CH 27

(POV Kaito)

The end of the year was always a busy time. There were so many events to attend, like the big clean-up and the year-end parties. I used to think that the year-end party, in particular, was a hassle for working adults. Even if you didn’t want to go, you had to worry about splitting the bill and drinking and eating together.

Well, I guess it all depends on personal preferences and the diversity of relationships.

Anyway, I declined the year-end party this year, saying I didn’t have time for it. 

However, there was a legitimate and absolute reason for that—that is, to prioritize my papa’s time. That’s why I’m currently hanging out the futons outside.

“Onii-san, I finished wiping the windows with the newspaper.”

“Thanks, Chiharu.”

“Well… what else should I do?”

“Um, there’s nothing else you need to do.”

“But…”

“Oh, then please keep an eye on Chiaki and Chinatsu. They’re cleaning the bath…”

“Okay, I understand.”

Chiharu opened the windows to let some fresh air in and started wiping them clean. She had tied a triangular hair scarf around her head and worked swiftly and efficiently. What’s more, she kept asking for more tasks one after another, making me feel incredibly happy. With the help of the four girls, we were going to finish earlier than usual.

Chinatsu and Chiaki were cleaning the bath, and Chifuyu was vacuuming all around the house. I was grateful for their help because I could focus on tasks like hanging out the futon and cleaning the toilet. However, just as I was concentrating on my work, Chifuyu came over to my side. She also had a triangular hair scarf on her head, her hair was tied up, and she was holding the vacuum cleaner in her hand.

“Kaito-san, I’ve finished vacuuming most of the house.”

“Thank you. You can rest now.”

“Okay…”

I knew Chifuyu was a responsible person who wouldn’t do things half-heartedly, so when she said she had finished “most” of the vacuuming, I figured she had done it thoroughly and was probably tired from all that effort. It would be better for her to take a break. But she just stood there, fidgeting with the vacuum cleaner in her hand.

“U-um, Kaito-san…”

“What’s up?”

“Umm, Chifuyu did her best with the cleaning…probably the most, so she’s a good girl, and…like Aki-nee, can you pat her on the head…?”

“Huh? Is that an angel? I thought to myself, but it turned out to be Chifuyu. My old eyes are really giving me trouble. Chifuyu, with a red face, wore a triangular hair scarf and held a vacuum cleaner while gazing up at me from time to time.

I removed her triangular hair scarf and gently placed my hand on her head, stroking it a few times. At first, Chifuyu seemed surprised or ticklish, and her shoulders were tense, but she gradually relaxed with each stroke.

“Mm… hehe…” 

She’s just too cute. Sometimes, I struggled with whether it was okay to pet the girls’ heads, but with Chiaki’s encouragement, Chifuyu finally gave me permission….I wonder if they would ever call me “papa” by accident.

“Chifuyu.”

“Hmm?”

“You can call me Dad if you want.”

“….Huh? Kaito-san doesn’t feel like that to me….so it would feel weird for Chifuyu to call you that, ” 

“O-oh, I see,”

It seemed like my papa level still had a long way to go before my daughter would call me “papa”. Well, I couldn’t blame her, but I’d keep trying to win her over.

If “papa” wasn’t an option, maybe “Father” or “Dad” would work, but I’d have to wait a little longer before suggesting it.

Lost in thought, I caught a glimpse of the future where that would happen.

“Um, is it okay to start cleaning now?” I asked her.

“J-just a little longer, please…” 

“O-okay.”

Chiaki and Chifuyu’s heads felt similar to the touch. And their smiles…well, let’s just say it made me a bit embarrassed.

I wondered if other fathers in the world did this kind of thing. How much head patting was okay during the rebellious teenage years? I heard that daughters sometimes didn’t want to talk or rebelled against their dads during puberty.

Maybe I should gather more information about being a father.

“Ahh! That’s not fair, Chifuyu!” 

Before I knew it, Chiaki had finished cleaning the bath and joined us on the balcony.

“Kaito, I worked hard too! Pat my head!” she demanded.

“You did a great job, Chiaki. Thank you,” I praised her and patted her head with my free left hand. Lately, I’ve found myself doing this more often, and it made me happy.

