CH 33

(TN: Japan has this school event called half coming-of-age ceremony, basically done for fourth graders as they have reached half the age of adulthood.)

(POV Chiharu)

Upon our return to school, our teacher positioned herself in front of the desk and proceeded to inform us, the fourth-grade students, about the upcoming matters.

“Alright, everyone, this Saturday we have the half coming-of-age ceremony. It’s a special celebration to mark reaching half the age of adulthood. Your parents are also expected to attend, so let’s show our enthusiasm!”

“Eeeeeh.”

“Seriously? Our parents are coming too?”

The students voiced their discontent with the teacher’s statement. Despite being referred to as the half-coming-of-age ceremony, it was merely an extension of our lessons, and the idea of the parents coming to witness it somehow evoked a sense of resistance.

“Alright, settle down. As part of this event, each of you will be expected to share your aspirations for the future and express daily gratitude in front of your parents. You can prepare a one-page manuscript for this purpose.”

“Ehhh!”

“The moms probably won’t come for that.”

“It’s embarrassing. I can’t do that in front of my parents.”

“It’s such a hassle.”

“Well, it sounds interesting, though.”

“My mom said she’ll come to see me.”

“In my family, both my mom and dad will be present.”

“Oh, really? Well, it seems like moms everywhere are pretty excited.”

“Yeah, parents are more enthusiastic than the kids about it, huh?”

Indeed, it seemed challenging for young adolescents to express gratitude or similar emotions in words, as their rebellious spirit prevailed. However, among them, there were a few mature students who didn’t show any particular reaction, and Sakura-san was one of them.

Moreover, among them, there was one person who had a unique and special reaction. That person was Chiaki, who seemed to emit an indescribable atmosphere, appearing both complex and hesitant.

Even though I couldn’t see her face with her seat in front of me, it was evident that Chiaki was experiencing a complicated state of mind.

Unlike her usual self, always smiling and seemingly enjoying herself, Chiaki was now facing the window, gazing up at the sky with a somewhat lonely expression.

“Now, that concludes the announcement. It’s better to start thinking about your presentations ahead of time. If anyone hasn’t finished theirs by the day before, they’ll have to serve detention, so make sure to be prepared. Now, the person on duty today, please give the order.”

Oh, today’s on-duty assignment (clean the board and call for salute to the teacher) was given Chiaki and me. One of us had to give the order. However, Chiaki seemed absent-minded and didn’t seem to hear the conversation.

“Stand up…”

When I gave the order to the entire class, one by one, the students lifted themselves from their chairs. The sound caught Chiaki’s attention, and she finally snapped out of her daze, shifting her gaze from outside the window back to the classroom and stood up.

“With that, we conclude our closing session. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye!”

“Let’s get going.”

“We’re outta here.”

“Let’s go!”

Some students casually exchanged greetings and promptly left the classroom. Most of them were boys, but there were a few girls who were lip-syncing their goodbyes. While I believe greetings are important, it would be meddlesome and impractical to constantly remind or be concerned about them. Besides, currently for me, there was no room for such worries in the first place.

The duty of the day was to clean the blackboard, wipe it thoroughly with the eraser, write down the names of tomorrow’s on-duty students, and clean up the chalk dust. There was also a lot of work to do, such as disposing of classroom trash and so on. The on-duty students had to prioritize and complete these tasks.

Usually, I would immediately start on the tasks, but there was something else I had to address before that. I turned my attention away from the students who were excited about school being over and approached Chiaki, who seemed to be in a complicated state of mind.

“Chiaki, are you okay?”

“…Yeah.”

“Is something bothering you?”

“It’s nothing.”

She said so, but it was clear that something was bothering her. Without saying anything more, Chiaki seemed to remember her duty as the assigned student and headed towards the blackboard.

She picked up the eraser and began wiping the blackboard clean.

“…”

“…”

“Chiaki, Onee-chan… is worried about you, Chiaki. So, can you tell me…?”

“…”

It was rare to see Chiaki hesitate to speak about something. She averted her gaze and seemed lost in deep thought.

“It’s okay, it’ll be our little secret. I won’t tell Chinatsu or Chifuyu, and certainly not Onii-san.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

Perhaps it was something she didn’t want the three of us to hear. Or maybe it was simply not the kind of thing she would share with anyone.

