CH 32

(POV Kaito)

While on my way back home, I stopped by a cake shop that caught my attention with a sign of a girl playfully sticking out her tongue. 

“Welcome!” greeted the shopkeeper.

Hmm, I think Chiaki has an insatiable sweet tooth, and Chinatsu would eat anything I brought back. Even Chifuyu and Chiharu have a soft spot for desserts.

My daughters are such good kids that they’ll eat anything delicious. However, it wouldn’t be fun if everyone ate the same thing, so I decided to buy different types of cakes.

Shortcake, chocolate cake, Mont Blanc, cheesecake, mille-feuille—I figured this would be enough. After paying, I received the cakes in neatly boxed package.

As for which one to eat, we would decide by playing rock-paper-scissors.

As I drove, I couldn’t help but imagine the delighted expressions on my daughters’ faces when I returned home with their treats.

I was particularly curious about the results of their jump-rope competition. Though I was eager to know how all of them had fared, I was especially concerned about Chifuyu. She had practiced so hard, but I had no idea how well she would do in the competition.

Eventually, I arrived home and unlocked the door to the sound of my daughters’ cheerful voices.

“Welcome home, Kaito!” 

“Kaito-san, welcome home.”

“I-I’m back,” 

Chiaki and Chifuuyu welcomed me warmly as I arrived home, and it was clear that my worries had been unfounded. It was a relief to see that they were both in high spirits. Although I wasn’t sure about the results of Chifuyu’s jump-rope record competition, I could tell from her positive attitude that she must have gained something valuable from the experience. 

“Kaito, is that a gift!? Or maybe a cake!?”

“Ah, oh, that’s right.”

“Yaay! It’s the one with the girl sticking her tongue out!” Chiaki exclaimed.

I handed the cake box to Chiaki, who eagerly took it and headed back to the living room.

“How was the jump rope competition, Chinatsu?” I asked.

“Well, I came in last place among the sisters… but I achieved all of my personal bests! I was able to do double jumps six times in a row!” 

“Ohhh, you did very well!”

I was happy to see her having a sense of personal growth. With activities like jumping rope, the results are easily quantifiable in terms of the number of jumps and the time spent doing them. Achieving a personal best or a good result can be great motivation to keep pushing oneself further.

Hence, it was a matter of course to acknowledge Chifuyu’s hard work and progress since she tried her best.

“Ehehe…”

She giggled, looking adorable as ever.

“S-since I worked so hard, m-my head… pat it…”

“A-alright…”

Blushing slightly, Chifuyu looked up at me with eyes that begged to be patted. There was no way the boys in her class would leave her alone if they saw this look, but Chiuyu never seemed to get attention from boys or even get bothered by them like Chiaki does.

It was almost as if the boys were oblivious to the qualities that I could clearly see in Chifuyu, or perhaps they simply hadn’t caught up to her yet.

I reached out and tenderly ran my hand over her hair, much like one would pet a kitten, feeling contented in the knowledge that we had built a bond of trust with one another. At times, however, it felt as though she was becoming overly attached…

H-Hmm, this gives off a different feeling from when I pat Chiaki’s head… or is this just my imagination?

Girls are complicated, with different feelings and personalities. It’s natural that everyone has their own way of interacting with others.

……For now, let’s enter the house and make dinner. If I keep thinking about it, my thoughts will just end up going in a direction I can’t understand.

“Alright then, I’ll make dinner…”

“Ah…”

When I removed my hand from her head, Chifuyu let out a wistful sigh. Please don’t look at me with those eyes. We can’t stay like this forever, and everyone is hungry, so I have no choice but to stop…

…I have to make dinner early.

“Kaito, I’m hungry!”

“Y-yeah, I’m making it now.”

“Mm…”

Perhaps having put the cake in the fridge, Chiaki returned to the entrance with empty hands. In a hurry, I took off my suit, changed my clothes and began preparing dinner.

As Chiaki sweetly begged for dinner, like a cute child throwing a tantrum, I rushed to the kitchen to get things ready. And while I began preparing, Chiaki showed me a smile as radiant as a flower.

However, Chifuyu was now pouting instead.

I’ll hold off on making any assumptions for now; it’s possible that this is just my imagination playing tricks on me.