Chiaki and Chifuyu’s faces do look alike; it’s natural since they’re sisters. The shape of their eyes, their high noses, and their smiling faces. They look so alike.

I want to protect these smiles.

When they reach their teenage years, I’m sure it’ll be tough for me. Watching these two, whom I feel like I know so well yet not at all, in this reality that is far different from the game, I can’t help but think about that.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

As the New Year’s Eve was drawing near, I found myself comfortably seated in the kotatsu, engrossed in watching TV. The four sisters, who must have been exhausted from all the cleaning, dozed off in no time. It was also imperative that we wake up early the next day to make it in time for our first shrine visit of the year.

They really worked hard on the cleaning… and it had brought us closer than ever before. Since our first meeting in the summer, we have had more opportunities to interact and converse. With the year coming to an end, the flow of time seemed both fast and slow—an indescribable feeling.

When I made the decision to take them in, I acted on impulse and took on the responsibility of raising them. Now, I find myself in a complex present, yet strangely fulfilled, with nothing to show but experience.

Every meal, conversation, and moment of rest feels new and refreshing, and I am constantly learning. Through this experience, I feel myself changing, although it may just be my imagination…

Even today’s cleaning was a novel experience. Cleaning alongside your daughters is a unique and irreplaceable experience that no one else can have. In the first place, the only memory I have of cleaning with someone else was probably during school clean-up. I wonder what my life was like before this.

While attending compulsory education, I also participated in some extracurricular activities. During middle school, I was part of the volleyball club, but I never got the chance to participate in an official match before moving on to high school. In high school, I played volleyball only once in an official match before quitting the club. After that, I got involved in the “Resonating Hearts” game and died…

My life was far from fulfilling; that much is certain. I never had any romantic relationships, and I never even had a hint of marriage prospects.

It was unimaginable for me to have children, but here I am, surrounded by them. Although I don’t remember everything from my past life, I know that I lived a life without any romance, and now I am leading a life with my daughters.

That’s why living surrounded by my daughters is a happiness I never thought I could have. 

I am grateful that they appreciate me, but I also know that I must not forget to show my appreciation. I used to live alone in this spacious house, with only the sounds of the television and the faucet when washing dishes. However, lately, the house feels a little louder, that I wonder if it’s not a little too loud.

It’s amazing how much peace, happiness, comfort, and bliss I feel surrounded by them. It’s incredible how much energy and motivation I gain to face each day, one at a time.

At first, I thought I was the one providing for them, but now it’s completely the opposite.

When the four of them wake up, I’ll make sure to say it first,

Please take care of me this year as well…

◆◆

(POV Chiharu)

“Get up quickly! We’re going for our first shrine visit of the year!”

In an unusual turn of events, Chiaki was the first one to wake up and broke her usual pattern by waking up not just herself but also Chifuyu and Chinatsu and me. With bedhead and overflowing excitement, she headed downstairs after rousing us from our sleep.

After preparing ourselves as we typically do—fixing our appearances, tying up our hair, and changing into the clothes we had received as gifts—we made our way to the living room. However, as we entered, we couldn’t help but notice that something was off.

“Huh? Kaito is sleeping… “

Onii-san was sleeping in his pajamas under the kotatsu.

“It’s the first time Kaito-san overslept… I don’t want to wake him up…” Chifuyu said

“Yeah… maybe he’s tired… so we’ll probably have to skip the shrine visit…”

“Kaito, wake up!”

“Aki never holds back, does she?”

Chiaki shook Onii-san’s body with both hands, clearly eager to go to the Sayama Fudouson Shrine as soon as possible.

After a few shakes, Oniisan woke up, and she exclaimed, “Kaito, let’s go to the first shrine visit of the year!”

“….What?! Sorry, I’ll get ready right away!”

As he rushed to get out of the kotatsu, he accidentally bumped his foot and let out a small cry of pain. “Ow…”

Before he left the room, he turned back and smiled awkwardly with a large bedhead sticking out of his hair, saying, “Happy New Year. Please take care of me this year as well.”

He then dashed upstairs without waiting for our response.