“Are you absolutely sure?”

“Yeah, absolutely sure.”

“Like, really, really sure?”

“Yeah, really, really sure.”

“But… I don’t want to tell Chiharu too much… It may hurt you.”

“It’s fine, you know? I’m your Onee-chan. I’m stronger than you think.”

“But…”

She seems hesitant to speak about it. But what could it be that would hurt me so much?

“It’s okay, really. If you want to stop halfway, just say the word.”

“…Um… then, but…”

“I assure you, it’ll be fine. Just go ahead and say it. We can discuss everything afterward.”

I took Chiaki’s hand and locked eyes with her. Her gaze wandered, lost in indecision as she looked down, but after a while, she began speaking slowly.

“…You know, I… I…”

“Yeah?”

“At the end of the morning homeroom earlier…”

“Hey, Chiaki!”

Just as Chiaki was about to speak, a low male voice echoed through the classroom. I thought no one was there anymore. After all, it’s not normal for any student to stay behind. Apart from the on duty students, there was no reason for anyone else to remain.

“…W-what? Shorts kid…. What do you want?”

“Oh, well, you seemed down during the morning homeroom. Usually you’re always laughing like an idiot.”

“…I have my bad days too, you know.”

“Is that so… So, why are you looking so gloomy?”

“It’s none of your business.”

Nishida… No, Nishino. Even though I and the cutest sister in the century were about to have an important conversation, you actually interrupted us…

Sigh, I wish he didn’t interrupt. But it seems like he had been observing Chiaki during morning homeroom. I had suspected it before, but it appears that Nishino has feelings for Chiaki.

I understand why he finds Chiaki cute. However, if that’s the case, he should be kinder to her. Instead of always teasing her, saying that she’s an idiot, and provoking her, he should show more gentleness.

Chiaki may have a slightly childish side, but she possesses more maturity than one would expect. That’s why treating her as just any ordinary child wouldn’t make sense.

“Don’t be so cheap about it.” He said

“…I don’t really get it, but I’ll thank you for showing concern. However, it’s not something I can talk about with others.”

“You were just about to tell Chiharu, though…”

“Chiharu is different. She’s my sister.”

It was clear to me that Nishino had come to ask out of concern, at least to some extent. However, due to his usual behavior and way of asking, Chiaki just wouldn’t open up.

…I appreciate the fact that he showed concern, though.

“Why are you like this. And here I was considering hearing you out.”

“I see, that’s fine…”

…Chiaki seems somewhat distant today, more so than usual. I wonder what’s troubling her so much…

“…What’s with you today… You’re different from usual.” Nishino says

“Usual… usual, huh… Yeah, that might be true… Nishino, do you have parents?”

“Huh? Yeah, I do.”

“Do they cook for you every day, clean for you, buy things for you?”

“W-Well, yeah, but…”

“I see… Be grateful for that. Go home right now and write an essay.”

“Huh?”

“Go quickly… There’s nothing to gain from interacting with me today, and I can’t give you the reaction you’re seeking.”

“Oh… Al…right.”

Upon hearing Chiaki’s words, Nishino eventually left. Once again, we were alone in the classroom. The sound was almost nonexistent, with only the occasional rustle of the windows from the wind. In the midst of the silence, Chiaki began speaking softly.

“…..nee-nee.”

“What’s wrong?”

“…Are parents something to be grateful for?”

Ah, it immediately became clear to me what was troubling her.

All the students in the classroom were going to write essays expressing gratitude to their parents. It was because they had been taken care of and raised by them.

But we were different. We were rejected, isolated, and wounded. The classroom atmosphere of everyone showing gratitude to their parents reminded Chiaki of her worst memories, reminding her of her abusive parents from the past.

“…I don’t understand. Parents are nothing but a negative presence to me. Everyone seemed hesitant, but there wasn’t a single person who was opposed to expressing gratitude… I started feeling like my life had been different from others, and then I remembered the past…”

Unconsciously, Chiaki brushed her forehead, where a faint scar from her first injury inflicted by those bastards was concealed underneath her hair.

“I see…”

That was the spot where the memories of the past, when her abusive father, driven by frustration from work, would drink heavily and become irritable, losing control and kicking Chiaki, resurfaced.

At the time, I hit the wall with my fist, and blood trickled out. It was just a minor scrape, but the fear from that day lingered inside me.