◆◆

(POV Chiharu)

After a full day’s hard work, Onii-san bought cakes as a reward on his way back home. After dinner, we all sat in the kotatsu and opened the cake box we took out of the fridge.

As a sweet aroma wafted out, five cakes revealed themselves.

“Yay! I want the shortcake!”

“Then, I’ll have the Mont Blanc.”

“Chifuyu likes chocolate cake.”

“What about you, Onii-san?”

“I’m fine with whatever is left. You go ahead, Chiharu,” he replied.

“Thank you. Then, I’ll have cheesecake.”

“I see. I’ll go for mille-feuille.”

We took our picks, and Onii-san was the last to take his cake. It may seem trivial, but I realized that none of my sisters held back as they opened up to Onii-san even more than before.

“Thank you, Kaito, Lets eat!”

Chiaki carefully removed the veil surrounding the shortcake and took a small lick of the cream that had stuck to it.

“Sigh, how uncivilized. Stop that,” scolded Chinatsu.

“Hmph, I’ll do as I please,” retorted Chiaki.

“Haa, you’re such a child,” 

Meanwhile, Chinatsu had a fork in hand and was taking a bite of her Mont Blanc, watching Chiaki with a mix of annoyance and amusement. Her Mont Blanc had a large chestnut on top, with cream swirling around it like soft-serve ice cream. Even without taking a bite, it was easy to tell that it was delicious.

“Mmm, this is so delicious! The rich cream and chestnut flavors are irresistible. I’ve been wanting to try it for a while,” Chinatsu exclaimed.

“…. Is it really that good?  The Mont Blanc?” Chiaki asked.

“Well, Aki is still a child, so you probably don’t know much about it. There are only two choices in your mind: either chocolate or shortcake, right? Mmm, shoo yummy…” 

“I’ve never had Mont Blanc before… can I try some?” Chiaki pleaded.

“….Well, I guess that’s fine. But in exchange, you have to give me a piece with plenty of whipped cream,” 

“Deal,” Chiaki agreed.

“Hey! Stupid Aki, why did you eat the chestnut on top?” Chinatsu protested,

“Because we’re charing!” 

“It’s called sharing! Ahh, I was really looking forward to it too. Fine, I can have your strawberry instead. Mmm.”

“What? Why!?” 

“It’s just how it is,”

As Chifuyu and Chiaki began to argue, Onii-san intervened.

“Let’s stop fighting, both of you. We’re enjoying some delicious food here. Let’s eat with a smile.”

“But, but…”

“It’s all Aki’s fault…”

“Here, you can eat all of my mille-feuille if you want.”

“Eh!? Is that okay? I love you, Kaito!”

“B-but, that’s…”

“Don’t worry, I haven’t even taken a bite yet. There’s no essence in it.”

“No, I didn’t mean that, but… Wait, did you just say essence?”

Essence…maybe he used that word because he thought it was easier for us to understand, but only boys would use that kind of word…

“Umm, but this is Kaito-san’s cake isn’t it?” Chinatsu said.

“Don’t worry, I have some sake and snacks, so I’m good.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. I’m going to make crispy chicken skin with oil, and green soybeans.”

“Um, okay then, I’ll gratefully take it…”

“Chicken skin and green soybeans…Drool“

“You really are a greedy one, you…well, yeah, I mean, it does sound delicious, but…” 

Chinatsu hesitated a bit but still took a piece of the cake. Meanwhile, Onii-san went straight to the kitchen and took out a plastic tray from the fridge.

And then he started cooking.

“This is mille-feuille! So delicious!” Chiaki exclaimed.

“It certainly is tasty.” Chinatsu added.

The two of them moved the cake slowly to their mouths. Watching this Chifuyu interjected.

“Um, maybe it’s better to be considerate of Kaito-san and not take too much of his cake…”

“A-ah, y-you’re right. Maybe we’ve been asking for too much. B-but, I don’t know how much is too much… Like, how much can I indulge myself?” Chinatsu said

“Huh? But Kaito said we can have it.” Chiaki retorted.