Chiaki yelled loudly so that Onii-san, who was no longer in the room, could hear her response, 

“Me too! Please take care of me as well, and not only this year but forever! Kaito!”

Although I couldn’t see Onii-san’s face, I was sure he was smiling right now.

Please take care of me this year too, Onii-san.

◆◆

(POV Chiharu)

“Oh, it’s so crowded here,”

We disembarked from the train after arriving at Seibu Stadium station. We then proceeded to join the seemingly endless queue leading to the main hall of the shrine. The path up to the hall is a zigzag slope, and people are meandering towards it in an equally zigzagging line.

“Sorry, I overslept,”

“No worries, it’s not Kaito’s fault. We would have been lining up anyway,” Chiaki said.

“Yeah, with this many people, it wouldn’t have made much difference,” Chifuyu nodded her head.

“Yeah, I agree.”

“….Me too.”

“Well, thanks everyone. It’s cold out here, so here are some hand warmers I brought. Use them,” 

Onii-san said, reaching into his black jacket pocket to retrieve four warm hand warmers. He distributed one to each of us, and immediately I felt my cold hands start to warm.

“Thanks, Kaito.”

“Thank you very much.”

“Thank you, Onii-san.”

“……thx”

Onii-san told us not to worry about it. The path to the main hall was long, but now we could walk comfortably.

“Ah, this feels so warm… I can feel my fighting spirit being rekindled,” Chiaki said.

“You’ve been a splendid chuuni since the start of this new year…” Chiaki remarked.

“Well, that’s Aki-nee for you,” Chifuyu added.

“Yeah, our Chuuni Chiaki is cute and wonderful,” 

While I was chatting with my sisters and warming my hands, a beeping sound suddenly rang out. We all looked towards the source of the sound, which was coming from Onii-san’s pocket.

He took out his smartphone and checked the screen.

“Onii-san, is everything okay?” 

“I just received a greeting from a colleague at work,” Onii-san replied.

“Oh, I see,” 

Come to think of it, I never really heard about Oniisan’s workplace. What was it like?

“Onii-san, what are your coworkers like?” 

“Hmm? Oh, one of them is named Sasaki Kojiro,” Onii-san replied.

“Isn’t that the name of a historical figure?” 

“Yeah, apparently his parents were great fans of the historical figure Sasaki Kojiro. They decided to name their child Kojiro as well, since it’s associated with that figure and because their surname is also Sasaki. That’s why he became Sasaki Kojiro. But to be honest, his personality is worse than his historical counterpart,” Onii-san explained.

“I see…” 

“But despite that, he’s an oddly likable person because of his earnestness,” Onii-san added.

Onii-san seemed to be tapping on his screen to reply to the greeting. Sasaki Kojiro… could he be the person who was with Onii-san at the funeral?

While I was thinking about that, Chiaki stared intently at Oniisan’s smartphone. He noticed her gaze and looked back at her.

“Kaito, can I borrow your phone? I want to use it,” she said.

“Oh, is that all? Of course, go ahead,” he replied.

“Yay!” Chiaki exclaimed.

“Wait a minute… delete, delete… reset the text conversion…” 

Kaito said as he quickly made some adjustments to his phone.

What on earth is Oniisan doing?  After a few seconds, he handed his smartphone to her. It was exciting and thrilling for Chiaki because she had never used one before.

“Ohhh! MayI watch a video?” she asked.

“Sure, go ahead,” Kaito replied.

“Yay! Let’s see… cooking videos, game commentary, or cute animal videos… hmmm,” Chiaki pondered.

“H-hey, let me see it too. It’s not fair to hog it all to yourself,” Chinastu added.

“Chifuyu wants to see it too….” Chifuyu chimed in.

Everyone seemed eager and curious. After all, smartphones were nothing but an endless source of fascination for children, whether it’s watching videos or playing games.

Chiaki had been monopolizing the smartphone, with Chinatsu and Chifuyu peering over her shoulders to catch a glimpse of what she was doing.

“Ohhh!” the three of them exclaimed in amazement. 

Although I was a little curious as to what on earth they were looking at, but my Oneechan’s dignity would be compromised if I barged in.