There were other instances too, like being kicked in the back or slapped. However, for Chiaki, it seemed that the scar on her forehead had left the deepest mark in her heart.

The first time blood was drawn, it was just shouting, but it finally escalated to physical violence. I never complained about receiving the bare minimum; I never uttered a single word of dissatisfaction about our less-than-ideal life.

Did she think she might have been killed? Was it simply the fear that remained because it was the first time she had gotten hit until blood trickled out? I didn’t know the full extent of her worry, and I couldn’t bring myself to ask.

All I know is that fear clings to Chiaki like a curse, along with the scars. In her heart and on her forehead. Until now, it was only forgotten or merely avoided.

“I thought that if I mentioned this, Chiharu would also recall unpleasant memories… I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to carry it all alone…”

“It’s okay. I’m more worried about you, Chiaki.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“It’s understandable that some things can’t be forgotten. It’s also inevitable to remember.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t apologize so much. I know! Let me pat your head to cheer you up.”

“Yeah, thank you…”

I haven’t seen Chiaki so fragile and weak in a long time. Recently, all I saw was her smiling face. But this is the real Chiaki. No, wait, this is who we, us four sisters, truly are.

She’s genuinely delicate, unstable, and fragile. A small mistake could easily make her cry. She gets down, on the verge of breaking.

Please forgive your older sister, who can only divert her gaze and pretend everything is fine. The scars may fade, but their weight will always remain. They will never fully heal, and there is no immediate remedy. The only way is to gradually heal the emotional wounds over time.

“Hey, Haru, Aki, what happened…..with the bus schedule?” 

“You guys were on duty today right?… Aki-nee, what’s going on?”

It seems Chinatsu and Chifuyu got worried when I and Chiaki didn’t show up at the usual time, so they came to the classroom to check on us. Looking at the clock, it’s already been more than enough time since we were supposed to meet at the bus stop.

The two of them immediately sensed a change in Chiaki’s demeanor.

“I-It’s nothing… really…” Chiaki said.

“You’re terrible at lying. Seriously, you are.” Chinatsu said.

“Yeah… you’re definitely not good at it.” Chifuyu added.

“If I said it was nothing, then it was nothing!”

Chiaki probably thinks there’s no point in explicitly stating it. Just like how they showed concern for her, she doesn’t want to bring up negative memories in their minds.

“So? Enough with the evasiveness; just tell us already.”

“I-It’s nothing.”

“If you don’t tell us, we’ll tickle it out of you.” Chinatsu threatened.

“What?! No, but…”

The two of them approached Chiaki slowly, cutting off her escape route as she nervously tried to evade them.

“But… I don’t want to say it. I’m sure it will make both of you feel uncomfortable…” Chiaki expressed herself hesitantly.

“Well, well, that’s a relief. So, the reason you can’t say it is because of us, right? Isn’t that right, Fuyu?” Chinatsu said.

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s a dilemma whether to delve into a difficult issue like a personal complex. But if it’s something that would make Chifuyu and the others feel uncomfortable, you don’t really need to worry about us that much.” Chifuyu added.

“We dislike it more when you’re feeling down. We do. It bothers us more than feeling uncomfortable ourselves,” 

“Well, considering how Aki-nee has always taken care of me as her younger sister, please please please feel free to discuss with me any of your troubles,” Chifuyu added.

“…You guys…”

I had anticipated it would turn out this way. I had expected that if the matter may hurt them more than the other person, they would do whatever it took to make her say it and offer their support. This struck a chord with me.

Not everything can be solved just by being sisters. However, being sisters also means there are things we can do for each other. We can dive into each other’s hearts like this without hesitation.

“So? Spit it out. If you don’t, you’ll be in a double ticklish spider hell with me and Fuyu,” Chinatsu said.

“Come on, it’s easier to speak up than being forced to spill it,” Chifuyu added.

“…Are you sure it’s okay?” Chiaki hesitated.

“Absolutely!” they both exclaimed.

“…I’m sorry,” 

“Don’t apologize!” 

“…Yeah, sorry for apologizing,” Chiaki said.

“”….””

“Oh, I ended up apologizing…”

“Enough already, just tell us quickly,” Chinatsu exclaimed.

“That’s right,” Chifuyu nodded.

