on my smartphone, but unlocking the screen every time is a hassle.

Scanning the memo, Mio looked up at me with upward-glancing eyes.

"Have you decided on the menu?"

"Yeah. Want to hear it?"

It wasn't particularly something to keep secret. Then Mio clenched both fists in front of her chest and shook her head from side to side.

"I-It's okay. I'll save it for the surprise."

I laughed and replied, "Understood."

There were many housewives and elderly people shopping for dinner in the sales area. Since there were no students like us, I felt at ease. I won't say the probability of meeting an acquaintance here is zero, but it's quite low.

Inside the store, Mio pushed the cart, so I tossed items into the basket. Potatoes were cheap today, which was helpful.

"Do you come here often?"

"Yes. Basically, I only look at the bento and deli corners though... Ah, today I volunteered to be in charge of shopping, so don't worry."

"Ooh, that helps. Then I can have all the sisters eat."

If I hadn't taken any measures, my cooking and the bentos would have clashed.

As I was feeling grateful for Mio's consideration, she started to say something.

"Umm, Onii-san, will you join..."

"Hmm?"

When I asked her to repeat, she shook her head.

"I-It's nothing. ...Ah, there's mayonnaise over there. Let's go."

Seeming to have memorized the contents of the memo, Mio guided me through the sales floor.

I laughed softly at her dependability. At this rate, rather than a date, it's more like...

"Somehow this makes us look like newlyweds."

One second later, a loud gong echoed. Mio had crashed the cart straight into the shelf in front of her.

"M-Mio? Are you okay!?"

Nothing particularly fell off the shelf, but the person in question was sitting on the floor. Perhaps she had hit herself in a bad spot; checking her forehead while trembling in small bursts, Mio was teary-eyed.

"I-I'm fine."

"Sorry, because I said something stupid."

"N-No..."

Despite such a scene, we finished shopping smoothly.

I had Mio hold the lighter eco-bag, and we headed home. She seemed to intend to stay with me while I cooked, but I politely declined. If Chinatsu saw us together boldly like that, I'd have a hard time making excuses. Also, I'm not used to cooking while being watched by someone.

First, I put on my apron and thoroughly washed my arms from under my fingernails up to my elbows.

Wiping my wet skin with a clean towel, I fixed my gaze on the kitchen.

"Alright, let's do this!"

◇◇◇

Having finished my own dinner early, I sent a message to Mio as 7:00 PM approached.

『Can I ask you to warm up the food soon?』

『Understood!』

After the prompt agreement, the sound of a single person's footsteps came down the stairs.

After hearing the sound of the owner of the footsteps opening the living room door, I sent an additional message. Instructions on which dishes to warm up and for how long. Since Mio seemed like she didn't want the food spoiled for her, I decided to create a slight time lag.

Mio, who said she was bad at cooking, took on the role saying, "If it's just warming up." Truthfully, I wanted to serve it fresh, but since that was difficult, it couldn't be helped.

A few minutes later, the sound of multiple footsteps echoed from overhead, heading downstairs. After a pause, I left my room on stealthy feet.

"As usual, the taste wasn't bad, but..."

Since the only person I've ever fed my handmade cooking to is Dad, anxiety inevitably follows me. That's why I intended to hear the sisters' impressions with my own ears. I was prepared to accept not just mixed reviews, but even abusive language.

I waited in the corner of the stairs near the first floor so I could escape immediately. While hugging my knees on the cold stairs, I strained my ears.

Immediately after, what I heard through the door was Sorane's voice.

"Wow, it's Omurice!"

...Alright, the initial reaction isn't bad.

After much hesitation, I decided on Omurice, potato salad, and consommé soup for the dinner menu. I thought a classic menu like this would be preferred over something eccentric.

To add to that, Omurice is my favorite food and also my specialty dish. It was a judgment to compete with my strongest dish first.

I sautéed chicken rice with butter and covered it with fluffy eggs shaped perfectly. I lavishly used two eggs per person, mixing milk into the egg liquid to make it more satisfying.

...Also, I put in the green peppers and green peas they said they disliked, but Sorane didn't seem to notice. It was worth the effort to chop them up small.

"Where did this come from? You didn't make this, did you, Mio?"

"Umm... The neighbor made it for us..."

Mio explained to Chinatsu in a small voice. Since she's probably bad at lying to begin with, her tone lacked confidence even more than usual, and she was stumbling over her words. Hang in there, I sent her mental support.

"By neighbor, which one?"

At Chinatsu's voice asking sharply like a detective, I broke into a sticky sweat on my forehead.

It's the cautious Chinatsu. I started to get anxious that she might have already deduced my existence hiding behind Mio.

"H-Haruhara-san. Before, I helped the Haruhara family's cat..."

"Cat?"

"Hey. Shouldn't we eat while it's still warm?"

Interjecting there was Karin's voice.

Oh, I thought, surprised. Karin usually eats out a lot, but it seems she came home today. I hadn't told her in advance that I was making dinner... but maybe she sensed it from Mio's behavior? It was a good thing I prepared enough for five people just in case.

Thanks to Karin's assistance, Chinatsu cut her questioning short. The relief was momentary, but soon the sound of polite voices chanting Itadakimasu echoed.

While pressing down on my loudly pounding heart, I quietly swallowed my breath.

"Mmm~~~~~~!"

What could be heard even in the hallway were the voices of Sorane and Fuka, overcome with emotion—the kind of voices you inadvertently make when eating something more delicious than you imagined.

After a beat, Chinatsu scolded, "Sorane, sit down properly and eat." It seems Sorane had stood up and was jumping up and down.

"But, but, it's delicious! The egg is so fluuuffy! The ketchup is sweeet!"

Sorane rattled on in an excited tone. I nodded repeatedly, thinking Right? Right?

Even if you just say Omurice, there are countless varieties, but what I made was orthodox Omurice.

...Also, despite including the dreaded peppers and peas, Sorane hadn't noticed. My chopping efforts paid off.

"Yeah... It's really delicious."

Muttering as if savoring the taste was Mio.

"The salad and soup are also exquisite! Could you call the chef for us?"

When Fuka's voice bounced with excitement, Mio dutifully replied, "She already went home," which made me laugh a little. Actually, I'm right nearby.

"Oh, what a shame. I wonder if there are seconds?"

"Oni... The neighbor said there's soup left. Shall I serve it?"

D-Dangerous. Mio almost let my name slip.

Even so, Fuka eats a lot. Despite her appearance, she seems to have a surprisingly healthy appetite.

Other than that, I don't know the reactions of Chinatsu or Karin, but the fact that they are eating in silence means I can assume there are no particular complaints.

"...Alright."

At the reaction being better than I imagined, I made a small fist pump.

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