“Chiharu, don’t you want to take a look too?” Onii-san said

“No, I’m good,” 

“Really then…Chiaki, you have to take turns with the others. When you’re finished, pass the phone around so everyone can all use it together, okay?” Onii-san added.

“Got it!”

I wonder whether Onii-san had said that with me in mind? But as I looked at him, I noticed that he was focused on the line ahead and wasn’t aware of my line of sight

Whether it was intentional or not…. I still really appreciated his thoughtfulness nonetheless.

“Thank you,” 

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. Go ahead and use it together, guys.”

After that, Oniisan casually said, “It’s still a long way ahead,” as he turned his gaze back to the line in front of us and let out a sigh.

Meanwhile, my younger sisters had completely forgotten about the line and were fixated on the smartphone screen.

“Okay, it’s my turn next! It’s my turn!” 

“Not yet,” 

“We’ve been waiting long enough!” 

Chiaki clicked her tongue and handed the phone over to Chinatsu. “I’m going to watch videos of people filleting fish.”

Chinatsu tapped the screen and turned it sideways to watch the video. After a while, she handed the phone to Chifuyu. I watched them from a distance.

“Chifuyu is going to search for love facts this time,” Chinatsu said.

“Love again? You really like that stuff, don’t you?” 

“Are you aiming to be a love master or something?” 

“No, not really…”

Chifuyu turned away while playing the video, fully absorbed in accumulating knowledge. Chinatsu was still watching with interest, but Chiaki was clearly disinterested and yawning.

Then again, after ten minutes, the smartphone was…… oh, this metallic feeling, slight weight, so this is what a smartphone feels like.

“What are you watching, Haru?” 

“I’m watching cat videos,” 

“Ohhh, I love cats too!” 

“Chifuyu likes cats too,” 

“Then, shall we all watch them together?” 

I turned my phone screen sideways, and, in doing so, our shoulders touched, creating the perfect group huddle with my sisters.

The cats were adorable, and my sisters were adorable. Ah, this is heaven.  Despite the long queue line we were waiting in, the time we spent together seemed to pass by all too quickly, and before we knew it, we were already close to the main hall.

It’s always the case that truly enjoyable moments seem to pass by in the blink of an eye. I felt myself empathizing with the story of Urashima Taro as I couldn’t help but think that even if I became an old lady, I wouldn’t notice the time passing by right now.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

“Here’s a hundred yen coin. Put it in the offering box,”

After waiting in line for about an hour, we finally arrived at the main hall. There were still customers waiting behind us, so we needed to clear the space as soon as possible.

I distributed a hundred yen coin to each of the four girls for the offertory. They reverently placed their coins in the offering box, performed two bows, two claps, another bow, and closed their eyes to make a wish. As I watched them, I pondered what to wish for.

To be completely honest, I didn’t have a strong belief in gods or anything of the sort. While I couldn’t say that I didn’t believe in them at all, I certainly couldn’t say that I did.

“I hope I can eat hamburgers, pork belly, and burgers, as well as panda chocolate….”

“And I hope I can eat bamboo shoot chocolate, and mushroom chocolate, and then…” Chiaki whispered to herself.

Chiaki, that’s not something you ask God for, but something you ask me for. While Chiaki kept talking about her food wishes out loud, Chiharu, Chinatsu, and Chihuyu silently clasped their hands together to offer their prayers.

I wondered what they were all wishing for. Were their desires related to food?

I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t really plan on asking God for anything…

But I prayed silently to myself, hoping to become a good papa. I also prayed for the good health and wholesome growth of everyone.

Of course, I realized that it all depended on my actions, so I couldn’t rely too much on my prayers.

After making our wishes, we left the main hall immediately. On the way back, we walked a different path from the one we took before, as there was a place to draw omikuji (sacred lot for drawing fortunes). I gazed into Chiaki’s eyes, and they largely expressed her interest in drawing one, so I gave her a hundred yen coin.

Of course, I gave one to Chiharu and the others too.

“Are you sure about this, Onii-san?” 

“Yeah, don’t worry about it,”

“Thank you very much!” 

Though it wasn’t necessary to hold back with just a hundred yen. No, money is a significant matter after all, and I should appreciate her honest and sincere behavior.