“Yeah, well…,” 

Chiaki began, her voice trembling. She said she felt sad because she remembered her past.

For several minutes, Chinatsu and Chifuyu listened attentively without uttering a word. When Chiaki finished speaking, they both gently placed their hands on Chiaki’s head and began to stroke it soothingly.

“So, that’s what you meant to say. Well, I understand how you feel. Earlier, I had similar thoughts in my own class. Seeing other kids being raised normally really emphasized how messed up my parents are.” Chinatsu said.

“Chifuyu felt the same way too. But since I have Aki-nee and my sisters, I don’t feel lonely or sad. Aki-nee also has us, Chifuyu, and the others.”

“…”

I also placed my hand on Chiaki’s head.

“It’s okay. There’s nothing to be afraid of anymore. Even if you feel lonely or scared, I’ll always encourage and comfort you, so you can feel at ease.”

“Uuuh.”

“Why are you crying? It’s not that touching of a moment. It’s normal for sisters to do this kind of thing.” Chinatsu said.

“No, no, it’s quite touching, you know.”

“Yeah, that’s right. My heart is flooded with tears right now.”

“There she goes, the eldest sister being a silly goose… Sigh, I guess it can’t be helped. Come on, I’ll help you with your assigned tasks. Let’s finish before the next bus arrives.” Chinatsu declared.

Chinatsu gave the command, and we all started moving. However, before that, Chiaki clung tightly to the three of us.

“””…”””

“Tchank you, I’m so happy… I feel… blessed…”

“Well, that’s good to hear. But please stop using my clothes (Fuku) to wipe (fuku) your tears!” Chinatsu said.

“To think you’d tell me puns to cheer me up… You’re such a great sister.”

“My stock as a sister seems to have risen, but I didn’t intend for that. Anyway, we need to finish our tasks quickly so we can catch the bus. Today’s 4 o’clock drama is already on.” Chinatsu added

“No, I want us to stay like this. I want us to stay just like this.”

Chiaki hugged us tightly, embracing each and every one of us. Her arms weren’t long enough since they hadn’t fully grown, but she stretched them as far as she could to hold us.

“Lately, I’ve been feeling a bit insincere when saying ‘thank you’ or ‘grace before meals’ or ‘thank you for the meal.’ It’s become a daily routine where I take my fortunate circumstances for granted.”

“You could also see that as a positive change, couldn’t you? Feeling that kind of happiness is normal.” Chifuyu said.

“Yeah, you could say that. But I just realized that it’s important to express gratitude again.”

Chiaki momentarily let go of us and took a step back.

“I… I love all three of you. Thank you for always being with me,” she said with slightly teary eyes, but her smile was brighter than ever before.

“W-well, we’re sisters after all,” Chinatsu replied.

“Y-yeah, th-that’s right,” Chifuyu added.

“Yeah, um, we should probably get back to our assigned duties soon. Right, Fuyu?” Chinatsu said.

“Y-Yes, you’re right,” Chifuyu agreed.

Feeling a bit embarrassed by the direct gratitude expressed, the two of them quickly tried to start the tasks assigned to us as the students on duty for the day.

However, Chiaki once again caught hold of us, spreading her arms like a fishing net.

“Ehehe, let’s keep it this way a little longer.” Chiaki said.

“Hey, aren’t you embarrassed? I’m feeling so embarrassed…” Chinatsu stated.

“Yeah, that’s right. Chifuyu’s face is all hot from embarrassment.” Chifuyu added.

“I’m feeling great, though.”

“I’m also feeling great, without a trace of embarrassment. Let’s stay like this!”

“Oh well, there’s nothing we can do… I’ll just give up on the 4 o’clock drama.” Chinatsu said

“Yeah, you’re right.” Chifuyu nodded.

“Yay, I’m happy!”

After staying like that for about ten minutes, the teacher arrived, so we disbanded, swiftly finished our tasks as the on duty students of the day, and took the bus home from the bus stop.

Upon reaching home, we settled down with sheets of manuscript paper, while also engrossed in watching a drama. It appeared that both classes had been assigned the same topic.

“Hmm, so you guys are also writing about your aspirations for the future and daily gratitude.” Chiatsu said;

“That’s right!”