“Yeah, I know. But even if that’s what he really wants, it’s not good to indulge yourself too much…., you know? Like, even though there are five cakes, one person still wouldn’t be able to eat anything. How is that right? It’s just kind of sad to watch, you know? That’s how I feel…”

“I-I see. That’s a good point, Chifuyu! You’re right!”

This conversation, although casual, somehow appeared to be a subtle yet pivotal turning point in our relationship. It provided a safe space where we could openly share our thoughts and embrace each other’s perspectives without any fear of regret.

After realizing her mistake, Chiaki wasted no time in making a decision and headed straight to the kitchen with the cake in hand. She was a good girl who was decisive and quick to act.

“Kaito, I’m sorry for not holding back earlier. You should have eaten too.”

“Oh, that’s sudden… but don’t worry, you can eat as much as you want.”

“No, it’s not that… It’s always best we eat together, but I got greedy on my own. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it… I said you could eat as much as you want. But I have to say, this feeling is strange… it’s like the feeling a father gets when he sees his child grow up from the Happy Meal to the Normal Burger Meal at McDonald’s… Kuh anyway, I’m just really happy.”

“Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Okay then, Kaito, ahhh…”

“Are you sure? That’s Chiaki’s shortcake, and it’s loaded with cream.”

“It’s okay! It’s really delicious right here!”

“Thanks… “

“It was Kaito who brought the cakes anyway so no need to thank me.”

“But still, thank you.”

Chiaki fed Onii-san with an “aaan” and the words “indirect kiss” crossed the minds of Chiaki, Chinatsu, and me. Chinatsu had a look of understanding, knowing that it was just something Chiaki would do.

I looked on with a jealous expression, wanting to receive an “aaan” too.

As for Chifuyu…

“K-k-k-k-… an indirect kiss… t-that’s just too defenseless…”

She showed a slight expression of jealousy towards Chiaki while blushing. This was a new kind of jealousy for Chifuyu, who had always been jealous of our supernatural powers. Moreover, until now, her jealousy had never been accompanied by a strong reaction.

“Ka-Kaito-san! T-the chocolate cake is also really sweet!!”

Recently, there had been more moments of competition between Chiaki and Chifuyu. Chifuyu approached Onii-san with her chocolate cake and used a spoon to scoop out a piece of the chocolate part.

“Th-thank you… Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Y-yes, of course! I don’t mind the essence, so please go ahead.”

“O-oh, okay then. I’ll have a piece.”

Onii-san looked perplexed as he opened his mouth. He wasn’t embarrassed or harboring any ill intentions. He seemed troubled and hesitant, almost as if he were sensing something or feeling uneasy. It was unclear what was going through his mind.

However, it was obvious that he couldn’t hide his confusion.

Perhaps Onii-san had noticed something, but from his perspective, she was his daughter and a child, while he was an adult and a father. Moreover, if it turned out to be a misunderstanding, it would be more than just unpleasant for him.

It seemed that Onii-san valued harmony… So it was only natural to feel troubled. He understood the position of each family member, but couldn’t adapt to Chifuyu’s changes.

Though I coolly analyzed the situation, I also wanted my sisters to feed me with an “aan”. Chiaki and Chifuyu were in the kitchen, while Chinatsu…..I silently pleaded to her with my eyes.

“….What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing…”

“….Come on, say aaan!”

“Thanks!”

Mont Blanc is so delicious… and it tastes even better with Chinatsu’s feeding.

“Maybe I should save some for Kaito-san…”

Chinatsu….has also undergone some changes, but her innate kindness remains unchanged. Chiaki has become closer to Onii-san and has become more assertive, but she still has a straightforward nature and corrects herself immediately when she realizes her mistakes. She also listens well to others.

Chifuyu has learned to face forward and see herself as special, and although she has developed feelings for Onii-san, her core competitive spirit remains unchanged.

Though I felt a bit sad about the changes in my sisters, I was also happy to see their good qualities remain unchanged.

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

TN: The essence word I used is translated from the word (ekisu); it is most likely referring to saliva; although the best translation according to the internet is “extract”. However it didn’t sound good and had no meaning when put in the sentences, so I used essence.

Anyway, the word itself is often used to refer to concentrated extracts derived from plants, fruits, or vegetables that are used in various products such as cosmetics, supplements, and foods.

So in essence it means liquid essence of a matter.