“Yahoo! great fortune! Look, look, Kaito!” Chiaki shouted excitedly, waving her omikuji.

When I was a kid, I used to love omikuji too. As I watched Chiaki enthusiastically show me her fortune, I couldn’t help but reflect on my past.

“Wow, that’s amazing,” I said, reading the fortune she had opened up.

“Hmm, let me see,” it read, “Academic pursuits will be difficult. The market will be irrelevant. Travel as much as possible. Lost items will eventually be found. Business will be irrelevant. The person you’re waiting for is already in your grasp.”

I wasn’t sure if that’s what omikuji fortunes were like since I rarely drew them, but it seemed interesting.

“What do you think?” Chiaki asked eagerly.

“That’s really cool,” I replied.

Chiaki beamed with pride. Now, I wondered what Chiharu and the others got.

Curious like me, Chiaki asked the other three about their fortunes.

“What did Chiharu and the others get!?” she inquired.

“I got a great fortune too,” Chiharu replied.

“So did I…”

“…Chifuyu got a ‘good’ fortune,” 

Good is the second-best fortune after great, so it’s not that bad, but it’s still an unpleasant feeling to be the only one with that fortune

“Chifuyu, let’s draw again,” I said to her.

“Huh? But…”

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s keep drawing until all four of you get great fortune,”

I handed her another 200 yen, and she hesitantly accepted, saying, “Thank you…”

Chifuyu drew her fortune again.

“Ah, g-great fortune…” 

“You did it, Chifuyu.”

“Oh, good for you! Chifuyu.”

“Good for you.”

Apparently, this time it was a great fortune. Good, good. Well, I was going to make her pull it as many times as she could until it came out.

“K-kaito-san, p-please take a look at this,” Chifuyu said.

“Great job, it’s great fortune right?! Looks like you’re off to a good start for the new year,” 

“Yes!” 

I looked over at her Omikuji, which read “great fortune.” It said that there would be no problems with her studies, she wouldn’t have any difficulty with the stock market or business; she could go on trips, if she lost something, it would be found, and the person she was waiting for was already present.

Well, it’s true that Chifuyu wouldn’t have any problems with her studies. I wonder if this fortune is accurate? But I have heard that fortune-telling tends to have a Barnum effect, where the things it says are usually vague and can apply to anyone.

But even if it was just a lie, it’s still fun to think that you have good luck thanks to the placebo effect. And getting a good Omikuji like “great forune” can’t be a bad thing, no matter what.

“Are you not going to draw one, Kaito?” Chiaki asked me.

“Hmm, I don’t know,” 

“Come on, do it! We’re having fun, just like watching unboxing videos!” Chiaki encouraged me.

“Alright, I’ll give it a try.”

I paid 100 yen to draw an omikuji for myself.

“Oh, it says ‘good fortune’,” I said.

“Ah, I see… Kaito got ‘good fortune.’ I wish we got the same fortune,” Chiaki said.

“Let’s draw again,” I suggested.

After seeing Chiaki’s face, there was no way that anything other than “great fortune” could be accepted. So I paid another hundred yen and drew another omikuji.

“Alright, it’s great fortune!”

“Yay! We all got great fortune!” Chiaki cheered.

It was heartwarming to see Chiaki so happy. Since we all got great fortunes, I decided to read what was written on mine. 

It said that I should pursue academic studies, that business ventures would generally go well, and that I would go on trips. It also said that lost items would eventually be found.

The words seemed a bit generic, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit jaded. Well, It’s probably because I’m already an adult. 

Looking again there was another sentence–awaited person, under development.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the silly phrase. I wondered if they included this kind of humor in all omikuji nowadays.

“Well, Chifuyu, let’s go tie our fortune onto that rope over there,” 

“Yes, let’s!” Chifuyu replied eagerly.

It is said that the year’s omikuji is supposed to be carried around, and the old ones should be tied up. For that, there were three ropes hanging between two large wooden boards.

“Should we tie it here? Can you do it?” 

“Ah, yes…” Chifuyu replied.