“Well, gratitude is something I can write about… but when it comes to aspirations for the future…”

Chinatsu, Chiaki, and Chifuyu were struggling to decide what to write. While they could convey their gratitude and appreciation towards Onii-san, when it came to their own dreams for the future, it seemed to be a different matter altogether.

“I want to become a Kaito (phantom thief)!” Chiaki said

“Do you have any dreams for the future, Fuyu?” Chinatsu asked

“Not really, I can’t even imagine anything.”

“Yeah, me to….”

“Don’t ignore me!”

“Chiaki, I’ll support your dream!”

“As expected of nee-nee”

“Haru, you should learn to be a little stricter.”Chinatsu said.

Ah? Are you going to say that?

I also intend to be quite strict at times, you know.

So, it’s not that I’m being lenient, but I’ve come to assume that Chinatsu is the strict one.

“By the way, I want to be an actress. The Monday 9 PM slot belongs to me.” Chinatsu said

“That’s right, Chinatsu would take over the entire week at 9 PM with her enthusiasm.”

“No, that’s why I’m telling you to be a bit more strict.”

“Even though i think it’s the truth.”

“Sigh… Can’t you spoil us a little bit less?”

“I’m already holding back quite a bit.”

“You’re kidding, right…”

While Chinatsu was holding her head in frustration, Chiaki and Chifuyu were having a conversation on their own.

“I want to become a detective.” Chiaki declared

“Oh, really? But being a detective isn’t like what Aki-nee thinks. It involves a lot of mundane tasks like background investigations.”

“Huh? Like solving a new case every week…?”

“That’s something you only see in anime.”

“…Then, maybe I’ll become a voice actor!”

“That’s quite the abrupt decision.”

“But I love anime, and doing radio shows seems fun too.”

“But the voice acting industry is known to be quite tough. Just appearing in anime and radio shows doesn’t earn you much. Recently, they have relied on CD sales and photo books to generate income for agencies. Plus, most voice actors can’t make a living solely from voice acting, so it’s a challenging world.”

“Uuuu, now it doesn’t look like it’s going to be fun…”

“But, Aki-nee is cute, and she has a good voice, so I feel like she could make it.”

“Ohh! Voice acting is now my top choice!”

I once again came to the realization that Chifuyu possessed extensive knowledge. I couldn’t help but wonder where she had acquired such a wealth of information, and then it suddenly dawned on me. It must be from Onii-san’s smartphone. Lately, there have been occasional disputes among Chinatsu, Chiaki, and Chifuyu regarding who gets to use it on the sofa.

Since we took turns using it at set times, it most likely must have been during that time that she searched for this kind of stuff.

“Voice acting, huh… I wonder if I could do it too?” Chinatsu wondered out loud.

“I think you could. Your voice and appearance are both good.” Chifuyu said.

“I also think you can do it.” I added

It’s certainly beneficial to have dreams and explore new possibilities. It’s only natural to want to discover one’s capabilities. However, I couldn’t help but worry as my talented younger sisters seemed to excel effortlessly in everything they try, and I tend to worry that they might disrupt the industry and end up being resented by senior voice actors.

As I pondered over such concerns, Chiaki suddenly raised her voice.

“I’ve got it! Let’s become voice actors, the four of us! And conquer the world!” 

“Wait, conquer what? But if we were to make our voice acting debut, we’d become so popular that we’d be in high demand for anime roles. Oh boy, here we go again, being called the heroine or the lead character.” Chinatsu added.

“That’s definitely true! Let’s promote ourselves as the intelligent voice actor quartet!” Chiaki nodded.

“That’s a great idea. And while we’re at it, let’s take over video-sharing platforms, become actors, appear on variety shows and documentary programs. Oh, but there will definitely be haters that emerge for us. They’ll start rumors about us being at odds with each other, talk about scandals or controversies, and suddenly turn into our anti-fans.” Chinatsu explained.

“Well, let’s vent about those kinds of people on the radio!” Chiaki declared.

“No, no, image is crucial for voice actors and actors. If we do those things, we’ll end up with fewer job offers.”

“Hmm…”

…I truly realize that smartphones offer a wealth of knowledge. That’s what I thought as I listened to Chinatsu and Chiaki’s conversation.

“No, I don’t really think that things will go smoothly like that… Well, it’s fine as long as you guys are just thinking about it for free. By the way, Haru-nee, do you have any dreams?” Chifuyu asked.

“I guess my dream would be for the three of us to be happy. Well, it feels more like a minimum mission than a dream, though.”

“…Is that so? Chifuyu wants Haru-nee to be happy too.”

“If the three of you are happy, then I’ll be happy too. It’s a win-win situation.”

“…I think that’s different, though…”

Chifuyu is truly a kind-hearted child. She’s my pride and joy, and she’s so adorable. That’s what matters. Both Chinatsu and Chiaki are also adorable. That’s what matters.

As I let my imagination run wild, wondering what kind of future the three of them would walk towards, I realized that I wanted to make them happy in any future they chose.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“Can’t you tell just by looking? It’s muscle training.”

“What are you doing training with a grip strengther while eating during your lunch break? Do it in your home.”

“The girls have a classroom parents’ visitation day coming up soon. And right after that, there’s a parent-child volleyball tournament. I have to show my daughters a cool side of me.”

“Oh, really?”

During my lunch break, I sat at my desk, training with a grip strengther while munching on rice balls. It was all for the sake of looking good during the parent-child volleyball tournament. Sitting beside me was Sasaki who couldn’t help but give me an incredulous look, but I paid him no mind.

“No matter how I look at it, I’m younger than the other parents, so I have an advantage. I’ll shine there and make them say, ‘Wow, papa is amazing.’”

“Oh, I see… Does grip strength really matter in volleyball?”

“Well, it’s probably better to focus on training jumps. But the important thing is the psychological advantage of knowing I’ve put in the effort. That’s why I won’t waste a single second.”

“I see. Oh, by the way, I have something for you.”

“What’s this?”

“It’s Champion Curry. It’s from my hometown, Ishikawa, and I receive a large amount of it every year. So, take it. Enjoy it with your daughters.”

“Is it free?”

“It’s free.”

“Oh, wow. Thank you.”

Sasaki had a paper bag filled with curry packets. Each packet contained 540 grams, with three sweet and three spicy flavors. That’s quite a substantial amount. Come to think of it, I’ve heard that Champion Curry is delicious.

I wonder what would happen if I claimed that I made it. If someone were to say it’s even tastier than usual, I don’t think I could recover from that.

“Well then, I’ll be counting on your daughters for Valentine’s Day,” 

“….Huh? No.” 

“Come on, please. I think it would improve my position since I can only receive gifts from my parents every year,” Sasaki insisted.

“Huh? That’s a bit…”

“Well then, give the curry back,” 

“You…,”

“Just kidding,” Sasaki quickly added.

“You liar.”

I thought Sasaki was a decent person, but he always manages to ruin my image of him. However, this time, receiving the curry was a slight positive step. It looks delicious, and it feels nice to be able to eat something I don’t normally have.

Let’s have curry for dinner tonight. It’s not about taking the easy way out; this is the rational decision to make.

◆◆

It was time, and so I drove my car back home, carefully abiding by the speed limit while hurrying at the same time. While contemplating various thoughts, one idea crossed my mind—I could perhaps whip up a delightful pork belly mille-feuille cutlet with that curry.

Lost in these musings, I eventually reached my destination and opened the door, only to be greeted by Chiaki as usual. However, unlike usual, she hugged me tightly.

“Welcome back, Kaito.”

“What’s wrong?”

I was genuinely happy as a papa, but why the sudden change?

“I wanted to say thank you, express my gratitude, and also wanted to be spoiled!”

“I see. That’s truly one of Chiaki’s good qualities. And you’re really cute there.”

“Hehe, Kaito called me cute…”

“What a cute girl. I must make sure to show off in front of her during the volleyball match.

“What’s for dinner today?” she asked.

“For today, I’m combining Yokohama’s Champion Curry with some pork belly cutlets, creating a delicious katsu curry,” I replied.

“Ohhhh, that sounds extravagant!”

“Keep your expectations high and wait patiently.”

“Yes! I’m eagerly looking forward to Kaito’s cooking! Thank you always; I love you, Kaito.”

…Ah. My thoughts wandered unintentionally. She’s just so adorable. But this won’t do. It might make other parents jealous during the classroom parents’ visitation day when they see how cute Chiaki is.

They might complain that she stands out more than their own children…

Ah, no, I shouldn’t think about that. I need to hurry and prepare dinner. My daughters must be hungry. And so, I stylishly made my way to the kitchen.