It seemed that she was struggling. I wanted to help, but I didn’t know how to tie it either. The paper was so thin, it felt like it would tear at any moment….In the end; I managed to tie it together with just a sliver of paper left. It was difficult with my hands getting numb from the cold.

“Chifuyu, do you want Oneechan to help?” Chiharu asked

“This much, I can do myself,” 

Chifuyu was also having trouble. It was hard to do with the cold and the small size of the omikuji paper.

“Okay, I’m done,” Chifuyu announced.

“Wow, Chifuyu’s really good at this. It looks so neat,” I complimented her.

“T-thank you,” 

It was neater than mine that I wondered if I should redo mine…Nah, it would take too long, and it was cold. Besides, the four girls probably wanted to go home soon.

“….Alright, let’s go home,” I said.

“Wait, Kaito! There’s a food stall over there selling grilled beef skewers! I want to eat some!” Chiaki exclaimed.

Chiaki directed my attention to a beef skewer shop situated slightly outside of the main hall. As it turned out, she was right—the shop was right there. Who knew there would be one here? There were already many food stalls along the way from Seibu Stadium Station, but the smell is definitely enticing, and I understand the desire to eat.

“Yeah, I’m a little hungry too; let’s eat,” I replied.

“Yay!”

The five of us lined up at the skewer shop.

“Is beef skewer okay for you, Chiaki?” I asked.

“Yes! Oh, and also chicken meatball!”

“What about you, Chifuyu?”

“I’m not really hungry.”

“Is that so?”

“What about you, Chiharu?”

“I’m not hungry either.”

“And Chinatsu?”

“Same here…”

Are they holding back again? Admittedly, at around 500 yen per skewer, it’s quite expensive.  However, as a papa, I was all too familiar with how the holiday season—from Christmas to New Year’s—could be a financially taxing time. It was a universal truth that expenses tended to pile up during this period.

So, I didn’t really mind at all.

“….All three of you should learn from Chiaki. Aim to be as good at sweet-talking as she is. I already believe that the New Year is a time to spend money. So, don’t hesitate to request or ask for things.”

“Then can I also get some crepes?”

“Sure.”

Chiaki was the first to make a request. Now, what about the other two? They exchanged glances, wondering what to do.

“……..”

Well, it wasn’t that simple. Wasn’t it a little too much to hold back, even during Christmas? However, on our way back to the station, there should be plenty of stalls lined up for the New Year. There had to be at least one thing that they wanted to eat.

“Here’s your beef skewer and chicken meatballs.”

“Yay!”

Chiaki held the chicken meatballs and beef skewer in both hands, indulging in a luxurious two-sword style. Watching her, the other two swallowed their saliva with envy.

The aroma and juices of the meat were tantalizing, stirring up one’s appetites. Most of all, watching someone else eat delicious food can make you hungry. It’s the same principle as watching a ramen show and suddenly craving ramen.

“Oh, Aki… Is that beef skewer particularly delicious?”

“You won’t know until you try it. Look at the juice from this meat.”

“…Can I have a bite?”

“Why don’t you ask Kaito to buy you one?”

“…Well, I guess so, but…”

Ah, I see. Chinatsu wants the beef skewer more. Alright, let’s buy one for her. I bought it for her from the stall and handed it to Chinatsu.

“Here you go, Chinatsu.”

“…Are you sure? This is expensive…”

“You’re supposed to say thank you for that.”

“…Thank you very much.”

Chinatsu timidly took the beef skewer and started devouring it with small bites. On the other hand, it seemed like Chifuyu was more interested in the chicken meatballs, so I’ll get that for her.

“Here you go, Chifuyu.”

“Oh, thank you very much…”

In reality, I wanted Chifuyu and the others to be more demanding, but that was difficult, so I resorted to this forceful approach.

“What about you, Chiharu?”

“Me…?”

“There are crepes too.”

“….But like I told Chiaki before, sometimes being too reserved can actually make the other person uncomfortable. Though, I know Chiharu is a good kid, so there’s no need to worry about that,” 

“Then, I want the salted chicken skin,” Chiharu said, pointing at the menu, looking slightly embarrassed.

“So stingy.”

Chiharu, Chinatsu, and Chifuyu must have the habit of holding back. However, considering the environment, they’ve been living in, it’s only natural for them to be so.

“Here you go.” I handed her the salted chicken skin.

“Thank you, Onii-san.”

As they walked and ate, the four of them headed towards the station.

“Chiharu, can I have a bite of that?”

“Sure.”

“…Mmm, this is delicious! What is it?”

“It’s chicken skin.”

“Oh, I see. Well, as a thank you, here’s a bite of this meatball for you!”

“..Thank you!”

It was heartwarming to see that despite my oversleeping, we were still able to successfully complete our first shrine visit of the year, and to top it off, they were even wearing the clothes I had gifted them.

What a great start…

That’s what I thought as I watched them walk ahead of me.

◆◆

(POV Chiharu)

Today, we went to our first shrine visit of the year and then returned to Oniisan’s house. On the way back, we ate crepes and grilled octopus balls, so we were feeling full.

“Hmm, I wonder if we’ll be able to have dinner tonight?”

“It might be difficult.”

Inside the second-floor room, Chinatsu and I changed our clothes. We took off our earrings and put on simple clothes. It was my first time realizing how enjoyable the first shrine visit was. Come to think of it, I only knew that Chinatsu Omikuji was a great fortune; I didn’t know any of the details.

“Chinatsu, can I take a look at your fortune?”

“Sure.”

With that, Chinatsu handed me her omikuji. Even though I didn’t truly believe in the existence of gods, I felt curious about it. The Barnum effect and placebo effect crossed my mind, making me wonder whether there really were any gods. Despite this, I found myself wanting to follow in my sisters’ footsteps, which is why I also asked Oniisan to draw an Omikuji for me.

“How is it? My luck?”

“It’s amazing,”

Academics might pose some challenges, but business shouldn’t be a problem. It also recommended travel, and when it comes to lost items, there are none. As for your awaited person, it’s like being in the dark under a lighthouse.

I don’t usually draw fortunes, but is this the norm nowadays? It feels like a strange sensation that’s hard to describe. However, I feel like the first fortune about academics is accurate.

It might depend on how my Chinatsu grows up. In the end, one’s own efforts are the most important, though…

That being said, I’m not sure what the last part means by “Your awaited person, it’s like being in the dark under a lighthouse.” Does it suggest that people might overlook something that’s right in front of them? Or is it intended to be humorous? Either way, it’s a bit cryptic and hard to decipher.

Come to think of it, there was something unusual written on the Omikuji I drew as well. It said that there were no problems with academics, and that business was irrelevant. It’s recommended to travel, and lost items will eventually be found. These were all pretty normal, but the last part about the awaited person had something written that I couldn’t understand.

Awaited person, under development.

“What? Under development…?” That’s what I thought at first, but maybe it’s just a joke. Perhaps this kind of fortune telling is becoming more mainstream nowadays as times change.

“Hey, hey, weren’t the grilled octopus balls from before good?”

“It was delicious. I also liked the one with shrimp in it.”

“Yeah, and that chocolate banana crepe! The amount of cream was so generous!”

Chinatsu is also a big foodie and can’t stop thinking about the delicious meal that Oniisan treated her to today.

It was absolutely amazing! It reminded me of the first time we went on a food tour together, exploring different culinary delights. The experience was truly liberating and enjoyable because there was a limit to how much money we could spend before.

I was a bit hesitant at first, but Oniisan knew exactly how to handle the situation. Also, seeing how Chiaki didn’t hold back made me feel like we could let loose too, which was a big factor in enjoying today.

Onii-san and Chinatsu are amazing…

“Hey, wasn’t that ring toss game rigged? Even if the ring landed on the doll, it wouldn’t fall all the way down to win the prize. And for the shooting game, they were definitely using weighted targets!”

It seems like Chinatsu had a great time too, which made me happy. Thank you so much, Onii-san. I can’t thank you enough.

**************

TN: Urashima Taro is a folktale where the guy saves a turtle and is rewarded with a visit to the underwater palace of the Sea God. In the story, Urashima Taro spends what seems to be just a few days in the palace, but when he returns to the surface, he discovers that centuries have passed.